6 May 2015
Purpose
To advise industry that Potato spindle tuber viroid (PSTVd) is present in some areas of Australia.
Background
The Consultative Committee on Emergency Plant Pests (CCEPP) has considered information from surveys and detections of PSTVd and decided that the body of information shows the viroid is present in some areas of Australia.
New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory, Victoria, Tasmania and the Northern Territory are reported to be free of the disease. The disease has been detected in a single isolated South Australian glasshouse where it is currently undergoing eradication. Western Australia and Queensland have cases of the viroid that have not been eradicated.
The disease was detected in Australia in 2011 in tomato and capsicum plants, and in 2012 was also found on ornamental/white potato vines (Solanum laxum Spreng, synonym S. jasminoides).
PSTVd can infect potato, tomato, capsicum, chilli, aubergine, pepino, avocado and Cape gooseberry, as well as a range of ornamental plants. The Horticulture Exports Program has conducted a review of related export conditions listed on the MICoR export conditions database.
Key Points
- The Department has notified the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), as it is required to do when an exotic plant pest or disease cannot be eradicated from Australia.
- Pending revised conditions from importing countries, certification has been suspended for commodities currently requiring country freedom from PSTVd.
- The Department of Agriculture is working with state government departments and trading partners to develop alternative conditions that will appropriately address this change in Australia’s disease status and support continuing trade.
- MICoR will be updated as revised importing conditions are known.
Kylie Calhoun
Assistant Secretary
Plant Export Operations