8th Meeting of the Panel on Diagnostics in Nematology

Paris, 2012-02-14/15 

 

The Panel on Diagnostics in Nematology met at the EPPO Headquarters. The Panel continued its work on the preparation of diagnostic protocols. To date, 11 diagnostic protocols for nematodes have been published.

 

The Panel worked on the new draft Horizontal Standard on Extraction procedures for nematodes. Comments were collected from the Panel and it was agreed that the author would provide a new version to be circulated to the Panel for further review. The Panel agreed that the draft could be made available early (marked as a draft standard). 
Revisions of the protocols for Bursaphelenchus xylophilus and Globodera rostochiensis & pallida were considered during the Panel meeting:  

  • The protocol on B. xylophilus was revised by the author following comments received during country consultation. The Panel accepted all the modifications made and this revision will be presented to the Working Party on Phytosanitary Regulations for a recommendation for final approval in 2012.
  • The protocol on Globodera rostochiensis & G. pallida was revised following requests to include screening tests. The Panel reviewed the new version. It was agreed that summary validation data should be added and the new tests (in the correct format) should be added. It was agreed it should be sent for country consultation in 2012.

 

The Panel was informed of the latest developments concerning the EPPO Panel on Diagnostics and Quality Assurance, in particular on progress on the horizontal standard on test-performance studies and proficiency testing, on the collection of validation data and on the planned revision of the EPPO standard PM 7/98 on Specific requirements for laboratories preparing for accreditation for a plant pest diagnostic activity.

 

Possible additions to the Alert list were discussed by the Panel. A presentation of the latest version of the EPPO database PQR and the future EPPO Global database as well as the EPPO database on Diagnostic Expertise was given to the Panel.

 

The Panel agreed that a Standard on Soil Sampling for Potato Cyst Nematodes and a Horizontal Standard on Soil Sampling for Nematodes could usefully be developed in the future.


The next meeting will be held on 2013-09-10/12. The provisional location is in Poznań, Poland.