Additional inspections commissioned by the NVWA
The NVWA is tasked with responsibility for monitoring quarantine organisms (Q). The four inspection services in the Netherlands have been mandated by the NVWA to perform the actual inspections and testing. If quarantine organisms are detected, the NVWA is responsible for taking further action. Naktuinbouw provides support where possible.
We monitor the phytosanitary status in the Netherlands on behalf of the NVWA. We examine a number of specific crops for the presence of quarantine organisms, or potential quarantine-worthy organisms. In 2022, one of these surveys revealed the presence of Meloidogyne fallax in a crop of the perennial plant Knipofia. Meloidogyne fallax is a quarantine organism. The NVWA imposed measures.
We also perform an annual inspection of companies that import crops with a high risk of quarantine organisms on behalf of the NVWA. This inspection is important as some pests and diseases only become visible a few weeks after the material has been imported. In 2022, Naktuinbouw detected several quarantine organisms during this inspection, including a number of non-European bark beetles.
Emergency measures ToBRFV
Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus (ToBRFV) is a highly infectious and aggressive virus that has been causing severe problems for several years. This virus is categorised as a quarantine organism. Tomatoes and sweet peppers (Capsicum sp.) are the most important host plants.
In 2022, Naktuinbouw also found infected seed lots that were imported from third countries. Under the conditions of the emergency measures, seed must always be tested before it is traded. The tests are intended to prevent the introduction into and further spread within the EU of the virus, as regulated by the Commission implementing regulation (EU) 2020/1191.
Two new begomoviruses (Q)
Practically all viruses that can be transmitted by Bemisia tabaci have quarantine status in the EU. This is a very large group of viruses that are often found in crops without any symptoms being visible.
In 2022 Naktuinbouw detected two new begomoviruses that were previously unknown in the EU at growers, namely the Cotton leaf Curl Gezira virus (CLCuGV) in Lavatera and the Cowpea mild mottle virus (CPMMV) in Hibiscus. The infected lots were destroyed In both cases.
Scirtothrips dorsalis (chilli thrips)
In early October the thrips species Scirtothrips dorsalis was found on Podocarpus macrophyllus (yew plum pine) in a greenhouse in the Netherlands. Scirtothrips dorsalis is an insect listed as a regulated pest with quarantine status in the EU. The NVWA imposed measures. The outbreak was contained relatively quickly
Euwallacea fornicatus (ambrosia beetle)
Since 2021 there have been outbreaks of the ambrosia beetle Euwallacea fornicatus in the Netherlands in plants including Ficus and Schefflera. This is a non-European ambrosia beetle. The companies have now successfully eradicated the beetle following instructions issued by the NVWA.
Naktuinbouw regularly discovers other non-European bark beetles during import inspections, especially in plants from China. As all these species are regulated pests with quarantine status, the infected lots must be destroyed.
Root-knot nematode Meloidogyne enterolobii
Meloidogyne enterolobii, also known as the root knot nematode, has had quarantine status in the EU since 11 April 2022. Naktuinbouw specifically inspects and samples products with a high risk of quarantine organisms imported from certain countries. In 2022 this resulted in almost 30 lots being refused entry due to infection by this nematode.
Fire blight
For the Raad voor de Boomkwekerij foundation for nursery stock, we performed inspection activities in fire blight-free zones in the Netherlands, both in public green spaces and at nurseries. The number of finds stabilised in 2022: from 254 in 2022 compared with 256 in 2021.