Rubus 
 
Note:  These entry conditions only a pply to species in the Plants Biosecurity Index listed under 
Import Specifications for Seed as “see 155.02.05 under Rubus ”. 
 
 
Entry conditions for Rubus seeds from approved countries 
These requirements are in addition to the Basic re quirements set out in Sec tion 2 of the standard. 
 
(i) Pests of Rubus  
Refer to the pest list.  (ii) Approved exporting countries
 
All countries  (iii) Documentation
 
Phytosanitary certificate: a completed phytosanitary certific ate issued by the NPPO of the  
exporting country must accompany all consignments of Ribes seed for sowing imported into 
New Zealand. Import permit: an import permit is required. 
 (iv) Phytosanitary requirements
 
Before a phytosanitary certificate is  issued, the NPPO of the exporting country must be satisfied 
that the following activities require d by MAF have been undertaken.  
 The Rubus seeds for sowing have been: 
- inspected in accordance with appropriate offici al procedures and found to be free of any 
visually detectable regulated pests. 
 (v) Additional declarations to the p
 hytosanitary certificate  
No additional declarations are required.  (vi) Post-entry quarantine
 
PEQ:   All Rubus  seeds must be imported under permit in to post-entry quarantine in a level 2 
quarantine facility accredited to  MAF standard PBC-NZ-TRA-PQCON Specification for the 
registration of a plant quarantine or containment facility, and operator . 
Quarantine Period:  The seed will be grown for a minimu m period of three months and will be 
inspected and/or tested for regulated pests at the expense of the importer.  Three months is an indicative minimum quarantine period and this period may be extended if material is slow 
growing, pests are detected, or treatments/testing are required.   
Rubus  
 
Pest List for Rubus    
 
REGULATED PESTS (actionable)  Viruses  
  Raspberry ringspot virus  
Tomato black ring virus  
Tomato ringspot virus [strains not in  New Zealand] 
  
 *For organisms intercepted that are not listed within this pest  list refer to the Biosecurity 
Organisms Register for Imported Commodities to determine the regulatory status.
 
 
 
   
Rubus  
  
Inspection, Testing and Treatment Requirements for Rubus  
 
ORGANISM TYPES NZ MAF ACCEPTABLE METHODS 
(See notes below) 
Raspberry ringspot virus  Herbaceous indexing (Cq, Cs, Nc) AND  ELISA or PCR  
Tomato black ring virus  Herbaceous indexing (Cq, Cs, Nc)  AND  ELISA or PCR  
Tomato ringspot virus         
[strains not in New Zealand]  Herbaceous indexing (Cq, Cs, Nc)  AND  ELISA or PCR  
 
Notes: 
1. Tests are to be carried out on plants ge rminated from the imported seeds.  
2. Unit for testing  is an individual seedling unless ev idence is supplied by the exporting 
National Plant Protection Organisation (NPPO) in the exporting counry that seeds in the 
same line have been derived from the same mother plant. Bulking of up to 5 seedlings 
derived from the same mother plant, for ELISA  or PCR testing, is acceptable. Samples shall 
be tested individually by herbaceous indexing. 
3. The quarantine period  will begin once the plants have entred a period of active growth and 
have two fully expanded leaves. 
4. Virus testing is to be conducted on new spring growth. For each Rubus  plant, at least two 
young fully-expanded leaves must be sampled from different branches of the main stem, one 
a younger leaf and one an older leaf. 
5. Herbaceous indicator plants : Chenopodium quinoa, Cucumis sativus, Nicotiana 
clevelandii . Two plants of each herbaceous indicato r species must be used in each test. 
Herbaceous indicator plants must be grown at 18-25ºC before and after inoculation and must 
be shaded for 24 hrs prior to inoculation. Post -inoculated indicator species must be held 
under appropriate glasshouse conditions for at le ast 4 weeks. Inoculated indicator plants 
must be inspected at least twice per week for symptoms of virus infection. A single plant of each indicator species must be  inoculated with buffer solution as a negative 
control. It is recommended that a single plant of each indicator species is inoculated with a 
positive control; the positive control is to be a non-regulated virus of  Rubus. 
6. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) tests . All ELISA tests must be validated 
using positive and negative controls prior to use in quarantine testing. Positive and negative 
controls must be us ed in all tests. 
7. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests . All PCR tests must be validated using positive and 
negative controls prior to use in quarantine te sting. Positive and no template controls must 
be used in all tests. Ideally positive internal control primers and a negative plant control should also be used in PCR tests. 
8. Inspection of the Rubus plants by the Operator of the PEQ facility for signs of pest and 
disease must be at least twice per week dur ing periods of active growth. A record of 
inspections carried out by the Operator is to be kept and made available to the MAF 
Biosecurity New Zeala nd Inspector on request. 
9. Other internationally recognised testing methods may be accepted by MAF with prior 
notification.