Streamlining global germplasm exchange: integrating scientific rigor and common sense to exclude phantom agents from regulation

I. E. Tzanetakis; V. Aknadibossian; J. Špak; F. Constable; S. J. Harper; J. Hammond; T. Candresse; S. Y. Folimonova; J. Freitas-Astúa; M. Fuchs; W. Jelkmann; V. I. Maliogka; A. Marais; R. R. Martin; D. Mollov; G. Vidalakis; N. Aboughanem-Sabanadzovic; M. Al Rwahnih; O. J. Alabi; D. Alioto; H. Y. Atanda; F. Bagi; V. K. Baranwal; C. Barbosa; M. Bar-Joseph; L. Batista Le Riverend; T. Belien; M. J. Benítez-Galeano; H. Bennypaul; A. Bertaccini; R. Bester; A. G. Blouin; D. R. Blystad; M. Botermans; O. Bozan; A. Brakta; Y. Brans; A. Bulajić; K. Caglayan; A. Catara; E. Choueiri; M. Cieślińska; G. Cook; W. Cui; J. da Graça; S. Davino; C. Delmiglio; M. M. Dewdney; F. Di Serio; A. Diaz-Lara; M. Digiaro; K. Djelouah; Y. F. Dong; N. Donovan; T. Z. Druciarek; N. Duran-Vila; E. Elçi; A. Esquivel-Fariña; M. L. Fall; X. D. Fan; J. Figueroa; N. Fiore; A. R. Fowkes; A. Fox; J. Fránová; R. Fuchs; Y. Z.A. Gaafar; M. L. García; D. Ghosh; E. Girardi; M. Glasa; S. Gomez Talquenca; A. Gratz; D. Gritsenko; S. Hajeri; M. Hajizadeh; Z. Hamborg; T. Ho; M. Holeva; S. K. Holkar; M. Horner; O. P. Hurtado-Gonzales; A. Ippolito; V. Isac; T. Iwanami; A. E. Jofre-Y-Garfias; R. Jordan; N. Katis; I. Koloniuk; H. Konings; I. Križanac; R. Krueger; A. Kyrychenko; F. Laranjeira; I. Lavagi-Craddock; A. Levy; G. Licciardello; Q. Y. Lu; S. A. MacFarlane; C. Marcone; H. J. Maree; P. Margaria; A. Martić; S. Massart; M. M. Mathioudakis; S. Matić; I. Mavric Plesko; E. T.M. Meekes; N. Mehle; M. J. Melzer; B. Meng; W. Menzel; V. Miljanić; A. Minafra; M. Minutolo; A. Mitra; P. Moreno; L. Navarro; B. Navarro; L. Nerva; A. Okić; A. Olmos; N. Önelge; B. Osundahunsi; M. F. Palacios; V. Pallas; S. Panno; Z. Perez-Egusquiza; B. Poudel-Ward; S. Radišek; P. L. Ramos-González; P. Ramteke; N. B. Ranabhat; M. P.S. Rivarez; F. Rivas; A. Roenhorst; A. Roy; A. B. Ruiz-García; S. Sabanadzovic; D. Šafářová; P. Saldarelli; N. Salem; G. Sanahuja Solsona; R. Schoen; S. K. Sharma; T. Shilts; A. Sierra-Mejia; S. Singh; A. Skelton; D. Škorić; D. Stainton; N. Štajner; M. Starović; E. Stuchi; P. Svoboda; R. Tahzima; J. Tang; M. Tessitori; J. P. Thermoz; E. Thompson; J. Thompson; P. Trebicki; M. Turina; C. Ulubas Serce; J. Umble; D. Valiunas; E. Varallyay; A. Varma; C. Varveri; U. Vásquez-Gutiérrez; I. Vazquez-Iglesias; S. Veerakone; D. E. Villamor; M. C. Vives; D. Vončina; J. Wang; M. Westenberg; T. Wetzel; S. Winter; G. Wright; N. A. Wulff; W. X. Xu; R. Yokomi; C. Zhou; K. Zikeli; J. Zindović

doi:10.1094/PDIS-04-24-0745-FE

Streamlining global germplasm exchange: integrating scientific rigor and common sense to exclude phantom agents from regulation

I. E. Tzanetakis^*, V. Aknadibossian, J. Špak^*, F. Constable^*, S. J. Harper^*, J. Hammond^*, T. Candresse^*, S. Y. Folimonova, J. Freitas-Astúa, M. Fuchs, W. Jelkmann, V. I. Maliogka, A. Marais, R. R. Martin, D. Mollov, G. Vidalakis^*, N. Aboughanem-Sabanadzovic, M. Al Rwahnih, O. J. Alabi, D. AliotoH. Y. Atanda, F. Bagi, V. K. Baranwal, C. Barbosa, M. Bar-Joseph, L. Batista Le Riverend, T. Belien, M. J. Benítez-Galeano, H. Bennypaul, A. Bertaccini, R. Bester, A. G. Blouin, D. R. Blystad, M. Botermans, O. Bozan, A. Brakta, Y. Brans, A. Bulajić, K. Caglayan, A. Catara, E. Choueiri, M. Cieślińska, G. Cook, W. Cui, J. da Graça, S. Davino, C. Delmiglio, M. M. Dewdney, F. Di Serio, A. Diaz-Lara, M. Digiaro, K. Djelouah, Y. F. Dong, N. Donovan, T. Z. Druciarek, N. Duran-Vila, E. Elçi, A. Esquivel-Fariña, M. L. Fall, X. D. Fan, J. Figueroa, N. Fiore, A. R. Fowkes, A. Fox, J. Fránová, R. Fuchs, Y. Z.A. Gaafar, M. L. García, D. Ghosh, E. Girardi, M. Glasa, S. Gomez Talquenca, A. Gratz, D. Gritsenko, S. Hajeri, M. Hajizadeh, Z. Hamborg, T. Ho, M. Holeva, S. K. Holkar, M. Horner, O. P. Hurtado-Gonzales, A. Ippolito, V. Isac, T. Iwanami, A. E. Jofre-Y-Garfias, R. Jordan, N. Katis, I. Koloniuk, H. Konings, I. Križanac, R. Krueger, A. Kyrychenko, F. Laranjeira, I. Lavagi-Craddock, A. Levy, G. Licciardello, Q. Y. Lu, S. A. MacFarlane, C. Marcone, H. J. Maree, P. Margaria, A. Martić, S. Massart, M. M. Mathioudakis, S. Matić, I. Mavric Plesko, E. T.M. Meekes, N. Mehle, M. J. Melzer, B. Meng, W. Menzel, V. Miljanić, A. Minafra, M. Minutolo, A. Mitra, P. Moreno, L. Navarro, B. Navarro, L. Nerva, A. Okić, A. Olmos, N. Önelge, B. Osundahunsi, M. F. Palacios, V. Pallas, S. Panno, Z. Perez-Egusquiza, B. Poudel-Ward, S. Radišek, P. L. Ramos-González, P. Ramteke, N. B. Ranabhat, M. P.S. Rivarez, F. Rivas, A. Roenhorst, A. Roy, A. B. Ruiz-García, S. Sabanadzovic, D. Šafářová, P. Saldarelli, N. Salem, G. Sanahuja Solsona, R. Schoen, S. K. Sharma, T. Shilts, A. Sierra-Mejia, S. Singh, A. Skelton, D. Škorić, D. Stainton, N. Štajner, M. Starović, E. Stuchi, P. Svoboda, R. Tahzima, J. Tang, M. Tessitori, J. P. Thermoz, E. Thompson, J. Thompson, P. Trebicki, M. Turina, C. Ulubas Serce, J. Umble, D. Valiunas, E. Varallyay, A. Varma, C. Varveri, U. Vásquez-Gutiérrez, I. Vazquez-Iglesias, S. Veerakone, D. E. Villamor, M. C. Vives, D. Vončina, J. Wang, M. Westenberg, T. Wetzel, S. Winter, G. Wright, N. A. Wulff, W. X. Xu, R. Yokomi, C. Zhou, K. Zikeli, J. Zindović

^*Corresponding author for this work

Applied BioSciences

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

5 Citations (Scopus)

2 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

This collaborative work by over 180 researchers from 40+ countries addresses the challenges posed by “phantom agents”—putative pathogenic agents named in literature without supporting data on their existence. Those agents remain on regulatory lists, creating barriers in trade and plant certification. Historically identified based solely on symptoms, these agents lack isolates or sequence data, making reliable detection or risk assessment impossible. After reviewing over 120 such agents across 10 key plant genera, we recommend their removal from regulatory lists and call for revised standards aligned with modern diagnostics. This effort seeks to streamline germplasm exchange, benefiting global agriculture by removing the constraints imposed by phantoms.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	736-755
Number of pages	20
Journal	Plant Disease
Volume	109
Issue number	4
Early online date	29 Dec 2024
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-04-24-0745-FE
Publication status	Published - Apr 2025

Bibliographical note

Copyright the Publisher(s) 2024. Version archived for private and non-commercial use with the permission of the author/s and according to publisher conditions. For further rights please contact the publisher.

Keywords

fruit
ornamentals
small fruits
tree fruits
viruses and viroids

Access to Document

10.1094/PDIS-04-24-0745-FE

Publisher version (open access)Final published version, 594 KBLicence: Unspecified

Cite this

Tzanetakis, I. E., Aknadibossian, V., Špak, J., Constable, F., Harper, S. J., Hammond, J., Candresse, T., Folimonova, S. Y., Freitas-Astúa, J., Fuchs, M., Jelkmann, W., Maliogka, V. I., Marais, A., Martin, R. R., Mollov, D., Vidalakis, G., Aboughanem-Sabanadzovic, N., Al Rwahnih, M., Alabi, O. J., ... Zindović, J. (2025). Streamlining global germplasm exchange: integrating scientific rigor and common sense to exclude phantom agents from regulation. Plant Disease, 109(4), 736-755. https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-04-24-0745-FE

@article{07e31e412aa542888ba5f6804b725847,

title = "Streamlining global germplasm exchange: integrating scientific rigor and common sense to exclude phantom agents from regulation",

abstract = "This collaborative work by over 180 researchers from 40+ countries addresses the challenges posed by “phantom agents”—putative pathogenic agents named in literature without supporting data on their existence. Those agents remain on regulatory lists, creating barriers in trade and plant certification. Historically identified based solely on symptoms, these agents lack isolates or sequence data, making reliable detection or risk assessment impossible. After reviewing over 120 such agents across 10 key plant genera, we recommend their removal from regulatory lists and call for revised standards aligned with modern diagnostics. This effort seeks to streamline germplasm exchange, benefiting global agriculture by removing the constraints imposed by phantoms.",

keywords = "fruit, ornamentals, small fruits, tree fruits, viruses and viroids",

author = "Tzanetakis, \{I. E.\} and V. Aknadibossian and J. {\v S}pak and F. Constable and Harper, \{S. J.\} and J. Hammond and T. Candresse and Folimonova, \{S. Y.\} and J. Freitas-Ast{\'u}a and M. Fuchs and W. Jelkmann and Maliogka, \{V. I.\} and A. Marais and Martin, \{R. R.\} and D. Mollov and G. Vidalakis and N. Aboughanem-Sabanadzovic and \{Al Rwahnih\}, M. and Alabi, \{O. J.\} and D. Alioto and Atanda, \{H. Y.\} and F. Bagi and Baranwal, \{V. K.\} and C. Barbosa and M. Bar-Joseph and \{Batista Le Riverend\}, L. and T. Belien and Ben{\'i}tez-Galeano, \{M. J.\} and H. Bennypaul and A. Bertaccini and R. Bester and Blouin, \{A. G.\} and Blystad, \{D. R.\} and M. Botermans and O. Bozan and A. Brakta and Y. Brans and A. Bulaji{\'c} and K. Caglayan and A. Catara and E. Choueiri and M. Cie{\'s}li{\'n}ska and G. Cook and W. Cui and \{da Gra{\c c}a\}, J. and S. Davino and C. Delmiglio and Dewdney, \{M. M.\} and \{Di Serio\}, F. and A. Diaz-Lara and M. Digiaro and K. Djelouah and Dong, \{Y. F.\} and N. Donovan and Druciarek, \{T. Z.\} and N. Duran-Vila and E. El{\c c}i and A. Esquivel-Fari{\~n}a and Fall, \{M. L.\} and Fan, \{X. D.\} and J. Figueroa and N. Fiore and Fowkes, \{A. R.\} and A. Fox and J. Fr{\'a}nov{\'a} and R. Fuchs and Gaafar, \{Y. Z.A.\} and Garc{\'i}a, \{M. L.\} and D. Ghosh and E. Girardi and M. Glasa and \{Gomez Talquenca\}, S. and A. Gratz and D. Gritsenko and S. Hajeri and M. Hajizadeh and Z. Hamborg and T. Ho and M. Holeva and Holkar, \{S. K.\} and M. Horner and Hurtado-Gonzales, \{O. P.\} and A. Ippolito and V. Isac and T. Iwanami and Jofre-Y-Garfias, \{A. E.\} and R. Jordan and N. Katis and I. Koloniuk and H. Konings and I. Kri{\v z}anac and R. Krueger and A. Kyrychenko and F. Laranjeira and I. Lavagi-Craddock and A. Levy and G. Licciardello and Lu, \{Q. Y.\} and MacFarlane, \{S. A.\} and C. Marcone and Maree, \{H. J.\} and P. Margaria and A. Marti{\'c} and S. Massart and Mathioudakis, \{M. M.\} and S. Mati{\'c} and \{Mavric Plesko\}, I. and Meekes, \{E. T.M.\} and N. Mehle and Melzer, \{M. J.\} and B. Meng and W. Menzel and V. Miljani{\'c} and A. Minafra and M. Minutolo and A. Mitra and P. Moreno and L. Navarro and B. Navarro and L. Nerva and A. Oki{\'c} and A. Olmos and N. {\"O}nelge and B. Osundahunsi and Palacios, \{M. F.\} and V. Pallas and S. Panno and Z. Perez-Egusquiza and B. Poudel-Ward and S. Radi{\v s}ek and Ramos-Gonz{\'a}lez, \{P. L.\} and P. Ramteke and Ranabhat, \{N. B.\} and Rivarez, \{M. P.S.\} and F. Rivas and A. Roenhorst and A. Roy and Ruiz-Garc{\'i}a, \{A. B.\} and S. Sabanadzovic and D. {\v S}af{\'a}{\v r}ov{\'a} and P. Saldarelli and N. Salem and \{Sanahuja Solsona\}, G. and R. Schoen and Sharma, \{S. K.\} and T. Shilts and A. Sierra-Mejia and S. Singh and A. Skelton and D. {\v S}kori{\'c} and D. Stainton and N. {\v S}tajner and M. Starovi{\'c} and E. Stuchi and P. Svoboda and R. Tahzima and J. Tang and M. Tessitori and Thermoz, \{J. P.\} and E. Thompson and J. Thompson and P. Trebicki and M. Turina and \{Ulubas Serce\}, C. and J. Umble and D. Valiunas and E. Varallyay and A. Varma and C. Varveri and U. V{\'a}squez-Guti{\'e}rrez and I. Vazquez-Iglesias and S. Veerakone and Villamor, \{D. E.\} and Vives, \{M. C.\} and D. Von{\v c}ina and J. Wang and M. Westenberg and T. Wetzel and S. Winter and G. Wright and Wulff, \{N. A.\} and Xu, \{W. X.\} and R. Yokomi and C. Zhou and K. Zikeli and J. Zindovi{\'c}",

note = "Copyright the Publisher(s) 2024. Version archived for private and non-commercial use with the permission of the author/s and according to publisher conditions. For further rights please contact the publisher. ",

year = "2025",

month = apr,

doi = "10.1094/PDIS-04-24-0745-FE",

language = "English",

volume = "109",

pages = "736--755",

journal = "Plant Disease",

issn = "0191-2917",

publisher = "American Phytopathological Society",

number = "4",

}

Tzanetakis, IE, Aknadibossian, V, Špak, J, Constable, F, Harper, SJ, Hammond, J, Candresse, T, Folimonova, SY, Freitas-Astúa, J, Fuchs, M, Jelkmann, W, Maliogka, VI, Marais, A, Martin, RR, Mollov, D, Vidalakis, G, Aboughanem-Sabanadzovic, N, Al Rwahnih, M, Alabi, OJ, Alioto, D, Atanda, HY, Bagi, F, Baranwal, VK, Barbosa, C, Bar-Joseph, M, Batista Le Riverend, L, Belien, T, Benítez-Galeano, MJ, Bennypaul, H, Bertaccini, A, Bester, R, Blouin, AG, Blystad, DR, Botermans, M, Bozan, O, Brakta, A, Brans, Y, Bulajić, A, Caglayan, K, Catara, A, Choueiri, E, Cieślińska, M, Cook, G, Cui, W, da Graça, J, Davino, S, Delmiglio, C, Dewdney, MM, Di Serio, F, Diaz-Lara, A, Digiaro, M, Djelouah, K, Dong, YF, Donovan, N, Druciarek, TZ, Duran-Vila, N, Elçi, E, Esquivel-Fariña, A, Fall, ML, Fan, XD, Figueroa, J, Fiore, N, Fowkes, AR, Fox, A, Fránová, J, Fuchs, R, Gaafar, YZA, García, ML, Ghosh, D, Girardi, E, Glasa, M, Gomez Talquenca, S, Gratz, A, Gritsenko, D, Hajeri, S, Hajizadeh, M, Hamborg, Z, Ho, T, Holeva, M, Holkar, SK, Horner, M, Hurtado-Gonzales, OP, Ippolito, A, Isac, V, Iwanami, T, Jofre-Y-Garfias, AE, Jordan, R, Katis, N, Koloniuk, I, Konings, H, Križanac, I, Krueger, R, Kyrychenko, A, Laranjeira, F, Lavagi-Craddock, I, Levy, A, Licciardello, G, Lu, QY, MacFarlane, SA, Marcone, C, Maree, HJ, Margaria, P, Martić, A, Massart, S, Mathioudakis, MM, Matić, S, Mavric Plesko, I, Meekes, ETM, Mehle, N, Melzer, MJ, Meng, B, Menzel, W, Miljanić, V, Minafra, A, Minutolo, M, Mitra, A, Moreno, P, Navarro, L, Navarro, B, Nerva, L, Okić, A, Olmos, A, Önelge, N, Osundahunsi, B, Palacios, MF, Pallas, V, Panno, S, Perez-Egusquiza, Z, Poudel-Ward, B, Radišek, S, Ramos-González, PL, Ramteke, P, Ranabhat, NB, Rivarez, MPS, Rivas, F, Roenhorst, A, Roy, A, Ruiz-García, AB, Sabanadzovic, S, Šafářová, D, Saldarelli, P, Salem, N, Sanahuja Solsona, G, Schoen, R, Sharma, SK, Shilts, T, Sierra-Mejia, A, Singh, S, Skelton, A, Škorić, D, Stainton, D, Štajner, N, Starović, M, Stuchi, E, Svoboda, P, Tahzima, R, Tang, J, Tessitori, M, Thermoz, JP, Thompson, E, Thompson, J, Trebicki, P, Turina, M, Ulubas Serce, C, Umble, J, Valiunas, D, Varallyay, E, Varma, A, Varveri, C, Vásquez-Gutiérrez, U, Vazquez-Iglesias, I, Veerakone, S, Villamor, DE, Vives, MC, Vončina, D, Wang, J, Westenberg, M, Wetzel, T, Winter, S, Wright, G, Wulff, NA, Xu, WX, Yokomi, R, Zhou, C, Zikeli, K & Zindović, J 2025, 'Streamlining global germplasm exchange: integrating scientific rigor and common sense to exclude phantom agents from regulation', Plant Disease, vol. 109, no. 4, pp. 736-755. https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-04-24-0745-FE

TY - JOUR

T1 - Streamlining global germplasm exchange

T2 - integrating scientific rigor and common sense to exclude phantom agents from regulation

AU - Tzanetakis, I. E.

AU - Aknadibossian, V.

AU - Špak, J.

AU - Constable, F.

AU - Harper, S. J.

AU - Hammond, J.

AU - Candresse, T.

AU - Folimonova, S. Y.

AU - Freitas-Astúa, J.

AU - Fuchs, M.

AU - Jelkmann, W.

AU - Maliogka, V. I.

AU - Marais, A.

AU - Martin, R. R.

AU - Mollov, D.

AU - Vidalakis, G.

AU - Aboughanem-Sabanadzovic, N.

AU - Al Rwahnih, M.

AU - Alabi, O. J.

AU - Alioto, D.

AU - Atanda, H. Y.

AU - Bagi, F.

AU - Baranwal, V. K.

AU - Barbosa, C.

AU - Bar-Joseph, M.

AU - Batista Le Riverend, L.

AU - Belien, T.

AU - Benítez-Galeano, M. J.

AU - Bennypaul, H.

AU - Bertaccini, A.

AU - Bester, R.

AU - Blouin, A. G.

AU - Blystad, D. R.

AU - Botermans, M.

AU - Bozan, O.

AU - Brakta, A.

AU - Brans, Y.

AU - Bulajić, A.

AU - Caglayan, K.

AU - Catara, A.

AU - Choueiri, E.

AU - Cieślińska, M.

AU - Cook, G.

AU - Cui, W.

AU - da Graça, J.

AU - Davino, S.

AU - Delmiglio, C.

AU - Dewdney, M. M.

AU - Di Serio, F.

AU - Diaz-Lara, A.

AU - Digiaro, M.

AU - Djelouah, K.

AU - Dong, Y. F.

AU - Donovan, N.

AU - Druciarek, T. Z.

AU - Duran-Vila, N.

AU - Elçi, E.

AU - Esquivel-Fariña, A.

AU - Fall, M. L.

AU - Fan, X. D.

AU - Figueroa, J.

AU - Fiore, N.

AU - Fowkes, A. R.

AU - Fox, A.

AU - Fránová, J.

AU - Fuchs, R.

AU - Gaafar, Y. Z.A.

AU - García, M. L.

AU - Ghosh, D.

AU - Girardi, E.

AU - Glasa, M.

AU - Gomez Talquenca, S.

AU - Gratz, A.

AU - Gritsenko, D.

AU - Hajeri, S.

AU - Hajizadeh, M.

AU - Hamborg, Z.

AU - Ho, T.

AU - Holeva, M.

AU - Holkar, S. K.

AU - Horner, M.

AU - Hurtado-Gonzales, O. P.

AU - Ippolito, A.

AU - Isac, V.

AU - Iwanami, T.

AU - Jofre-Y-Garfias, A. E.

AU - Jordan, R.

AU - Katis, N.

AU - Koloniuk, I.

AU - Konings, H.

AU - Križanac, I.

AU - Krueger, R.

AU - Kyrychenko, A.

AU - Laranjeira, F.

AU - Lavagi-Craddock, I.

AU - Levy, A.

AU - Licciardello, G.

AU - Lu, Q. Y.

AU - MacFarlane, S. A.

AU - Marcone, C.

AU - Maree, H. J.

AU - Margaria, P.

AU - Martić, A.

AU - Massart, S.

AU - Mathioudakis, M. M.

AU - Matić, S.

AU - Mavric Plesko, I.

AU - Meekes, E. T.M.

AU - Mehle, N.

AU - Melzer, M. J.

AU - Meng, B.

AU - Menzel, W.

AU - Miljanić, V.

AU - Minafra, A.

AU - Minutolo, M.

AU - Mitra, A.

AU - Moreno, P.

AU - Navarro, L.

AU - Navarro, B.

AU - Nerva, L.

AU - Okić, A.

AU - Olmos, A.

AU - Önelge, N.

AU - Osundahunsi, B.

AU - Palacios, M. F.

AU - Pallas, V.

AU - Panno, S.

AU - Perez-Egusquiza, Z.

AU - Poudel-Ward, B.

AU - Radišek, S.

AU - Ramos-González, P. L.

AU - Ramteke, P.

AU - Ranabhat, N. B.

AU - Rivarez, M. P.S.

AU - Rivas, F.

AU - Roenhorst, A.

AU - Roy, A.

AU - Ruiz-García, A. B.

AU - Sabanadzovic, S.

AU - Šafářová, D.

AU - Saldarelli, P.

AU - Salem, N.

AU - Sanahuja Solsona, G.

AU - Schoen, R.

AU - Sharma, S. K.

AU - Shilts, T.

AU - Sierra-Mejia, A.

AU - Singh, S.

AU - Skelton, A.

AU - Škorić, D.

AU - Stainton, D.

AU - Štajner, N.

AU - Starović, M.

AU - Stuchi, E.

AU - Svoboda, P.

AU - Tahzima, R.

AU - Tang, J.

AU - Tessitori, M.

AU - Thermoz, J. P.

AU - Thompson, E.

AU - Thompson, J.

AU - Trebicki, P.

AU - Turina, M.

AU - Ulubas Serce, C.

AU - Umble, J.

AU - Valiunas, D.

AU - Varallyay, E.

AU - Varma, A.

AU - Varveri, C.

AU - Vásquez-Gutiérrez, U.

AU - Vazquez-Iglesias, I.

AU - Veerakone, S.

AU - Villamor, D. E.

AU - Vives, M. C.

AU - Vončina, D.

AU - Wang, J.

AU - Westenberg, M.

AU - Wetzel, T.

AU - Winter, S.

AU - Wright, G.

AU - Wulff, N. A.

AU - Xu, W. X.

AU - Yokomi, R.

AU - Zhou, C.

AU - Zikeli, K.

AU - Zindović, J.

N1 - Copyright the Publisher(s) 2024. Version archived for private and non-commercial use with the permission of the author/s and according to publisher conditions. For further rights please contact the publisher.

PY - 2025/4

Y1 - 2025/4

N2 - This collaborative work by over 180 researchers from 40+ countries addresses the challenges posed by “phantom agents”—putative pathogenic agents named in literature without supporting data on their existence. Those agents remain on regulatory lists, creating barriers in trade and plant certification. Historically identified based solely on symptoms, these agents lack isolates or sequence data, making reliable detection or risk assessment impossible. After reviewing over 120 such agents across 10 key plant genera, we recommend their removal from regulatory lists and call for revised standards aligned with modern diagnostics. This effort seeks to streamline germplasm exchange, benefiting global agriculture by removing the constraints imposed by phantoms.

AB - This collaborative work by over 180 researchers from 40+ countries addresses the challenges posed by “phantom agents”—putative pathogenic agents named in literature without supporting data on their existence. Those agents remain on regulatory lists, creating barriers in trade and plant certification. Historically identified based solely on symptoms, these agents lack isolates or sequence data, making reliable detection or risk assessment impossible. After reviewing over 120 such agents across 10 key plant genera, we recommend their removal from regulatory lists and call for revised standards aligned with modern diagnostics. This effort seeks to streamline germplasm exchange, benefiting global agriculture by removing the constraints imposed by phantoms.

KW - fruit

KW - ornamentals

KW - small fruits

KW - tree fruits

KW - viruses and viroids

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105004189509

U2 - 10.1094/PDIS-04-24-0745-FE

DO - 10.1094/PDIS-04-24-0745-FE

M3 - Article

C2 - 39743745

AN - SCOPUS:105004189509

SN - 0191-2917

VL - 109

SP - 736

EP - 755

JO - Plant Disease

JF - Plant Disease

IS - 4

ER -

Streamlining global germplasm exchange: integrating scientific rigor and common sense to exclude phantom agents from regulation

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