First report of Thekopsora minima in Portugal
The NPPO of Portugal recently informed the EPPO Secretariat of the first finding of Thekopsora minima (EPPO Alert List) on its territory. The rust was detected in mother plants of Vaccinium corymbosum in a nursery (outdoors) in the region of Alto Minho. On a total number of 35 066 plants, 266 were found to be infected (V. corymbosum ‘Legacy’ and ‘Ivanhoé’). T. minima was only detected in mother plants and not in seedlings. This finding was made during tracing-back studies triggered by information sent in December 2016 by Spain about the detection of an infected lot of V. corymbosum var. ‘Berkeley’ sent by a Portuguese nursery but which had previously been received from France two months before. Although no plants of that lot were present in the nursery in Alto Minho, all Vaccinium plant present in the premises were subject to inspection and sampling. The identity of the fungus was confirmed by laboratory tests (isolation, morphology, sequencing). The source of this outbreak is being investigated, and it is noted that the V. corymbosum mother plants had been imported from France in May 2011 and May 2012. Eradication measures were taken, all Vaccinium plants present in the nursery (mother plants and seedlings) were incinerated.
The pest status of Thekopsora minima in Portugal is officially declared as: Present, under eradication.
Sources
NPPO of Portugal (2017-02).