DisplayTitle

Disease management options based on the use of pathogen-tested, clean material are essential to limit the dissemination of viruses, phytoplasmas and viroids, and to mitigate their impact on fruit trees. USDA recently created the National Clean Plant Network (NCPN) to help protect specialty crops from the spread of economically harmful pathogens. Through NCPN, Clean Centers for fruit trees (NCPN-FT Centers) ensure the availability and maintenance of disease-tested, clean foundation stocks and propagation material through extensive testing and pathogen elimination therapy. Coordination of diagnostic guidelines and establishment of national standards are also important NCPN-FT activities. Amid the numerous successes and accomplishments of NCPN-FT, pathogens that are known or not in the U.S continue to threaten the sustainability of the fruit tree industry, stressing the need for continued efforts to (i) explore novel approaches to accelerate the safe introduction and distribution of pathogen-tested, clean propagation material, (ii) better harmonize certification efforts across regional and national boundaries, (iii) set realistic certification standards that include current pathogen detection technologies, (iv) coordinate the implementation of science-based eradication programs, and (v) communicate more effectively on the benefits of pathogen-indexed, clean material.<p><p>Keywords: