Befallmaterial

Befallmaterial is a German term used in plant health, forestry, and agricultural pest management to describe material that has become infested by pests or pathogens. It encompasses plant, wood, fruit, or nursery material that shows signs of infestation and could pose a risk of spreading pests to new areas. The term distinguishes infested material from healthy material and from material merely at risk of infestation.

Etymologically, Befallmaterial combines Befall (infestation or attack) with Material, and it appears in German-language phytosanitary and forestry literature as a descriptive category rather than a scientific taxon. It is commonly used in inspections, reporting, and risk assessments to indicate material requiring regulatory action.

In practice, Befallmaterial is identified during routine checks by plant health authorities, inspectors, or auditors. Examples include timber with bark beetle activity, fruit or grain showing signs of fungal infection, or nursery stock with symptomatic plants. The designation informs whether the material should be quarantined, treated, or destroyed to prevent further spread of pests or diseases.

Handling of Befallmaterial focuses on containment and proper disposal or decontamination, often under specific regulatory guidelines. Depending on the jurisdiction, documentation, transport restrictions, and phytosanitary certificates may accompany infested material. Related concepts include phytosanitary measures, quarantine, pest management, and forest pathology.