Risk assessment of Ralstonia pseudosolanacearum

At Ralstonia pseudosolanacearum It is an aerobic, gram-negative, catalase-positive bacterium from the family Burkholderiaceae . R. pseudosolanacearum is a Phytopathogen which is a Bacterial wilt Host plants are infected via the root or injured plant parts, from where the bacterium colonizes the xylem. Wilt symptoms are caused by the bacterium Exopolysaccharides (EPS) that clog the vascular bundles of the infected plant. R. pseudosolanacearum occurs in Africa, Asia, South and Central America, and Oceania. In Europe, it occurs sporadically in Germany, Poland, and the Netherlands. The bacterium's host plants include important Crops (including eggplants, ginger, potatoes, peppers, parsley, tobacco, tomatoes), ornamental plants (including bellflowers, pelargoniums, roses), and weeds. Some host plants can also be infected asymptomatically, leading to undetected spread of R. pseudosolanacearum can contribute. The spread of the bacterium is currently being controlled primarily through phytosanitary measures, as no effective pesticides are available. In TRBA 466, "Classification of Prokaryotes (Bacteria and Archaea), R. pseudosolanacearum assigned to risk group 1 with the note "p2". This note describes additional safety measures (comparable to those of protection level 2 according to the BiostoffV) that are necessary from a plant protection perspective when handling the phytopathogen, for example, to minimize spread.

The ZKBS assigns R. pseudosolanacearum according to Section 5 Paragraph 1 GenTSV in conjunction with the criteria in Annex 1 GenTSV as a donor and recipient organism for genetic engineering work of the Risk group 2 because the bacterium is a phytopathogen that can cause severe damage to many cultivated plants found in Germany. R. pseudosolanacearum has already been detected sporadically in Germany, strict control measures are necessary to prevent further spread. The ZKBS points out that in genetic engineering work with R. pseudosolanacearum the relevant plant protection regulations must be taken into account. Before starting genetic engineering work, applicants must consult with the responsible authority for their federal state. Plant Health Service coordinate the safe handling of the pest.

The ZKBS statement can be found at File number 45241.0243 can be retrieved.