PRA prepared by the French NPPO (in French). PRA report in English.

Fusarium subglutinans f. sp. pini is defined by its high aggressivity against its specific host : pine. The chances of entry into Europe are high. The fungus can be introduced by several pathways : seedlings (however the introduction of pines seedlings is forbidden), wood (however the introduction of coniferous wood from the countries contaminated is strictly controlled), introduction of insects vector of the disease, vehicles and equipment, seeds. The most important risk of introduction is by seeds : importation of pine seeds are not controlled and the fungi cannot be detected by visual control (it is present outside but also inside the seeds). The pest may easily transfer from the pathway to host material in the PRA area (in nurseries for example). The potential for establishment is high. The pitch canker was discover in Virginia USA in 1945, it was already introduced in Japan (1988), Mexico (1989) and South Africa (1990). It can attack 47 pines species, several of them growing to a substantial extent in the PRA area. Many insects (Curculionidae , Scolytidae etc.) can to be vector in the PRA area. The known geographical distribution of the disease include ecoclimatic zones comparable with those of the PRA area. Because of the wide distribution of pines species in Europe, potential damage could be highly significant. No control measures are available in forest