Council Directive 93/85/EECShow full title

[F1 Principle U.K.

The use of the IF test as the principal screening test is recommended because of its proven robustness to achieve the required thresholds.

When the IF test is used as the principal screening test and the IF reading is positive, the PCR or FISH test must be performed as a second screening test. When the IF test is used as the second screening test and the IF reading is positive, further testing according to the flow scheme is required to complete the analysis.

Note: U.K.

Always use a polyclonal antibody, when the IF test is used as the principal screening test. In case of a positive IF reading with a polyclonal antibody further screening of the sample with a monoclonal antibody may provide more specificity but can be less sensitive.

Use antibodies to a reference strain of C. m. subsp. sepedonicus . It is recommended that the titre is determined for each new batch of antibodies. The titre is defined as the highest dilution at which optimum reaction occurs when testing a suspension containing 10 ⁵ to 10 ⁶ cells per ml of the homologous strain of C. m. subsp. sepedonicus and using an appropriate fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) conjugate according to the manufacturer's recommendations. The crude polyclonal or monoclonal antibodies should have an IF titre of at least 1:2000. During testing, the antibodies should be used at a working dilution(s) (WD) close to or at the titre. Use validated antibodies (see web site http://forum.europa.eu.int/Public/irc/sanco/Home/main).

The test should be performed on freshly-prepared sample extracts. If necessary, it can be successfully performed on extracts stored at -68 to -86  °C under glycerol. Glycerol can be removed from the sample by addition of 1 ml pellet buffer (Appendix 4), re-centrifugation for 15 minutes at 7 000  g and resuspension in an equal volume of pellet buffer. This is often not necessary, especially if slides samples are fixed to the slides by flaming (see 2.2).

Prepare separate positive control slides of the homologous strain or any other reference strain of C. m. subsp. sepedonicus , suspended in potato extract, as specified in Appendix 2, and optionally in buffer.

Naturally infected tissue (maintained by lyophilization or freezing at  -16 to -24  °C) should be used where possible as a similar control on the same slide.

As negative controls, use aliquots of sample extract which previously tested negative.

Use multiwell microscope slides with preferably 10 windows of at least 6 mm diameter.

Test control material in an identical manner as the sample(s).]

Textual Amendments

F1 Substituted by Commission Directive 2006/56/EC of 12 June 2006 amending the Annexes to Council Directive 93/85/EEC on the control of potato ring rot.