NEEDS FOR PHYTOBACTERIOLOGICAL ANALYSES TO SUPPORT THE REGIONAL PHYTOSANITARY SERVICES IN ITALY.

The Legislative Decree no. 214 dated 19-9-2005 introduced in Italy the Council Directive 2000/29/CE, as amended by the
Council Directive 2002/89/CE. The aforesaid Decree enforced
protective measures against the introduction and spread into the
Community of organisms harmful to plants/plants products. In
the annexes of the Decree, there are 20 phytopathogenic bacteria.
The key measure foreseen in the Decree is the strengthening of
plant health checks, carried out by the Regional Phytosanitary
Services (Servizi Fitosanitari Regionali, SFR) at the place of production
and on imported/exported plants/plant products. In this
respect, laboratory analyses are essential for the detection of latent
infections. Analyses are currently carried out in laboratories
belonging to SFR or, under the supervision of each SFR, in accredited
private or public laboratories. The Decree 214/2005 lays
down a national laboratory network (art.53) to support SFR in
performing the analyses. This network operates under the supervision
of a central Phytosanitary Committee (art.52). In 2006, a
specific enquiry showed that SFR are characterised by different
needs as they carry out different bacteriological analyses for the
crops grown in their areas and for controls of materials imported
through the relevant points of entry. However, all SFR had as a
common task the detection of three quarantine bacteria, Ralstonia
solanacearum, Clavibacter michiganensis and Erwinia amylovora.
The national laboratory network, envisaged by Decree
214/2005, should take into account the demand for analyses expressed
by the SFR, that have already provided useful data regarding
their bacteriological needs. This national laboratory network
could provide the SFR with an effective support also in the
control of regulated non quarantine pests.