Emergency measures to reduce the risk of introduction of "Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum" through the importation of carrot (seed and seedling) and celery (seedling)

 

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Event Reporting

• Emergency Actions

Publication Date

18-05-2015

Last Updated

May 18, 2015, 8:10 a.m.

Short Description

"Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum" has been recently reported as seed-transmitted pest in carrot. Carrot and celery have also been identified as natural hosts of the bacterium. The bacterium is not known to occur in Japan. Imports of carrot (seed for sowing and seedling) and celery (seedling) produced in those countries where the bacterium has been reported to occur in carrot or celery (i.e. Finland, France, Norway, Spain (mainland and Canary Islands), Sweden and Morocco) provide a potential pathway for the introduction of the bacterium into Japan.

Therefore, emergency measures are required to reduce the risk of introduction of the bacterium into Japan through carrot (seed and seedling) and celery (seedling) by either heat treatment or PCR testing. The emergency measures entered into force from 1 February, 2015.

In order to reduce the risk of introduction of "Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum" into Japan, imports of carrot (seed and seedling) and celery (seedling) produced in those countries where infection with "Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum" has been reported in carrot or celery (i.e. Finland, France, Norway, Spain (mainland and Canary Islands), Sweden and Morocco) are subject to the following import requirements: 1. For carrot (Daucus carota L.) seed for sowing: Each consignment must be accompanied with an official government Phytosanitary Certificate stating one of the following additional declarations: - The carrot seed in the consignment was treated with dry heat at a minimum temperature of 50ºC for at least 72 continuous hours or with hot water at a minimum temperature of 50ºC for at least 20 continuous minutes; or - The carrot seed in the consignment was tested for Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum and found to be free of the bacterium by using Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test method on a sample of 10,000 seeds. 2. For carrot (Daucus carota L.) and celery (Apium graveolens) seedling: Each consignment must be accompanied with an official government Phytosanitary Certificate stating the following additional declaration: - The seedling in the consignment was tested for Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum and found to be free of the bacterium by using Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test method. In case the consignment does not meet the above-mentioned requirements, PCR testing or heat treatment is conducted at the entry point of Japan.

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