Scientific opinion on the risks to plant health posed by Stagonosporopsis chrysanthemi (Stevens) Crous, Vaghefi and Taylor [Didymella ligulicola (Baker, Dimock and Davis) Arx var. ligulicola; syn. Didymella ligulicola (Baker, Dimock and Davis) Arx] in the EU territory, with identification and evaluation of risk reduction options

The EFSA Panel on Plant Health conducted a risk assessment of Didymella ligulicola (current name Stagonosporopsis chrysanthemi) for the European Union territory, identified risk management options and evaluated their effectiveness in reducing the risk to plant health posed by the organism. The Panel also evaluated the effectiveness of the present EU requirements (Council Directive 2000/29/EC) against this organism. S. chrysanthemi causes ray blight of Chrysanthemum x morifolium and is present in the EU. The Panel conducted the risk assessment considering the current EU plant health legislation in place and reached the following conclusions. The probability of entry of S. chrysanthemi into the EU on the Chrysanthemum x morifolium plants for planting pathway and the cut flowers pathway is unlikely with a medium uncertainty. The probabilities of establishment and spread of S. chrysanthemi in the EU are very likely with low uncertainties, as the host is extensively grown in the EU and the climatic conditions are suitable for infection, sporulation, spread and survival of the pathogen. The damage caused by the pathogen in the EU is currently minor because of the existing agricultural practices applied to chrysanthemum crops. No negative environmental impacts are foreseen. The effectiveness of the current EU requirement of visual inspection of host plant material in reducing the risk of introduction into, and spread within, the EU of the pathogen is low with a high uncertainty, as it is not possible to distinguish the effect of the legislation from that of the voluntary certification schemes currently used for the production of chrysanthemum plant propagation material. If the current EU regulations regarding the pest were to be removed and the voluntary certification schemes remained in place, there would be no great effect on the risk of introduction, spread and impact of S. chrysanthemi in the EU territory. (C) European Food Safety Authority, 2013.