Pest categorisation of non-EU viruses of Rubus L.

The Panel on Plant Health of EFSA conducted a pest categorisation of 17 viruses of Rubus L. that werepreviously classified as either non-EU or of undetermined standing in a previous opinion. Theseinfectious agents belong to different genera and are heterogeneous in their biology. Blackberry virus X,blackberry virus Z and wineberry latent virus were not categorised because of lack of information whilegrapevine red blotch virus was excluded because it does not infect Rubus. All 17 viruses are efficientlytransmitted by vegetative propagation, with plants for planting representing the major pathway forentry and spread. For some viruses, additional pathway(s) are Rubus seeds, pollen and/or vector(s).Most of the viruses categorised here infect only one or few plant genera, but some of them have awide host range, thus extending the possible entry pathways. Cherry rasp leaf virus, raspberry latentvirus, raspberry leaf curl virus, strawberry necrotic shock virus, tobacco ringspot virus and tomatoringspot virus meet all the criteria to qualify as potential Union quarantine pests (QPs). With theexception of impact in the EU territory, on which the Panel was unable to conclude, blackberrychlorotic ringspot virus, blackberry leaf mottle-associated virus, blackberry vein banding-associatedvirus, blackberry virus E, blackberry virus F, blackberry virus S, blackberry virus Y and blackberry yellowvein-associated virus satisfy all the other criteria to be considered as potential QPs. Black raspberrycryptic virus, blackberry calico virus and Rubus canadensis virus 1 do not meet the criterion of havinga potential negative impact in the EU. For several viruses, the categorisation is associated with highuncertainties, mainly because of the absence of data on biology, distribution and impact. Since theopinion addresses non-EU viruses, they do not meet the criteria to qualify as potential Union regulatednon-quarantine pests.