Netherlands: NVWA destroys rosemary plants with Xylella fastidiosa from Portugal

The Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) has taken measures after a report from Portugal about plants from a batch infected with Xylella fastidiosa, which were supplied to 2 Dutch companies by a Portuguese grower. The NVWA traces these rosemary plants and the plants still present in the Netherlands are destroyed. This minimizes the chance of spreading in the Netherlands. Xylella fastidiosa is a bacterium that is not contagious and is transmitted by cicadas. The bacterium can cause diseases in different types of host plants. It is difficult to combat and harmful to plants, but not to humans and animals. The Xylella contamination came to light in Portugal after sampling the asymptomatic batch of rosemary plants during their annual official examination. The report was received by the NVWA in August, after which action was immediately taken. It concerns rosemary plants from an infected batch that was delivered in the second half of July 2021. Of these, 5 deliveries ...