First report of Icerya seychellarum in Italy
The NPPO of Italy informed the EPPO Secretariat of the finding of Icerya seychellarum (Hemiptera: Margarodidae) on its territory. This polyphagous scale insect is widespread in tropical areas and also occurs in France, Spain and Madeira (Portugal). An infestation of avocado plants (Persea americana) grown in greenhouses was reported to the Phytosanitary Service by a researcher in the municipality of Bisignano (Calabria). Plants were destroyed and further surveys in the surroundings on other host plants did not detect the pest.
The pest status of Icerya seychellarum in Italy is officially declared as: Absent, pest eradicated.
It may be noted that an express Pest Risk Analysis was conducted in Germany after an interception of I. seychellarum in a consignment of mango fruit from Egypt in September 2019. It was concluded that this species could establish in southern EU Member States, but that economic impact would be limited, as has been observed in France and Spain.
Sources
NPPO of Italy (2019-09).
JKI (2019) Express PRA for Icerya seychellarum. Available at https://pflanzengesundheit.julius-kuehn.de/dokumente/upload/Icerya-seychellarum_express-pra.pdf