Radopholus similis and Aphelenchoides besseyi intercepted in Italy
During routine surveys carried out in Italy, the following two nematodes species were found. Radopholus similis (EPPO A2 quarantine pest) was observed on roots of a rather large number of plants of Maranta makoyana imported from Netherlands and grown in a glasshouse of Piancastagnaio (Siena). Four specimens of Aphelenchoides besseyi (EPPO A2 quarantine pest) were observed in rice seeds from a farm located in the Province of Bologna (Molinella). R. similis had previously been reported in Italy in 1978 in Toscana, also on plants of Maranta makoyana imported from the Netherlands. The report of A. besseyi is a confirmation of an earlier observation, made in 1954, of typical symptoms on rice in the Province of Vercelli (but the nematode itself could not be observed at that time). A. besseyi had also been reported in 1973 on ornamentals, in the south of Italy. The author stressed the need of these phytosanitary checks which are absolutely necessary to try to exclude certain dangerous species from the Italian territory, and he also presented possible control methods against the two nematode species.
Sources
Tacconi, R. (1996) [Detection of Radopholus similis on roots of Maranta makoyana and Aphelenchoides besseyi in kernels of Oryza sativa at the phytopathological control]
Informatore Fitopatologico, no. 2, 40-42.