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 8.
- New records
In Brazil, tomato fruit blotch virus (Blunervirus, ToFBV) was identified as the cause of severe chlorotic blotches in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) fruits grown in a greenhouse in an organic farm in Distrito Federal. No symptoms were observed on leaves (Nakasu et al., 2022).
Tetranychus evansi (Acari: Tetranychidae – EPPO A2 List) occurs in Burkina Faso where it is considered to be a serious threat to tomato production (Drabo et al., 2022).
- Detailed records
In Québec, Canada, Agrilus planipennis (Coleoptera: Buprestidae – EPPO A2 List) has been found outside the regulated area. In July 2022, its presence was confirmed on a private property in the Regional County Municipality (RCM) of Avignon, in the Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine region. Phytosanitary measures including surveys and restrictions on the movements of ash material (e.g. logs, branches, woodchips) and firewood are being taken to prevent any further spread (CFIA, 2022).
In the USA, Agrilus planipennis (Coleoptera: Buprestidae – EPPO A2 List) has been found for the first time in Oregon, in Washington County in July 2022. It is considered that the infestation has been there for at least 3-5 years. Infestations have now been detected in in 36 states and the District of Columbia. This is the first record on the west coast (USDA, 2022)
In Argentina, ‘Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus’ (associated with huanglongbing – EPPO A1 List) had previously only been detected in plant material. Badaracco et al. (2022) detected the pathogen in three specimens of the vector Diaphorina citri (Hemiptera: Liviidae, EPPO A1 List) in the North-East of Argentina (Corrientes).
In the USA, beech leaf disease (associated with Litylenchus crenatae mccannii – EPPO Alert List) is reported for the first time from Michigan. The disease was confirmed in July 2022 in a small, private wood in southern St. Clair county (Government of Michigan, 2022).
In the USA, Lycorma delicatula (Hemiptera: Fulgoridae – EPPO A1 List) is reported for the first time in North Carolina. In June 2022, the presence of an established population was confirmed in Kernesville (Forsyth county), covering an area of approximately 8 km radius. Surveys are ongoing (North Carolina State, 2022).
In Portugal, the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne luci (EPPO Alert List) was first found in 2013 near Coimbra (in the continental part of Portugal) in a potato field (EPPO RS 2017/217) and in 2019 in the Azores on Pico Island (EPPO RS 2020/171). As a result of the 2021 survey programme on Meloidogyne fallax and M. chitwoodi. (both EPPO A2 List) M. luci was found for the first time in another Azores island: Ilha Terceira. It was detected in a plot of ware potatoes (Solanum tuberosum) grown for personal consumption in the municipality of Agualva. Eradication measures are applied (NPPO of Portugal, 2022-06).
The pest status of Meloidogyne luci in Portugal is officially declared as: Present, under eradication, only in some parts of the Member State concerned, at low prevalence.
In Bulgaria, tomato brown rugose fruit virus (Tobamovirus, ToBRFV – EPPO A2 List) was first detected in June 2021 and eradicated in December 2021 (EPPO RS 2021/146). In June 2022, new outbreaks were confirmed in two tomato production sites in Smolyan oblast, and in one in Pazardzhik oblast. Eradication measures are applied.
The pest status of tomato brown rugose fruit virus in Bulgaria is officially declared as: Present, only in some parts of the Member State concerned, under eradication.
In Bangladesh, Xylosandrus crassiusculus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae - formerly EPPO Alert List) is reported for the first time. It was found during a faunistic survey on Coleoptera and its identity was confirmed by DNA barcoding (Mazumdar et al., 2021).
- Eradication
In Spain, several outbreaks of Xylella fastidiosa (EPPO A2 List) have occurred (EPPO RS 2022/112). The NPPO of Spain recently informed the Secretariat that the outbreak of Xylella fastidiosa subsp. multiplex in Villarejo de Salvanés has been eradicated. After the eradication measures were applied, the surveys carried out in 2018-2021 did not detect any infected plants or insect vectors (NPPO of Spain, 2022-06).
The pest status of Xylella fastidiosa subsp. multiplex in mainland Spain is officially declared as: Transient, actionable, under eradication.
Sources
Badaracco A, Redes FJ, Bustamente KM, Bloch N, Schapovaloff ME, Agostini JP (2022) First detection of positive ‘Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus’ Diaphorina citri in Argentina. Australasian Plant Pathology 51(1), 9-12.
Drabo E, Waongo A, Traoré F, Dabiré-Binso LC, Sanon A (2022) Effectiveness of combining bioacaricides with sprinkler irrigation to control the red spider mite, Tetranychus evansi Baker and Pritchard (Acari: Tetranychidae), in irrigated tomato crops in Burkina Faso, West Africa. Journal of Entomological and Acarological Research 54, 10055. https://doi.org/10.4081/jear.2022.10055
INTERNET
CFIA (2022-07-11) Emerald ash borer confirmed in the Gaspésie. https://www.canada.ca/en/food-inspection-agency/news/2022/07/emerald-ash-borer-confirmed-in-the-gaspesie.html
Government of Michigan. Michigan.gov (accessed 2022-07-06
- Invasive species: beech leaf disease. https://www.michigan.gov/invasives/id-report/disease/beech-leaf-disease
- Invasive beech leaf disease found in Michigan (2022-07-05). https://www.michigan.gov/invasives/news/2022/07/05/invasive-beech-leaf-disease-found-in-michigan
North Carolina State. Extension (2022-06-29) Spotted lanternfly confirmed in North Carolina. https://forestry.ces.ncsu.edu/2022/06/spotted-lanternfly-confirmed-in-north-carolina/
USDA (2022-07-15) USDA statement of confirmation of emerald ash borer in Oregon. https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/newsroom/stakeholder-info/stakeholder-messages/plant-health-news/eab-or
Mazumdar S, Hebert PDN, Bhuiya BA (2021) Survey of coleopterans in Bangladesh by DNA barcoding of malaise trap collection. Munis Entomology & Zoology 16(1), 275-282.
Nakasu EY, Nagata T, Inoue-Nagata AK (2022) First report of tomato fruit blotch virus infecting tomatoes in Brazil. Plant Disease. Early view https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-07-21-1392-PDN
NPPO of Bulgaria (2022-07).
NPPO of Spain (2022-06).
NPPO of Portugal (2022-06).