Puccinia pittieriana is a microcyclic rust fungus. This plant pathogen infects agricultural crops such as potato (Solanum tuberosum), tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and wild species of Solanum genus in South and Central America. Puccinia pittieriana is noted as quarantine organism on EPPO A1 list for Europa (EPPO 2018) and in Annex 2, point A - Section 1 of Council Directive 2000/29/EC.Fungus may infect plants in cool, moist regions of temperate and tropical zones.

Basidiospores are short-lived and produced in low numbers, wind-borne but no for a long distances.

P. pittieriana was detected in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, Paraguay and Venezuela (IMI 1994). There is no informaction about pest occurrence in crops in PRA area.

Rating of the likelihood of entry: Low (There is a possibility of spread and access to the host plants in case of fungus entry in the PRA area)

Rating of the likelihood of establishment outdoors and in protected conditions: Low (because of low possibility that teliospores and basidiospores may be transmitted from South and Central America to Poland)

Rating of the likelihood of spread: Low (because of plants material monitoring, phytosanitary controls, special import procedures)

Rating of the likelihood of impact without phytosanitary measures: Low (because of other ratings)

The greatest risk of entry is associated with import of infected plants or soil from areas where fungus occurs. Inspection of imported material from South and Central America is a basic phytosanitary measure. Infected material need to be destroy for example by burning (infected plants are sources of inoculum).

Fungicides based od imidazoles and triazoles are efficient method of plants protection (French et. al. 1972, Quijano 1988, Velastegui 1991).