Special surveillance program for the presence of quarantine viruses on Rubus spp. in the Republika Srpska in 2024.

This program establishes the measures, deadlines, method of implementation of the measures, entities implementing them, sources and method of provision and use of funds, as well as the method of control of the implementation of special surveillance measures over the presence of viruses on Rubus spp. on the territory of the Republic of Srpska in 2024. The aim of this program is to determine the presence, or absence, of viruses on Rubus spp. in the Republic of Srpska. Special surveillance for the detection of viruses on Rubus spp. shall be carried out at the border and throughout the territory of the Republic of Srpska. Areas of operation are points of entry into the Republic of Srpska, registered nurseries of host plants, plants in circulation, as well as production plantations of host plants. Special surveillance and surveillance measures at the border, in trade and in registered nurseries shall be carried out by the Republic Administration for Inspection Affairs. Authorized institutions that have the authority of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management of the Republika Srpska to carry out tasks of public interest in the field of diagnostics of harmful organisms and protection of plant health for the harmful organism shall carry out special surveillance in production plantings of host plants. The authorized institution shall prepare information leaflets with expert advice on methods of preventing the spread and possible pathogen and vector control measures. The special surveillance programme shall include monitoring carried out over the presence of harmful organisms. Imported consignments covered by monitoring shall not be detained at the border crossing point and the phytosanitary inspector shall issue a decision prohibiting their movement until the results of laboratory analyses are obtained. In the event of detection of a quarantine pest, the Inspectorate shall take all necessary actions in accordance with the regulations governing this area. The special surveillance program covers raspberry (Rubus idaeus L.) and blackberry (Rubus occidentalis L.) as the most important host plants of the viruses: Cherry leaf roll virus (CLRV, genus Nepovirus, family Secoviridae), Tomato ringspot virus (ToRV, genus Nepovirus, family Secoviridae), Tobacco ring spot virus (TRSV, genus Nepovirus, family Secoviridae), Arabis mosaic virus (ArMV, genus Nepovirus, family Secoviridae), Apple mosaic virus (ApMV, genus Ilarvirus, family Bromoviridae), Raspberry bushy dwarf virus (RBDV, genus Idaeovirus). (2) All of the above viruses are transmitted by infected seeds and pollen, while nematodes from the genera Xiphinema and Longidorus additionally participate in the transmission of viruses from the genus Nepovirus.