CONTROL OF POTATO WART DISEASE REGULATIONS *

CONTROL OF POTATO WART DISEASE

SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION 433.04

CONTROL OF POTATO WART DISEASE

REGULATIONS *

1st April, 2004

LEGAL NOTICE 121 of 2004.

The title of these regulations is the Control of Potato Wart

Disease Regulations.

These regulations concern the minimum measures to be

t a k e n t o c o n t r o l P o t a t o Wa r t D i s e a s e a n d t o p r e v e n t t h i s

cryptogrammic disease from spreading.

In these regulations, unless thc context otherwise requires

"the Act" means the Plant Quarantine Act;

"the Commission" means the Commission of the European

Community;

"the Department" means the Plant Health Department;

"the Director" means the Director of the Plant Health

Department.

(1) When an occurrence of Synchytrium endobioticum

(Schilb.) Perse., the pathogenic agent of Potato Wart Disease, is

recorded, the Department shall demarcate the contaminated plot

and a safety zone large enough to ensure the plot and a safety zone

large enough to ensure the protection of surrounding areas.

(2) A plot shall be regarded as being contaminated when

symptoms of Potato Wart Disease have been found on at least one

plant from that plot.

(3) Potato tubers and haulms which came from contaminated

plots shall be treated in such manner, to the satisfaction of the

Director, that the harmful organism is destroyed. If it is no longer

possible to determine the place from which contaminated tubers

and haulms came, the whole of the batch in which the contaminated

tubers or haulms have been found must be treated.

(4)

On contaminated plots

(a) no potatoes may be grown;

(b) no plant intended for transplanting may be grown,

stored in the ground or otherwise.

(1) Potatoes may be grown in the safety zone only if they

are of a variety which is resistant to the races of Synchytrium

endobioticum found on the contaminated plot.

*These regulations were repealed by Legal Notice 84 of 2023.

CONTROL OF POTATO WART DISEASE

(2) A potato variety shall be regarded as being resistant to a

particular race of Synchytrium endobioticum when it reacts to

contamination by the pathogenic agent of that race in such a way

that there is no danger of secondary infection.

The measures taken to control Potato Wart Disease or to

prevent it from spreading shall be revoked only if Synchytrium

endobioticum is no longer found to be present.

No person

shall

hold

cultures

of

Synchytrium

endobioticum.

The Director shall have access to any premises where an

activity regulated by these regulations is being carried out and shall

have access to all relevant information and records. He may also

collect samples of plants, plant products and other objects and carry

out any relevant checks thereon.

The Director shall communicate to the Commission before

1st January of each year a list of all the varieties of potato accepted

t o b e m a r k e t e d l o c a l l y a n d w h i c h w e r e f o u n d , b y o ff i c i a l

investigation, to be resistant to Synchytrium endobioticum. The

races to which the varieties are resistant shall also be forwarded to

the Commission.

(1) The Director may authorise exemptions from the

measures referred to in these regulations for scientific purposes,

tests and selection work provided that such derogations do not

prejudice the control of Potato Wart Disease and create no risk of

the spread of this disease, and as long as the requirements laid

down under the Act are met.

(2) Without prejudice to the provisions of these regulations thc

Director may adopt such additional or stricter provisions as may be

required to control Potato Wart Disease or to prevent it from

spreading.