Pest categorisation of carrot thin leaf virus

Abstract

Following a request from the EU Commission, the EFSA Panel on Plant Health conducted a pest categorisation of carrot thin leaf virus (CTLV) for the EU territory. The identity of CTLV, a member of the genus Potyvirus (family Potyviridae), is well established and reliable detection methods are available. The pathogen is not included in the EU Commission Implementing Regulation 2019/2072. CTLV has been reported from the USA and Colombia. In the EU, the virus was reported in Germany and Slovenia and the NPPO of both countries confirmed these reports. No official national measures have been taken so far. In 2018, CTLV was reported from Greece on Torilis arvensis subsp. arvensis. Since then, no other reports exist. According to the NPPO, the virus did not establish in Greece. In natural conditions, CTLV infects plant species of the family Apiaceae (i.e., carrot, coriander, parsley and several wild weed species). The virus is transmitted in a non-persistent manner by the aphids Myzus persicae and Cavariella aegopodii, which are widely distributed in the EU. CTLV has been reported not to be transmitted by carrot seeds, while no information is available for the other hosts. Since transmission through seeds is not uncommon for potyvirids, it cannot be excluded that CTLV can be seed transmitted for some hosts. Plants for planting, including seeds for sowing, were identified as potential pathways for entry of CTLV into the EU. Cultivated and wild hosts of CTLV are distributed across the EU. Economic impact on the production of cultivated hosts is expected if further entry and spread in the EU occur. Phytosanitary measures are available to prevent further entry and spread of the virus on its cultivated hosts. Currently, CTLV does not fulfil the criterion of being absent or present with restricted distribution and under official control to be regarded as a potential Union quarantine pest, unless official control is implemented. This conclusion is associated with high uncertainty regarding the current virus distribution in the EU.