Central Controlling and Testing Institute in Agriculture in Bratislava
833 16 Bratislava, Matuškova 21
www.uksup.sk
DETECTION SURVEY
on occurrence of
Fire blight (Erwinia amylovora)
in the Slovak Republic – year 2008
Introduction
Erwinia amylovora belongs between regulated harmful organisms in the Slovak Republic
(national legislation – Ordinance of Government of the Slovak Republic No. 199/2005 Coll.
as amended by later prescriptions). The Slovak Republic has been without occurrence of
Erwinia amylovora till the year 2003, when the first occurrence was found in several areas.
Based on the monitoring of its occurrence in the following season, there was its repeated
occurrence found in several communities that had lost the status as a protected zone. By the
Commission Direction No. 2006/36/EC of 24 March 2004, the Slovak Republic has been
recognised as a protected zone considering Erwinia amylovora (Burr.) Winsl. et al., except
communities excluded from protected zone – Blahová, Horné Mýto, Okoč (district Dunajská
Streda); Hronovce, Hronské Kľačany (district Levice); Veľké Ripňany (district Topoľčany);
Málinec (district Poltár); Hrhov (district Rožňava); Kazimír, Luhyňa, Malý Horeš, Svätuše,
Zatín (district Trebišov), with validity till 31 March 2008. By the Commission Ordinance
(EC) No. 690/2008 of 4 July 2008, the validity of protected zone status for the Slovak
Republic has been prolonged (except above listed communities, excluded from protected
zone) till 31 March 2010.
Picture No. 1 Communities excluded from protected zone because causal organism of fire
blight.
Relevant legislation
 Council Directive No. 2000/29/EC of 8 May 2000 on protective measures against the
introduction into the Community of organisms harmful to plants or plant products and
against their spread within the Community
 Commission Directive No. 92/70/EEC of 30 July 1992 laying down detailed rules for
surveys to be carried out for the purposes of the recognition of protected zones in the
Community
 By the Commission Direction No. 2006/36/EC of 24 March 2004, the Slovak
Republic has been recognised as a protected zone concerning Erwinia amylovora
(Burr.) Winsl. et al., except communities excluded from protected zone – Blahová,
Horné Mýto, Okoč (district Dunajská Streda); Hronovce, Hronské Kľačany (district
Levice); Veľké Ripňany (district Topoľčany); Málinec (district Poltár); Hrhov (district
Rožňava); Kazimír, Luhyňa, Malý Horeš, Svätuše, Zatín (district Trebišov), with
validity till 31 March 2008
 By the Commission Ordinance (EC) No. 690/2008 of 4 July 2008, the validity of
protected zone status for the Slovak Republic has been prolonged (except above listed
communities, excluded from protected zone) till 31 March 2010.
Relevant national legislation
 Act No. 45/2009 of 3 February 2009, which has been changing and complementing
the Act No. 193/2005 Coll. on plant health care as amended by the Act No. 295/2007
Coll. and on change and complement of various acts
 Ordinance of Government of the Slovak Republic No. 490/2007 Coll., which has been
changing and complementing the Ordinance of the Slovak republic No. 64/2004 Coll.
about protected zones as amended by later prescriptions
Detection survey
The monitoring of occurrence of fire blight in the Slovak Republic embraces the territory of
the total area 5 805 ha. The objects of survey have been reproduction areas of fruit and
ornamental woody plants and their surroundings up to radius 1 km, production orchards,
ornamental green, gardens as well as wild growing host plants of Erwinia amylovora (Table
No. 1).
Table No.1: Splitting of controlled area in relation to the object of survey
Kind of areas
Total SR [ha]
Fruit, ornamental nursery
416,73
Fruit, ornamental mother stock
3,34
Surroundings of fruit, ornamental nursery up to 1000 m
2040,16
Fruit orchard-intensive
2930,96
Fruit orchard-extensive
152,34
Wild nature, parks, gardens
261,28
Total
5804,81
In percentage
7,18
0,06
35,14
50,49
2,64
4,5
100,00
The visual inspection of host plants vesture’s health status of Erwinia amylovora has been
performed by local phytosanitary inspectors within three terms, in season from May till the
end of September. Within 1 584 controls, 7 495 106 plants were visually controlled. Within
the visual control of vestures, 418 samples were taken for laboratory analyses. These samples
were analysed in laboratories of Section of Diagnostics, Central Controlling and Testing
Institute in Agriculture in Bratislava and in Haniska, by the immunofluorescence method (IF),
polymerase chain reaction (PCR), cultivation in cultivating medium, confirmation test of clear
culture (IF, PCR) and by test of pathogenesis. All samples were analysed by multiple of listed
methods according to EPPO diagnostic protocol PM 7/20.
There were 8 positive samples of fire blight found in the Slovak Republic within a year 2008.
Table No.2: Number and splitting of laboratory analysed samples within a year 2008
Number of samples
Total number of samples:
Positive
Negative
Splitting of samples:
Symptomatic samples
Non-symptomatic samples
418
8
410
79; thereof 8 positive
339; thereof 0 positive
Eradication measures
In the year 2008, there were 8 positive samples of fire blight at 6 subjects, 7 decisions were
issued (1 subject obtained 2 decisions).
Occurrences:
Case 1
 First occurrence:
Two positive samples of apple tree of variety James Grieve Red were taken in the
intensive fruit orchard in the township Nové Zámky (district Nové Zámky). All the
positive and suspicious trees were eradicated of number 130 pieces.
 Second occurrence:
One positive sample of apple tree of variety Topaz was taken in the intensive fruit
orchard in the township Nové Zámky (district Nové Zámky). All the positive and
suspicious trees were eradicated of number 4 pieces.
Case 2
One positive sample of pear tree of variety Dicolor was taken in the intensive fruit orchard in
the township Mostová (district Galanta). All the positive trees were eradicated and burnt of
number 2590 pieces – with roots.
Case 3
One positive sample of pear tree of variety Bohemica was taken in the intensive orchard in the
township Širkovce (district Rimavská Sobota). All the positive trees were eradicated and
burnt of number 102 pieces – with roots.
Case 4
One positive sample of apple tree of variety Idared was taken in the intensive orchard in the
township Číčov (district Komárno). All the positive trees were eradicated and burnt.
Case 5
One positive sample of pear tree of variety Conference was taken in the garden in the
township Seňa (district Košice – surroundings). Two trees were eradicated and burnt with
roots.
Case 6
One positive sample of apple tree of variety Fuji was taken in the intensive fruit orchard in the
township Horné Mýto (district Dunajská Streda). Four trees were eradicated and burnt with
roots.
Conclusion
In the year 2008, there was the total number of 418 samples analysed for fire blight. Thereof
8 samples were positive on occurrence of bacteria Erwinia amylovora and the overview of
these positive samples is listed in the Table No.3. .
Table No. 3: Overview of positive samples on occurrence of bacteria Erwinia amylovora in
the Slovak Republic in the year 2008.
Number
Number of
sample
Sample is
symptomatic /
non-symptomatic
Host plant
Variety
Cadastre
1
0334/2008/01
SYMP
Pear tree
Bohemica
Širkovce
2
0721/2008/01
SYMP
Apple tree
Idared
Číčov
3
0803/2007/01
SYMP
Pear tree
Dicolor
Mostová
4
0972/2008/01
SYMP
Apple tree
Fuji
Horné Mýto
5
1002/2008/01
SYMP
Apple tree
Topaz
6
0134/2008/06
SYMP
Apple tree
unknown
7
0135/2008/06
SYMP
Apple tree
unknown
8
0386/2008/06
SYMP
Pear tree
Konferencia
Nové
Zámky
Nové
Zámky
Nové
Zámky
Seňa
Picture No. 2: Occurrence of fire blight in the area of the Slovak Republic within a year 2008
Results of survey of a Protected Zone
Pest
Country
Region
Period of Report
Erwinia amylovora
Slovakia
2008
Visual Inspections
Host
Rosaceae
Rosaceae
Rosaceae
Rosaceae
Rosaceae
Rosaceae
Location
Timing
Protected zone
May - September 2008
May - September 2008
May - September 2008
May - September 2008
Buffer zone (protecting zone)
May - September 2008
May - September 2008
Number
inspected
Positives
Fruit and ornamental
nurseries
261
0
Production orchards
421
7
Other
Fruit and ornamental
nurseries
665
1
9
0
Production orchards
62
0
Other
166
0
Unit of inspection
This document has been elaborated by:
Dipl. Eng. Martin Kárník – bacteriologist, Section of Diagnostics, Department of General and
Quarantine Diagnostic in Bratislava, CCTIA Bratislava
Dipl. Eng. Stanislav Barok, Section of Plant Protection, head of Internal Quarantine, CCTIA
Bratislava
Dipl. Eng. Jozef Kubík, Section of Plant Protection, CCTIA Bratislava
This document has been submitted to responsible authorities by:
Dipl. Eng. Peter Vrabček, Authorized substitute of Section of Plant Protection, CCTIA
Bratislava
Dipl. Eng. Alexandra Družkovská, Director of the Section of Diagnostics, CCTIA Bratislava
Report was approved by: Dipl. Eng. Pavel Filkorn, General Director
Date: 30 April 2009
Dipl. Eng. Pavel Filkorn
General Director