1. Experiences in controlling and managing brown rot in Poland – surveys planning, sampling, and laboratory analysishost plants and water Experiences in controlling and managing brown rot in Poland – surveys planning, sampling, and laboratory analysis of host plants and water Belgrade, 22 May 2012

2. Content of the presentation:  Introduction of the Polish plant health services  Potato production in Poland  Surveys for the presence of the potato bacteria -Surveys planning -Sampling -Laboratory analyses of potato tubers, other plants and water -Results  Conclusions

3. The State Plant Health and Seed Inspection Service in Poland is the National Plant Protection Organization under the meaning of the International Plant Protection Convention and is the responsible official body under the meaning of Council Directive 2000/29/EC.

4. The State Plant Health and Seed Inspection Service – the main task s:  monitoring of plant health conditions, protecting crops against harmful organisms and preventing from spreading of harmful organisms across the country  supervision of trade and use of plant protection products  supervision of seed material production and trading

5. Organization of the Service  Head Office (the seat in Warsaw)  16 Voivodeship Inspectorates: 270 field units 12 border inspection posts

6. Human resources  The Head Office – 70 employees  Voivodeship Inspectorates – 2,330 employees (BIPs – 90 employees) Totally approx. 2,400 employees

7. Voivodeship Inspectorates

8. Border Inspection Posts where phytosanitary control is carried out Border Inspection Posts where phytosanitary control is carried out Korczowa (road) Hrubieszów (rail) Dorohusk (road, rail) Małaszewicze (rail) Koroszczyn (road) Bobrowniki (road) Kuźnica Białostocka (road, rail) Bezledy (road) Braniewo (rail) Gdańsk (port) Gdynia (port) Świnoujście (port) Szczecin (port) Warszawa (airport) Lithuania Belarus Ukraine Slovakia Czech Republic Germany Russia

9. Central Computer Database System Since 2007 all organisational units of the Service are covered by Central Computer System along with operational systems and central database updated on a daily basis.

10. PHYTOSANITARY DIAGNOSTICS is an essential field of acivity of the Polish State Plant Health and Seed Inspection Service

11. Three-level diagnostic activity:  workstations at: field units - 270 border inspection posts - 12  Voivodeship Laboratories - 16  Central Laboratory of MIPHSI

12.  SPHSIS laboratories constantly develop their quality management system  9 accredited laboratories (including the Central Laboratory)  In the other laboratories the accreditation proccess is in progress Quality management in SPHSIS laboratories

13. Potato production in Poland

14. Potato production area in 2011 SeedWareTotal 5,307 ha487,623 ha492,930 ha EU potato production area – 2,043,755 ha Poland is the biggest potato producer in the EU (produces some 25% of the total production)

15. Potato production in Poland  Potato growth area constitutes 3,7% of the total cultivated area in Poland (20 years ago it was ca. 20%)  Downward trend – less potatoes produced each year, but the situation seems to have got stabilised recently  Average yield per ha in dt is 191 – similar to previous years (EU average = 300, increasing over the years).

16. Source: Central Statistical Office Potato production in Poland – terytorial diversity of cultivated area structure

17. Source: Central Statistical Office 93,1% of total potato production area takes place on farms < 1 ha Potato production in Poland

18.  One cultivation cycle (planting usually in late March and April, harvesting from June to October, depending on the variety)  Low percentage of certified seed potatoes use – farm saved seeds are the most popular  Exchange of farm saved seeds between neighbours is common  Irrigation is not common and concerns only some 5% of potato production  Professional producers usually use certified seeds (either domestically produced or brought from other MS)

19. Potato bacteria national surveys programme

20.  Regular surveys for the potato bacteria started in Poland in the 90-ies. Before that time, no regular testing had been carried out and the situation was not well known. Only some research indicated that there might be a serious problem with Cms.  Surveys have been continuously intensified. In particular, a big step forward had to be taken shortly before accession (a significant increase of survey efforts).  Surveys and testing methods had to be harmonised with EU requirements. History background

21.  The NPPO is the authority fully responsible for surveys.  In case of potatoes the surveys generally include testing for both CMS and Ralstonia in the same time.  For Ralstonia – expands also on tomatoes, wild hosts (like Solanum dulcamara) and surface waters (including waste water). Surveys programme

22.  ware potatoes – min. 10% of registered producers inspected every year  seed potatoes – 100% of lots  other potatoes from farms cultivating seed potatoes – 100% of lots  potatoes for export to EU – 100% of lots  potatoes for export to third countries – according to regulations in country of destination  Potatoes in trade – imported from EU and third countries – monitoring  breeding material – 100%  other potatoes from units cultivating breeding material – 100% of lots Range of potato control

23. SAMPLING  One sample is taken from 25 tonnes of tubers  Standard sample size is 200 tubers per test  In case of potatoes for export to the other EU countries a sample consists of 400 tubers (special requirement for Poland)  Samples are taken after harvest by field inspectors

24. sample of potato tubers extraction and concentration of the pathogen FIRST SCREENING TEST IF test The scheme for detection and identificaton of Ralstonia solacearum Part of laboratory analysis done in Voivodeship Laboratories Samples are tested for the presence of R.sol. and Cms in parallel If the first screening test is positive sample is sent to Central Laboratory for further analysis

25. The scheme for detection and identificaton of Ralstonia solacearum selective isolation and/or bioassay SECOND SCREENING TEST FISH or PCR colonies with typical morphology purify by subculture both tests confirm pure culture as R.sol. sample infected by R.sol. IDENTIFICATION TESTS PATHOGENICITY TEST The rest of tests, if required, are conducted in Central Laboratory Inoculation of tomato plants R.sol. on SMSA and YPGA

26. Number of samples tested for Cms and R.sol. No. of samples No. of. possitive samples % of possitive samples 2006/0719, 9822,43312.2 2007/0820, 1951,9119,5 2008/0917, 4131,5889,1 2009/1016, 7671,1286,73 2010/1115,2819836,43 No. of samples No. of possitive samples 2006/0719, 7400 2007/0820, 0080 2008/0916, 9020 2009/1016, 7730 2010/1115,4510 CmsR.sol.

27. Density of sampling for laboratory testing for R. sol. Seed potatoesWare potatoes Area (ha) No. of samples Sampling density (ha per sample) Sampling density EU average Area (ha) No. of samples Sampling density (ha per sample) Sampling density EU average 2006 crop 5,4406,1920.91.8713,11213,54852.673.2 2007 crop 5,7347,5500.81.8605,90112,53848.375.1 2008 crop 5,6116,5170.91.9569,91010,38554.972.9 2009 crop 5,0787,2310.71.9494,3629,54251.874.0 2010 crop 5,3076,9080.80.81.91.9487,6238,54357.183.1

28. Surveys include visual examination of other R. solanacearum host plants, principally tomatoes and some ornamentals (e.g. Pelargonium). For example, in 2011 the total of 385 inspections were carried out to examine over 6 millions of tomato plants. Samples for laboratory analyses are taken in cases of suspicion.

29. Water analysis SAMPLING Samples are taken from 3 occasions per a sampling point, each sample consisting of two replicated sub-samples of 30 ml. Samples are taken from:  surface water (used for irrigation or in the vicinity of potato or tomato cultivated area)  sewage treatment plants  potato processing factories Additionaly samples of Solanum dulcamara are taken if it is present in the vicinity of water sampling points.

30. Water analysis  Times of sampling:  May/June  August – since 2011 in August samples are taken only in 6 Voivodeships (southern ones)  All samples are tested in the Central Laboratory.  Samples are taken by field inspectors on fixed dates according to a schedule prepared by the Central Laboratory, delivered to the Central Laboratory and subjected to testing within 24h. Petri dish filler in the Central Laboratory

31. Number of samples tested in years 2007-2011 Number of samples:20072008200920102011 Water 2,8715,6742,7885,1881,922 Solanum dulcamara 11121

32. First finding of Ralstonia solanacearum in Poland Ralstonia solacearum was detected in a water sample taken from sewage effluents in Nowy Sącz (Voivodeship Malopolskie) in May 2011. Since the sewage treatment plant of interest collects sewage from a large area and also sludge from smaller sewer treatment plants in the area, no definite source of infection could be found.

33. Site of Ralstonia detection

34. The programme concerns two districts in the Malopolskie Voivodeship. It includes:  information about range of possible spread of the organism  guidelines on sampling points and sampling frequency  specifications on additional actions that should be taken in the area i.e.: intensified monitoring of farms cultivating potatoes and tomatoes inspections on occurence of other R.sol. hosts with roots/stems under water Information campaign addressed to public gathering documentation on actions taken and results After extensive investigation on the origin and the spread of the organism, in consultation with EU experts, the R.sol. control programme for years 2012-2014 was elaborated. R. solanacearum control programme for 2012-2014

35. Quarantine bacteria of potato – situation in Poland  Until 2011 R. sol. had never been found in Poland. In 2011 - one finding of R. sol. in surface water  Cms is a serious problem, some ¾ contaminated lots in EU are found in Poland, but there is a continuous progress in controlling of this bacteria

36. Ralstonia solanacearum and Clavibacter michiganensis ssp. sepedonicus are under strict statutory control laid down in Council Directives (COMMISSION DIRECTIVE 2006/63/EC of 14 July 2006 and COMMISSION DIRECTIVE 2006/56/EC of 12 June 2006 respectively).

37. CONCLUSIONS  The surveys programme for potato bacteria in Poland is one of the most intensive in the EU  It covers all possible sources of possible infestation (i.e. potatotes, other host plants and surface water)  The programme allows for early detection of the relevant bacteria  Almost 10-year experience in testing for R. solanacearum allows for the conclusion that until 2010 the country could be considered free of R. solanacearum  Case of a single and first detection in 2011 indicates that the plant health services must be vigilant and survey efforts cannot be reduced despite of the lack of findings

38. CONCLUSIONS  Even a single finding changes the situation of the country and its phytosanitary status and forces the plant health services to intensify measures  In case of a finding in surface water it is generally very difficult to find a source of contamination  It is therefore very important that appropriate measures are taken once the pathogen has been found  Control measures are very well specified in the potato control directives. For R. solanacearum it is Commission Directive 2006/63/EC of 14 July 2006.

39. CONCLUSIONS  To obtain the status of a country with a reliable control system it is important to carry out regular surveys for the presence of R. solanacearum (as required by Commission Directive 2006/63/EC of 14 July 2006 ) and, in case of a finding, immediately impose control measures as laid down in the Directive.  It is also important to immediately inform the Commission and the other Member States of such a finding and to report regularly on results of surveys (before 1 June each year).

40. Thank You For Your Attention