Articles
APPLICATION OF PHYTOSANITARY CERTIFICATION TO TOMATO PRODUCTION IN SOUTHERN ITALY
Article number
914_59
Pages
325 – 329
Language
English
Abstract
Bioagritest phytosanitary laboratory is a private owned complex multi-functional scientific-research application laboratory, located in the core of southern Italy, in Basilicata Region.
It follows the newest achievements in the field of phytopathology and disposes of full equipment for diagnosis, control and prevention from diseases and pests at different crops in due time, caused by phytopatogen agents of bacterial, viral and fungal origin, viroids, nematodes, insects and so on.
Its mission is the improvement of the quality and quantity of agricultural productions.
This is achieved by the continual improvement of laboratory quality for complete customer satisfaction.
In recent years, foci of infection caused by two quarantine pests have been identified in the areas monitored by Bioagritest: the Potato spindle tuber viroid (PSTVd) and the bacterium Clavibacter michiganensis subs. michiganensis (Cmm). Moreover, the presence of Tuta absoluta – a serious threat to tomato production – was found in several areas of southern Italy in which the tomato is grown in greenhouses and in open field.
For these reasons, to prevent the spread of the above mentioned pathogens and pests in the areas in which they were found, and to safeguard nurseries and consequently agricultural productions, Bioagritest put in place integrated plant defense strategies for monitoring them and for their early detection.
As result, about 5000 million tomato plants were certificated from the sanitary point of view within July 2010. Visual inspections and instrumental assays applied to tomato lots up to 100,000 plants each, allowed to assign an accordant phytosanitary status (no virus and viroids presence, no fungal or bacterial symptom, no damage induced by insects) to 97,42% of the assayed lots.
Neither PSTVd nor Cmm have ever been detected in tomato seedlings.
The control of raw materials, and mainly seeds, represents the cornerstone of the phytosanitary prevention applied, as demonstrated by the fact that diseases caused by seed-borne pathogens have never been detected neither in greenhouse nor in open field, in plants originated by seedlings phytosanitary certified by Bioagritest.
It follows the newest achievements in the field of phytopathology and disposes of full equipment for diagnosis, control and prevention from diseases and pests at different crops in due time, caused by phytopatogen agents of bacterial, viral and fungal origin, viroids, nematodes, insects and so on.
Its mission is the improvement of the quality and quantity of agricultural productions.
This is achieved by the continual improvement of laboratory quality for complete customer satisfaction.
In recent years, foci of infection caused by two quarantine pests have been identified in the areas monitored by Bioagritest: the Potato spindle tuber viroid (PSTVd) and the bacterium Clavibacter michiganensis subs. michiganensis (Cmm). Moreover, the presence of Tuta absoluta – a serious threat to tomato production – was found in several areas of southern Italy in which the tomato is grown in greenhouses and in open field.
For these reasons, to prevent the spread of the above mentioned pathogens and pests in the areas in which they were found, and to safeguard nurseries and consequently agricultural productions, Bioagritest put in place integrated plant defense strategies for monitoring them and for their early detection.
As result, about 5000 million tomato plants were certificated from the sanitary point of view within July 2010. Visual inspections and instrumental assays applied to tomato lots up to 100,000 plants each, allowed to assign an accordant phytosanitary status (no virus and viroids presence, no fungal or bacterial symptom, no damage induced by insects) to 97,42% of the assayed lots.
Neither PSTVd nor Cmm have ever been detected in tomato seedlings.
The control of raw materials, and mainly seeds, represents the cornerstone of the phytosanitary prevention applied, as demonstrated by the fact that diseases caused by seed-borne pathogens have never been detected neither in greenhouse nor in open field, in plants originated by seedlings phytosanitary certified by Bioagritest.
Publication
Authors
A. Fanigliulo, S. Comes , A. Viggiano , A. Crescenzi
Keywords
phytosanitary certification, tomato, Potato spindle tuber viroid, Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis
Online Articles (92)