The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has detected a crop pest in geraniums imported from Guatemala, is tracking them to greenhouses and destroying them.
The pest is Ralstonia solanacearum race 3 biovar 2 (Rs R3bv2) and can attack potatoes, tomatoes, peppers and eggplant, causing them to wilt.
The geranium variety is Fantasia Pink Flare, was distributed to Canadians via a company in the United States and the CFIA said “trace forward activities indicate that 55 Canadian greenhouses received the implicated plants. To date, Rs R3bv2 has not been confirmed in Canada.”
CFIA inspectors will be visiting the facilities that received the implicated variety. All Fantasia 'Pink Flare' geranium plants and co-mingled and exposed host and non-host plants will be ordered destroyed under CFIA supervision. Symptomatic material will be submitted for testing.
After the plant materials are destroyed, greenhouses will be cleaned according to CFIA sanitation protocols.
The CFIA said more information will be shared as it becomes available.
