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 November 2022, a single specimen of Leptoglossus occidentalis (Heteroptera: Coreidae – Western conifer seed bug) was found for the first time in Uzbekistan, in Tashkent (van der Heyden, 2023).
Xylosandrus compactus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae – formerly EPPO Alert List) is reported for the first time from Israel. It was first found in 2020, and currently occurs in large areas of Galilee, as well as in the Misgav district. X. compactus has been observed damaging trees including local oak species, Arbutus unedo, Ceratonia siliqua, and Cercis siliquastrum. It is expected that it will continue to rapidly spread southward (Birnbaum, 2023; Mendel, 2023).
- Detailed records
In Australia the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne enterolobii (EPPO A2 List) was first reported in October 2022 in the Northern Territory and in December 2022 in one location in North Queensland (EPPO RS 2022/241, RS 2023/001). Following delimiting surveys, it was detected further in six properties in the Northern Territory, and one location in Hervey Bay in Southern Queensland. Due to the pest’s biology and geographical distribution, it was determined that M. enterolobii is not eradicable from Australia (IPPC, 2023).
The pest status of Meloidogyne enterolobii in Australia is officially declared as: Present: not widely distributed and under official control.
In Thailand, the nematode Meloidogyne graminicola (EPPO Alert List) has been reported causing damage on shallot (Allium cepa var. aggregatum) in Chiang Rai province since November 2021 (Beesa et al., 2023).
In the USA, the presence of tar spot of maize caused by Phyllachora maydis (EPPO Alert List) is confirmed in the Great Plains (Kansas, Nebraska, and South Dakota). It was first reported in South Dakota in autumn 2022. The disease incidence varies over the years, but was generally about 2% (Debacker Moura et al., 2023).
In Mexico, Ralstonia pseudosolanacearum (EPPO A2 List) was reported for the first time in February 2022, on tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) (EPPO RS 2023/055). It was also found on aubergine (Solanum melongena) in a commercial greenhouse located in the same city (Culiacan) in Sinaloa, in May 2022 (Valdez-Morales et al., 2023).
In the USA, Tomato chlorotic dwarf viroid (Pospiviroid, TCDVd) was detected in 2018 in Idaho on tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) grafted on Solanum sisymbriifolium. S. sisymbriifolium is listed on the EPPO Alert List as potentially invasive for the EPPO region and is also used as a trap crop for potato cyst nematodes (Dahan et al., 2023).
- Host plants
Natural infection of chrysanthemum stem necrosis virus (Orthotospovirus, CSNV – EPPO A1 list) has been detected in symptomatic fruit of Capsicum annuum cv. Pampa and Fulgor which had been harvested in 2019 from greenhouse plants in the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil (Carmo et al., 2023).
Ralstonia solanacearum (EPPO A2 List) is reported for the first time from Ipomoea hildebrandtii, a native invasive weed in East Africa (Cellier et al., 2023).
- Epidemiology
In a recent review on sweet potato mild mottle virus (Ipomovirus, SPMMV, EU A1 quarantine pest), Tugume et al. (2023) note that although SPMMV was originally reported as being transmitted by Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae, EPPO A2 List), studies carried out afterward have failed to confirm whitefly transmissibility of SPMMV. They consider that SPMMV may be transmitted by aphids.
Sources
Beesa N, Suwanngam A, Puttawong K, Phanbut P, Jindapunnapat K, Sasnarukkit A, Chinnasri B (2023) First report of the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne graminicola on shallot (Allium cepa var. aggregatum) in Thailand. New Disease Reports 47(1), e12158. https://doi.org/10.1002/ndr2.12158
Birnbaum N (2023) Spread of the black twig borer and a surveillance approach. Abstract of a paper presented at the conference on the ’Black twig borer and other ambrosia and bark beetles in Israel’ (Agamon Hula, IL, 2023-03-20). Phytoparasitica (early view). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12600-023-01089-4
Carmo EY, Ferro CG, Favara GM, Kraide HD, de Oliveira FF, Kitajima EW, de Diana Teixeira L, Rezende JA (2023) Biological and molecular characterization of chrysanthemum stem necrosis orthotospovirus infecting sweet pepper in Brazil. Journal of Phytopathology 171(4-5), 217-221.
Cellier G, Omagwa J, Shem E, Mburu H, Aduwa M, Sekanjako I, Awuor EO, Ireri D, Cortada L (2023) First report of Ralstonia solanacearum on Ipomoea hildebrandtii in Kenya. New Disease Reports 47(1), e12163. https://doi.org/10.1002/ndr2.12163
Dahan J, Pedroni MJ, Thompson B, Chikh-Ali M, Dandurand LM, Kuhl J, Karasev AV (2023) First report of tomato chlorotic dwarf viroid infecting litchi tomato (Solanum sisymbriifolium). Plant Disease (early view) https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-03-23-0422-PDN
Debacker Moura R, Broderick K, Shires M, Andersen Onofre K, De Wolf E, Jackson-Ziems TA, Borba Onofre R (2023) First report of tar spot on corn caused by Phyllachora maydis in the Great Plains. Plant Disease (early view) https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-01-23-0183-PDN
IPPC website. Official Pest Reports. Australia (AUS-111/1 of 2023-05-04) Meloidogyne enterolobii (Guava root knot nematode) in the NT and QLD. https://www.ippc.int/en/countries/australia/pestreports/2023/05/meloidogyne-enterolobii-guava-root-knot-nematode-in-the-nt-and-qld/
Mendel Z (2023) The management challenge of native and invasive bark and woodborers in Israel. Abstract of a paper presented at the conference on the ’Black twig borer and other ambrosia and bark beetles in Israel’ (Agamon Hula, IL, 2023-03-20). Phytoparasitica (early view). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12600-023-01089-4
Tugume A, Mbanzibwa DR, Alicai T, Omongo C, Gowda MM (2023) Endemism and reemergence potential of the Ipomovirus sweet potato mild mottle virus (family Potyviridae) in Eastern Africa: half a century of mystery. Phytobiomes Journal 7(1), 5-28. https://doi.org/10.1094/PBIOMES-05-22-0031-RVW
Valdez-Morales MT, Miranda-Campaña OA, Cruz-Lachica I, Garcia-Estrada RS, Carrillo-Fasio JA, Marquez I, Tovar-Pedraza JM (2023) First report of bacterial wilt of eggplant (Solanum melongena) caused by Ralstonia pseudosolanacearum in Mexico. Plant Disease (early view). https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-12-22-2940-PDN
van der Heyden T (2023) First records of Leptoglossus occidentalis Heidemann, 1910 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Coreidae) and Zelus renardii Kolenati, 1857 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Reduviidae) in Uzbekistan. Journal of the Heteroptera of Turkey 5(1), 7–9.