This document presents the opinion of the Panel on Plant Health on the simplified pest risk assessment conducted by France on  “Ralstonia  sp. bacterium responsible for banana blood disease” with French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique and Réunion considered as endangered area. 

Ralstonia sp. responsible for banana blood disease – also called blood disease bacterium (BDB) – is the causal agent in Indonesia of a lethal disease of dessert banana (Musa spp.), plantain (Musa spp.) and cooking banana, known as blood disease of banana.