First report of Hemitarsonemus tepidariorum in the Netherlands
The NPPO of the Netherlands recently informed the EPPO Secretariat of the first report of Hemitarsonemus tepidariorum (Acarida: Tarsonemidae) on its territory. In November 2015, the pest was found in plants for planting of Platycerium alcicorne (ferns). These plants were grown in a greenhouse located in the municipality of Uithoorn. In this greenhouse, several trays with young fern plants were heavily affected, showing leaf distortion and plant stunting. In December 2015, a sample (2 infested plants) was sent to the National Reference Centre for diagnosis. Several mites, including all stages of development for both sexes, could be isolated and identified. The origin of this introduction is unknown. According to the literature, H. tepidariorum has been recorded in the past in greenhouses in the United Kingdom and USA, and more recently in Costa Rica. H. tepidariorum was described in 1904 in England on diseased ferns, it was then recorded in 1925 in Kent on Asplenium bulbiferum. In the USA, H. tepidariorum was observed in Minnesota on Polystichum sp. in 1929, and in California (San Francisco Bay) on Pteris cretica, P. argyraea, and P. ensiformis in the 1950s. In a paper published in 2008, it is also reported that H. tepidariorum has been found in Costa Rica since the 1990s on Rumohra adiantiformis. However, the current situation of the pest in these countries is unclear as no recent records could be found.
The pest status of Hemitarsonemus tepidariorum in the Netherlands is officially declared as: Transient – non actionable in view of earlier records in the UK and uncertainty on the origin of the finding. Specific surveillance will be completed in 2017.
Sources
NPPO of the Netherlands (2016-03).
INTERNET
Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority.
Quickscans: https://www.nvwa.nl/onderwerpen/planten-plantaardige-producten/dossier/risico-analyses-plantenziekten-en-plagen/quickscans
Aguilar H, Murillo P (2008) [New hosts and records of plant feeding mites for Costa Rica: interval 2002-2008]. Agronomía Costarricense 32(2), 7-28 (in Spanish) [Link].
Cameron WPL (1925) The fern mite (Tarsonemus tepidariorum, Warburton). Annals of Applied Biology 12(1), 93-112.
Ewing HE (1939) A revision of the mites of the subfamily Tarsoneminae of North America, the West Indies and the Hawaiian Islands. USDA Technical Bulletin no. 653, 64 pp [Link]
Pritchard AE (1951) The fern mite: a newly recognized pest on California ferns readily controlled by treatment with proper chemicals. California Agriculture July, p 10 [Link]