New foci of Erwinia amylovora in France
During summer 1999, two new foci of Erwinia amylovora (EPPO A2 quarantine pest) were found in a fireblight protected zone in France. The two foci were detected in the region Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur. One was located in the Vaucluse département and the other in Bouches du Rhône. Erwinia amylovora was essentially found in apple orchards and several hundred trees were infected. Trees or parts of contaminated trees have been destroyed, and orchards where high infection occurred were totally destroyed. Surveys are being done to determine the extent of fireblight in this region, and investigations are under way to trace back the origin of the infection.
Sources
NPPO of France, 1999-09.