New findings of Thrips palmi in the EU (The Netherlands)
The EPPO Secretariat has recently been informed by the Dutch Plant Protection Service that Thrips palmi (EPPO A1 quarantine pest) has again been found in two firms in the Netherlands. The first focus was discovered on a lot of Ficus plants imported from Guatemala. An extensive survey was then carried out in glasshouses importing plants from Guatemala, and a second infestation was found in a firm which has also imported Ficus from the same company in Guatemala. No further infestation of T. palmi has been found. Therefore, the Dutch Plant Protection Service assumes that these findings are the only two foci in the country and that they result directly from recent imports from Guatemala. This assumption is also supported by the intensive surveys which have been carried out since the previous infestation of T. palmi (EPPO RS no. 93/017) which was successfully eradicated (EPPO RS no. 93/079).
The Dutch Plant Protection Service has set up an eradication programme. The two infested sites are now placed under official control an no material is allowed to move from them. Chemical treatments (combination of imidacloprid with other insecticides) are being applied. In addition, the Plant Protection Service is now considering taking additional measures for imports of Ficus from Guatemala, as T. palmi represents a major risk for the crops of the EPPO region. It may be noted that Guatemala has declared that T. palmi does not occur (EPPO RS no. 94/015). With all these measures, the Dutch Plant Protection Service is convinced that it will be possible to eradicate T. palmi from the Netherlands.
Sources
Dutch Plant Protection Service, (1994-05)