A surveillance plan for Xylella fastidiosa issued by the French Ministry of Agriculture
The French Ministry of Agriculture, Agrifood and Forestry (MAAF) has released on May 18, 2016 the technical instruction DGAL/SDQPV/2016-413, to implement the monitoring of Xylella fastidiosa spread within the national territory, with the exclusion of the demarcated areas, surrounding the outbreaks so far identified in Corsica and PACA regions.
The objective of this surveillance plan is to accomplish an early survey of the establishment of Xylella fastidiosa in the country and to certify the pathogen-free status of the rest of the territory, with particular concern for the subspecies pauca and multiplex, already detected in the EU territory.
A point monitoring of the presence of Xylella fastidiosa in the country can also ensure the quality of national plant products exported to the Third Countries, some of which have already expressed special requirements (or even import bans) concerning plant species susceptible to the bacterium.
Monitoring of the presence of Xylella fastidiosa in insect vectors is not included in the scopes of this document, as the current state of knowledge based on the ongoing researches conducted by INRA and ANSES on potential vectors of Xylella fastidiosa in France is still requiring further improvements.
