Update on the situation of Aleurocanthus spiniferus in Italy
In Italy, Aleurocanthus spiniferus (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae – EPPO A2 List) was first found in Puglia in 2008 (EPPO RS 2008/092). It was later found in Campania and Lazio regions in 2017 (RS 2017/157), in Basilicata and Emilia-Romagna regions in 2018 (RS 2019/133), in Toscana in 2020, and in Sicilia in January 2021 (RS 2021/060). Official measures are taken to eradicate or contain the pest.
Since the last update, A. spiniferus was first found in three new regions:
- in Liguria: in April 2021, A. spiniferus was first found in a urban park in Arenzano - Genova Metropolitan Area on Citrus sp. and Hedera sp.
- in Calabria: in December 2021 on ornamental Citrus sinensis in the province of Reggio Calabria.
- in Lombardia: in April 2022 in a private garden in Carpenedolo on Citrus limon and Citrus aurantium.
In 2021-2022, further outbreaks have been recorded in Sicila (3), Toscana (1), Emilia-Romagna and Campania.
- In Emilia-Romagna, the pest was found on new hosts (Crataegus sp., Photinia sp., Cotoneaster sp., Cercis siliquastrum, Parthenocissus sp.).
- In Campania, as of December 2021 a total of 97 sites in 29 municipalities in the coastal provinces of Caserta, Naples and Salerno are infested. The infested species are Ceratonia siliqua, Citrus aurantium, C. deliciosa, C. limon, C. medica, C. reticulata, C. sinensis, Citrus sp., Cydonia oblonga, Hedera helix, Prunus cerasus, Rosa gallica, R. gigantea, Rosa sp., Rosa x damascena, Vitis vinifera.
In Emilia-Romagna and Campania, eradication is no longer considered feasible in urban areas as no chemical treatments can be applied. Measures taken on ornamental plants are pruning and destruction of the infested plant parts, while in the agricultural crops or nurseries, measures are up-rooting and destruction of severely infested plants and insecticide treatments in the less severe infestations.
The pest status of Aleurocanthus spiniferus in Italy is officially declared as: Present, only in some parts of the Member State concerned, under containment, in case eradication is impossible.
Sources
NPPO of Italy (2021-06, 2022-01,2022-04).