Ralstonia solanacearum race 3 biovar 2 has been eradicated from U.S. greenhouses

The announcement comes just two months after the pathogen was first detected in a Michigan greenhouse in April.

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According to a report from pestalerts.org, researchers have discovered that Ralstonia solanacearum race 3 biovar 2 has been eradicated from U.S. greenhouses. Read more below:

Contact: Erin Otto, National Policy Manager, erin.m.otto@usda.gov, or 301-851-3881.

Report:

The United States Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and its State partners have successfully completed actions to eliminate Ralstonia solanacearum race 3 biovar 2 from U.S. greenhouses. This announcement comes just two months after the pathogen was first detected in a Michigan greenhouse in April (NAPPO PAS OPR). In total, the response involved more than 650 facilities in 44 States.

R. solanacearum race 3 biovar 2 can cause a wilt disease in several important agricultural crops such as potatoes, tomatoes, peppers and eggplant. This was the first confirmed case of this pathogen in U.S. greenhouses since 2004.

APHIS continues to strengthen overseas safeguards, improve diagnostics, increase treatment options, and continually assess pathways to better protect American agriculture from this and other high-consequence plant pests and diseases.

Under IPPC standards, Ralstonia solanacearum race 3 biovar 2 is a pest that is absent and eradicated from the United States.

For more information on Rs R3bv2, please see the following Pest Alert: https://www.ncipmc.org/projects/pest-alerts1/ralstonia-solanacerum/.