New data on quarantine pests and pests of the EPPO Alert List
By searching through the literature, the EPPO Secretariat has extracted the following new data concerning quarantine pests and pests included (or formerly included) on the EPPO Alert List, and indicated in bold the situation of the pest concerned using the terms of ISPM no. 8.
- New records
Ceratothripoides brunneus (Thysanoptera: Thripidae – EPPO A1 List) is reported for the first time from Colombia and from South America. Surveys were conducted between 2013 and 2016, in different region of Colombia to determine the presence of thrips in various crops. C. brunneus was found in Andean, Caribbean and Orinoquia regions in avocado and coffee crops (Ebratt-Ravelo et al., 2019). Present, widespread.
Leptoglossus occidentalis (Hemiptera: Coreidae) is reported for the first time in Estonia and Belarus. In Estonia, an adult specimen was photographed in September 2020 on the island of Saaremma. In Belarus, an adult specimen was photographed near the town of Biazora (van der Heyden, 2021). Present, few records.
Liriomyza huidobrensis (Diptera: Agromyzidae – EPPO A2 List) is reported for the first time from Australia. In October 2020, the pest was found in a market garden in the peri-urban area of Western Sydney, New South Wales (New South Wales Government, 2020). In December 2020, L. huidobrensis was also reported in commercial celery and green bean crops (Apium graveolens, Phaseolus vulgaris) in the Fassifern Valley in Queensland (Queensland Government, 2020). In both Australian states, eradication was no longer considered possible. Present, only in some areas.
Pantoea stewartii subsp. stewartii (EPPO A2 List) is first reported as causing leaf blade bleaching and blight and necrotic lesions on sugarcane (Saccharum sp.) in the Guangdong province of China (Cui et al., 2020). Present.
Thekopsora minima (EPPO A2 List) is first reported from Peru causing blueberry leaf rust on Vaccinium corymbosum. The disease was first observed in 2018 in 9 commercial fields in La Libertad in the north of Peru (Huarhua et al., 2020). Present.
- Detailed records
In Brazil, the foliar nematode Aphelenchoides besseyi (EPPO A2 List) was isolated from symptomatic leaf samples of Guinea yam (Dioscorea cayenensis). Symptoms had been observed during a field inspection of yam commercial fields from 2017 to 2019 in the states of Alagoas and Sergipe: yam plants showed angular dark brown lesions on leaves, associated with severe defoliation (Noronha et al., 2020).
In India, potato cyst nematodes Globodera rostochiensis and G. pallida (both EPPO A2 List) are first reported from Northern India on potato (Solanum tuberosum). Surveys conducted in 2011-2016 detected the nematodes in several districts of Jammu & Kashmir, Uttarakhand, and Himachal Pradesh. Potato cyst nematodes were prevalent only in locations at elevations more than 1950 m above sea level. Official measures are implemented for seed potatoes in these states to prevent further spread of the nematodes (Chandel et al., 2020).
- Absence
The NPPO of Switzerland recently informed the EPPO Secretariat that Trogoderma granarium (Coleoptera: Dermestidae – EPPO A2 List) is absent from its territory. This absence is also confirmed by a recent faunistic survey (Chittaro & Sanchez, 2019). T. granarium has occasionally been recorded, but always in association with imports of grain which have not led to its establishment (NPPO of Switzerland, 2020).
- Eradication
The NPPO of Ireland recently informed the EPPO Secretariat that Thaumetopoea processionea (Lepidoptera: Notodontidae – EU Annexes) is absent from its territory. In June 2020, T. processionea was found on an oak tree (Quercus sp.) in a public park in Dublin (EPPO RS 2020/184). Tracing investigations showed that this tree had been imported from Belgium in spring 2020 by an Irish nursery. All trees which were part of the batch imported from Belgium were destroyed. An intensive survey, including traps and visual inspections, was carried out in the Dublin Park and surrounding areas and no other findings of the pest were made. Based on the destruction of trees and survey activities, the NPPO of Ireland considers that T. processionea has been eradicated (NPPO of Ireland, 2021). Absent: pest eradicated.
- Phytosanitary regulations
In December 2020, USDA-APHIS officially declared that it was changing its approach against Agrilus planipennis (Coleoptera: Buprestidae – EPPO A2 List). Considering that the pest is now widespread in the USA, the domestic quarantine measures have been lifted. USDA-APHIS will focus its efforts on the development of non-regulatory options for the management and containment of the pest. These options may include rearing and releasing biological control agents, and managing firewood movements in association with stakeholders (NAPPO, 2020).
Sources
Chandel YS, Singh Bhadu S, Salalia R, Thakur S, Kumar S, Singh Somvanshi V, Mukherjee A, Walia RK (2020) Prevalence and spread of potato cyst nematodes, Globodera spp. in northern hilly areas of India. Current Science 118 (12) 1946-1952.
Chittaro Y, Sanchez A (2019) Liste commentée des Bostrichoidea et Derodontoidea de Suisse (Coleoptera: Bostrichiformia, Derodontiformia). Alpine Entomology 3, 175-205. https://doi.org/10.3897/alpento.3.38582
Cui D, Huang MT, Hu CY, Su JB, Lin LH, Javed T, Deng ZH, Gao SJ (2020) First report of Pantoea stewartii subsp. stewartii causing bacterial leaf wilt of sugarcane in China. Plant Disease. https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-09-20-2015-PDN
Ebratt-Ravelo EE, Castro-Avila AP, Vaca-Uribe JL, Corredor-Pardo D, Hance T, Goldarazena A (2019) Composition and structure of Thripidae populations in crops of three geographical regions in Colombia. Journal of Insect Science 19(1), 27. https://doi.org/10.1093/jisesa/iez009
Government of New South Wales. Department of Primary Industries (2020-11) Serpentine leafminer. https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/biosecurity/plant/insect-pests-and-plant-diseases/exotic-leaf-miners
Government of Queensland. The Beatsheet. Pest management for Australia’s Northern Grains region (2020-12) Serpentine leafminer – another exotic leaf-mining fly now in Australia. https://thebeatsheet.com.au/serpentine-leafminer-another-exotic-leaf-mining-fly-now-in-australia/
Huarhua M, Acuña R, Aragón L, Soto J, Landeo S, Martínez de la Parte E, Apaza W (2020) First report of blueberry leaf rust caused by Thekopsora minima on Vaccinium corymbosum in Peru. Plant Disease 104(11), 3077. https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-03-20-0585-PDN
Noronha MA, Assunção MC, Costa MGS, Muniz MFS, Favoreto L, Sercero BC, Machado ACZ (2020) First report of Aphelenchoides besseyi causing leaf spot on yam (Dioscorea cayenensis) in Brazil. Plant Disease 104(11), 3083. https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-03-20-0511-PDN
NAPPO Pest Alert System. Official Pest Reports. USA (2020-12-14). APHIS changes approach to fight Emerald Ash Borer (EAB). https://www.pestalerts.org/official-pest-report/aphis-changes-approach-fight-emerald-ash-borer-eab
NPPO of Ireland (2021-01).
NPPO of Switzerland (2020-11).
van der Heyden T (2021) First records of Leptoglossus occidentalis Heidemann, 1910 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Coreidae) in Estonia and Belarus. Heteroptera Poloniae – Acta Faunistica 15, 5–6.