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New perspectives for the Huanglobing

By hlb-editor | May 11, 2020 | News | 0 comments

New Royal Decree for the national programme for the control and eradication of Trioza erytreae, and the national programme for the prevention of Diaphorina citri and "Candidatus Liberibacter spp" (CLs)

 

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Environment has updated, by Royal Decree 491/2020 of 21 April 2020 (https://www.boe.es/eli/es/rd/2020/04/21/491), the national programme for the control and eradication of Trioza erytreae and the national programme for the prevention of Diaphorina citri and ‘Candidatus Liberibacter spp’ (CLs).

The previous legislation of 2016 (https://www.boe.es/eli/es/rd/2016/01/22/23) established the phytosanitary measures to eradicate, or if this is not possible, to prevent the spread of Huanglonbing disease (HLB) and its vectors through containment. The program, whose implementation is an obligation of the autonomous communities, is based primarily on establishing early detection mechanisms and eliminating dispersing psyllids and infected plant material as quickly as possible. It also limits the movement of plant material from areas where the presence of any of the bacteria or vectors related to HLB has been detected.

The new decree updates the existing regulations by including new specifications regarding the confirmation of the presence of the psyllids, eradication measures or restrictions on the movement of plants, aimed at preventing or limiting the introduction/expansion of the bacteria causing HLB and its transmitting vectors. The main novelties of the new decree are detailed below:

Article 5 (Official confirmation and immediate actions).

  • The actions specified for nurseries concerning demarcation areas and eradication measures are extended to garden centres and isolated plants
  • For the destruction of material, the possibility is offered not to burn on site, but at the closest possible location

Article 6 (Prohibition of movement of plants and plant products of susceptible species in the demarcated areas)

  • The plant material covered by the measures is limited to plants and plant products of sensitive species
  • New Article 6.3. Exceptions are made to the movement of plant material as long as neither Diaphorina citri nor the bacteria causing HLB are detected in the demarcated areas. Thus, material from areas infested with Erytreae may be moved, under secure conditions of transport and with a plant passport, if it comes from protected plantations and is subject to official health certification. The marketing of this plant material shall be accompanied by an explanatory leaflet on pest risks and restrictions on plant movement.
  • New Article 6.4. Prior to movement, plant material originating from demarcated areas shall be subjected to phytosanitary treatments against the vectors of HLB.

New Article 6.5.  Each year, the Autonomous Communities shall send various official bodies a summary of the outflows of plant material of sensitive species from the authorised demarcated areas

Article 9 (Communication to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Environment) Garden centres are included.