PARTICIPANTS

1. 5th Congress of European Foundation for Plant Pathology, 18-22 September 2000, Taormina - Giardini Naxos (Sicily), Italy THE EU PROJECT “RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH TILLETIA INDICA, THE NEWLY-LISTED EU QUARANTINE PATHOGEN, THE CAUSE OF KARNAL BUNT OF WHEAT”. SUMMARY The plant pathogen Tilletia indica, the cause of Karnal bunt of cereals, has caused concern to the wheat industry internationally for several years and recently became listed as a IAI quarantine organism for the EU. A multidisciplinary, multicountry Project, “Karnal bunt risks” recently commenced under the EC Vth Framework Programme. The aim is to develop the theoretical Pest Risk Analysis (Sansford, 1998) upon which T. indica became listed. By experimenting with the pathogen and host (principally wheat) under a range of environmental conditions we aim to accurately determine whether T. indica could establish and cause socio-economic losses should it be introduced into Europe. The results will broaden our understanding of T. indica worldwide. The outputs from the Project will support and underpin EC plant health policy and legislation on T. indica. The Project has a duration of 4 years and a total value of 2.2 million Euros, with an EU contribution of 1.3 million Euros. Work began on February 1st 2000. Sansford, C.E. , 1998. In: Malik, V.S., Mathre, D.E. (eds.). Bunts and Smuts of Wheat: An International Symposium; North Carolina, August 17-20, 1997. NAPPO, Ottawa, 273-302. PARTICIPANTS Dr C. Sansford, Dr R. Baker, Mr R. Bowyer, Dr N. Hardwick, Mr K. Hughes, Dr A. Inman, Mr R. Leach and Dr K. Walters, Central Science Laboratory, York, UK; Dr G. Murray and Dr J. Brennan, New South Wales Agriculture, Wagga Wagga, NSW, Australia; Professor V. Leth and Dr K. Thinggaard; Danish Government Institute of Seed Pathology for Developing Countries, Frederiksberg C; Professor J. Porter and Dr F. Ewert, The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Taastrup, Denmark; Dr P. Kelly, Teagasc Rural Economy Centre, Dublin, Ireland; Dr F. Miglietta, Mr F. Sabatini and Mr G. Tagliaferri, IATA-CNR, Florence, Italy; Dr A. Porta-Puglia, Dr L. Riccioni, Dr M. Valvassori, Mr G. Conca and Mr G. Di Giambattista, Istituto Sperimentale per la Patologia Vegetale, Rome, Italy; Dr H.A. Magnus, Mr T. Rafoss, Mr J. Razzaghian, NCRI, Plant Protection Centre, Aas, Norway. Mr G. Peterson, USDA-ARS, Foreign Disease-Weed Science Research Unit, Fort Detrick, MD, USA . INTRODUCTION Bunted wheat kernels Karnal bunt is a fungal disease of wheat and triticale (a hybrid of wheat and rye). The fungus Tilletia indica Mitra, also known as Neovossia indica (Mitra) Mundkur causes the disease. Following infection of the host plant via the florets the fungus grows in the developing grain and converts part of it to a mass of fungal teliospores. Normally only part of the ear and the grain are affected; this is why the disease is sometimes called partial bunt. The effect of the disease is principally a significant reduction in grain quality, but there is also the potential for yield loss under certain climatic conditions. The commercial restraints resulting from phytosanitary regulations in countries where the pathogen is absent, may lead to substantial economic losses for countries where T. indica is known to occur. However, under the WTO SPS Agreement on the Application of Phytosanitary Measures (1994) it is stated that "Members shall ensure that their phytosanitary measures are based on an assessment of the risks to plant health taking into account risk assessment techniques developed by the relevant international organisations". The current distribution of T. indica is limited to parts of Asia and Mexico as well as the southwestern USA where it is under phytosanitary control. T. indica has not yet been introduced to Europe and has been listed as a quarantine pest for the EU since 1997. This followed a theoretical risk assessment which suggested that climatic conditions in Europe could favour the establishment of the pathogen should it be introduced. The most likely pathway of introduction is on infected seed or grain from countries where T. indica is known to occur. This Project (QLRT-PL1999-1554 — 2000-2004) is financed by the European Commission under the Quality of Life and Management of Living Resources Programme; one of the four thematic programmes of the EC Fifth Framework R&D Programme. The Project does not necessarily reflect the views of the Commission and in no way anticipates the Commission’s future policy in this area. T. indica teliospores PROJECT WORKPLANNING • Workpackage 6: Pest Risk Analysis for Tilletia indica for the EU • Aim: To analyse the risk of entry, establishment and socio-economic losses for the EU and to develop harmonised risk management strategies and contingency plans. • Objectives • Determine the risk of entry, establishment and socio-economic loss for T. indica in the EU. • Evaluate fungicide efficacy and timing for the control of T. indica. • Evaluate published data on other control strategies. • Evaluate existing risk management schemes for T. indica outside of the EU. • Determine the appropriate level of risk management for the EU for T. indica in relation to the assessed level of risk determined by the Project. • Workpackage 1: Mapping Tilletia indica establishment risk for the EU • Aim: To determine the risk of T. indica establishment in EU wheat crops and map the areas under greatest threat by linking disease models with crop development (phenology) models and presenting the results by mapping in a Geographical Information System (GIS). • Objectives: • To collect and manipulate climatological and environmental data for model input. • Apply bread and durum wheat phenology models to predict the timing of wheat ear emergence in Europe. • Evaluate existing disease models during periods of predicted ear emergence. • Map European areas endangered by T. indica using the existing pathogen and crop models. • Modify maps in relation to information from Workpackages 2, 3 and 4 • Workpackage 7: Development of Pest Risk Analysis for plant pathogens • Aim: To develop the process of Pest Risk Analysis for plant pathogens. • Objectives: • Determine the biological features of plant pathogens suitable for evaluation by the methodology developed in this Project. • Develop a new Pest Risk Analysis scheme for plant pathogens. • Workpackage 2: EU wheat cultivar susceptibility testing • Aim: To determine the susceptibility of EU wheat cultivars to T.indica and estimate potential losses. • Objectives: • To determine the physiological resistance/susceptibility of European bread and durum wheat cultivars and estimate potential losses. • To determine the most susceptible wheat phenological (growth) stage for infection by T. indica. • To determine the morphological resistance/susceptibility of European bread and durum wheat cultivars and estimate potential losses. Inoculation of a wheat plant • Workpackage 3: Teliospore survival in EU soils • Aim: To determine teliospore survival under a range of European soil conditions. • Objectives: • To determine the proportion of teliospores capable of germinating after incubation in European soils for 1–3 years at different depths. • Workpackage 8: Dissemination of Project outputs • Aim: To disseminate Project outputs on (a) ‘The Risks to the EU from T. indica’, and (b) ‘Advances in Pest Risk Analysis for Plant Pathogens’. This will specifically be achieved through an internet website established for the Project and by holding a workshop at the end of the Project for representatives from EU Member States, Accession Countries and other interested parties (including representatives from national and/or international plant health organisations). • Objectives: • Set up internet website that will publicise the Project and make its results available in the public domain. • Hold a workshop to disseminate the Project’s outcomes to representatives from EU Member States, EU Accession Countries and other interested parties. Containment bins, cylinders and bags with teliospores of T. indica Italy Norway UK PROGRESS and RESULTS (6 months) Sites construction, and meteorological stations installation Work has commenced on determining the susceptibility of European wheat cultivars to T. indica as well as investigation of aspects of the pathogen's lifecycle under European conditions, including teliospore survival, dormancy and germination. The planned deliverables and milestones are on schedule. WP1: Meteorological data have been added to the initially assembled database. Identified data sources are: gridded monthly climatologies with a weather generator, internet weather data sources, data from synoptic networks and national and local weather data sources. Data from these sources will be reviewed in the working meeting in Florence in October 2000. Data on the timing of the phenological development of 21 cultivars of winter wheat have been passed from WP2 giving the timing of the Zadoks Growth Stages: 39, 43, 47, 51, 59, 61, 65 and 69. The crop development data refer to a single sowing date (27 January 2000) for all the investigated cultivars. The temperature data have been used to calculate thermal time totals and photoperiodic and vernalisation derivatives of thermal time. The crop model Sirius has been used to calculate final leaf numbers for the different cultivars for the given sowing date. These range from 8 to 10. The thermal phyllochron (the thermal time interval between the appearance of successive leaves) has been calculated as 90 oCd per leaf. WP2:118 cultivars of winter, spring and durum wheat were collected together with documentation about growing areas, traits etc. Three population of T. indica from USA, Mexico and India were collected and maintained. 15 cultivars in UK and 13 in Italy have been grown. The 15 cultivars in the UK were inoculated. WP3: The Italian experiment was set up on 14 July 2000. The USA experiment was set up in early June. The UK and Norwegian experiment will be set up in September 2000. Experiments were set up at times equating to the normal harvest period in each respective country. WP4: A qualitative method using a fluorochrome technique for determination of teliospore germination in soil samples is being tested as a possible method for assessing experimental results. WP8: Both the public and internal websites have been created and will be added to throughout the life of the Project. The internal website, which is password-protected, will act as a management tool for the Project Partners. Public website: http://www.planteforsk.no/prosjekter/karnalpublic/index.htm • Workpackage 4 : Teliospore dormancy and germination under EU soil and climatic conditions • Aim: Using climate data from Workpackage 1, determine the abiotic factors that affect teliospore dormancy and germination using controlled environments. • Objectives: • Determine teliospore germination at a range of soil moistures on a range of soil types. •  Determine if temperatures during ear/teliospore development induce teliospore dormancy. •  Determine if post-harvest soil temperature affects the occurrence and duration of teliospore dormancy. •  Determine if winter (cold) temperature affects the occurrence and duration of teliospore dormancy. •  Determine the effects of extremes of diurnal temperatures on teliospore germination. •  Determine the effects of fluctuating soil moisture on teliospore germination. •  Predict the likely timing of teliospore germination in Europe. • Workpackage 5: Socio-economic impact of Tilletia indica in the EU • Aim: To determine the potential socio-economic impact of T. indica to Europe. • Objectives: • To determine the socio-economically important parameters for T. indica in countries where it occurs. • To determine the potential socio-economic impact of T. indica in Europe.