Monilinia fructicola, causal agent of fruit brown rot, is a quarantine pathogen in Europe (1). It presents a significant threat because of its aggressivity on flowers, shoots, and wood at low temperatures and propensity for sexual reproduction that increases potential for evolutionarily adaptation to new environments, hosts, and fungicides. It is common in North America, Japan, Australia, and South America. It occurs in orchards in France, has been detected but eradicated from Austria and Spain, and has been found on imported peach in Hungary (1,2). In Switzerland, we recently detected M. fructicola in supermarkets on imported fruit with brown rot symptoms similar to those caused by endemic M. fructigena and M. laxa. Preliminary identification was based on distinctive colony and conidial morphology on potato dextrose agar of fruit isolates. Specific identification was determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) (3) and sequencing the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region. Koch's postulates were fulfilled by reproducing brown rot on healthy inoculated fruit. Surveys of imported fruit in markets (n = 42) using PCR revealed M. fructicola on all imported apricot and nectarine from the United States and France, but none on apricot, peach, plum, and cherry from Spain, France, Italy, or Turkey. Field surveys of apricot, peach, plum, prune, nectarine, and cherry orchards in 13 Swiss cantons were all negative (n = 71 in 2003 and 164 in 2005). This report demonstrates that imported fruit is a weak link in quarantine efforts and poses a potential threat. Transmission to local trees via highly dispersible, profuse spores from recycled packaging and disposal sites for discarded fruit has thus far not occurred but the risk deserves attention. Revised regulations for fruit treatment at points of entry and/or scrutiny of origin orchards may be warranted.
References: (1) OEPP/EPPO. List of A2 pests regulated as quarantine pests in the EPPO region. Version 2005-09. Online publication with distribution map at http://www.eppo.org, 2005. (2) M. Petróczy and L. Palkovics. Plant Dis. 90:375, 2006. (3) K. J. D. Hughes et al. EPPO Bull. 30:507, 2000.
