James: Plum pox virus detection

Plum pox virus (PPV) detection: the standardized IPPC diagnostic protocol

Delano James
(Member IPPC’s Technical Panel on Diagnostic Protocols) Sidney Laboratory - Centre for Plant Health, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, North Saanich, BC. Canada, V8L 1H3
The World Trade Organization (WTO) International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) is one of three international standard setting bodies recognized under the Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS) Agreement. The IPPC is an international treaty for plant health that binds contracting parties to the obligations of the convention and currently there are 179 signatory countries including; Canada, Mexico and the USA that comprise the North American Plant Protection Organization (NAPPO). The aims of the IPPC are to; prevent the introduction and spread of plant pests, promote fair trade, and protect plant life. Standardized and internationally accepted diagnostic protocols are essential for achieving these objectives and for minimizing the occurrence of conflicts. The diagnostic protocol for Plum pox virus (PPV, lead author Dr. Mariano Cambra, Spain) was adopted by the Seventh Session of the Commission on Phytosanitary Measures on March 2012. It is now recognized as Annex 2 (DP 2) of ISPM 27. The contents of the protocol include pest information and the descriptions of validated detection and identification methods that meet the minimum requirements for positive detection and/or identification of PPV strains recognized at the time the protocol was developed. These methods include protein/serology-based methods, and nucleic acid-based methods. Information on record keeping and contact points are provided to help labs, if necessary, in the implementation of the methods described in the protocol. IPPC Diagnostic Protocols and information about IPPC may be found at: www.ippc.int