7^th Meeting of the Panel on Diagnostics in Mycology

Oeiras (Portugal), 2025-04-09/11

The meeting of the EPPO Panel on Diagnostics in Mycology was held in Oeiras, Portugal, at the kind invitation of National Institute for Agricultural and Veterinary Research (INIAV). This Panel serves as EPPO’s technical body responsible for preparing and reviewing diagnostic Standards for fungi and chromista. A total of 16 Panel members, three observers, and two representatives from the EPPO Secretariat attended the meeting, which was chaired by Ms McMullen (EPPO) with the support of scientific officer Mr Aoutil. Four stewards also joined online for the discussions on the diagnostic Standards they lead and some experts joined remotely to give presentations on topics of interest to the Panel.

Revised EPPO Diagnostic Standards reviewed during the meeting

The Panel reviewed 4 revised Diagnostic Standards. New versions that take into account the discussion of the Panel will be prepared by the drafting teams and the EPPO Secretariat and will be reviewed by the Panel before they are sent for country consultation.

PM 7/17 Phyllosticta citricarpa

A revised version of the Diagnostic Standard was prepared by a drafting team composed of experts from ANSES (FR), JKI (DE), NIVIP (NL), and BPI (GR). The main point of discussion was the need for further investigation concerning whether citrus maxima is a host for P. citricarpa. This needs to be resolved before the protocol can progress and if it is confirmed to be a host then further changes will be needed. Some improvements and clarifications were proposed to the text of the Standard.

PM 7/66 Phytophthora ramorum

A revised version of the Diagnostic Standard was prepared by a drafting team composed of experts from CRA-W (BE) and Fera (GB). The Panel reviewed the draft Standard and the tests to be included were agreed. Some modifications to the instructions to authors of Diagnostic Standards were proposed and will be presented to the Panel on Diagnostics and Quality Assurance. More information was also added in the section on detection.

PM 7/16 Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. albedinis

A revised version of the Diagnostic Standard was prepared by a drafting team composed of experts from PPIS (IL) and ANSES (FR). The Panel discussed the choice of molecular tests that are included in this Standard and agreed on these. A new medium was also added for isolation.

PM 7/48 Plenodomus tracheiphilus

A revised version of the Diagnostic Standard was prepared by a drafting team composed of experts from UNICATANIA (IT). The main points discussed included the flow diagram and the updated scientific names of some species mentioned in the Diagnostic Standard.

The progress made on the following protocols were also discussed:

PM 7/92 Gremmeniella abietina

Progress on the revision of the Diagnostic Standard was shared, and it was highlighted that the biology of infection needs to be clarified for this pathogen in order to provide more precise guidance on what type of samples to collect and when these should be collected.

PM 7/28 Synchytrium endobioticum

The Steward shared that, for this revision, he would like the Spieckermann pathotype identification test to be included in the Standard. Therefore, a validation sheet will be prepared for this test, and a comparative study will subsequently be conducted to evaluate the performance of this test against the one included in the current version and in the EU legislation.

PM 7/46 Lecanosticta acicola, Dothistroma septosporum and Dothistroma pini

The Steward shared the updates done on the molecular tests and the newly added figures. It was emphasized that the section still requiring work is the morphological section and input is needed from the morphological experts before progress can be made.

New EPPO Diagnostic Standards reviewed during the meeting

Phytophthora fragariae and Phytophthora rubi

The Diagnostic Standard was prepared by a drafting team composed of experts from VNIIKR (RU) and Fera (GB). The Panel mainly discussed points that require modification, such as the flow diagram and certain figures. Additional improvements to the appendices were also suggested.

Neocosmospora euwallaceae

The Diagnostic Standard was prepared by an expert from NIVIP (NL). The Panel suggested improvements to the introduction section and proposed adding a new molecular test. The Panel also discussed the media used for isolating the fungus and the availability of the sequences mentioned in the Standard.

Plans for future Diagnostic Standards

Presentations were given on Elsinoë spp. and Ceratocystis ficicola, and the Panel suggested that new Diagnostics Standards can be prepared for these fungi. Revision of PM 7/93 (2) Melampsora medusae was also proposed.

Next Panel meeting

The next meeting of the Panel on Diagnostics in Mycology will be held at the end of 2026, with the location to be confirmed later.

Participants

The composition of the EPPO Panel on Diagnostics in Mycology can be found on the EPPO website.