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
Frankliniella occidentalis (Thysanoptera: Thripidae, EPPO A2 List) occurs in Burkina Faso (Nacanabo et al., 2023).
In February 2023, Hishimonus phycitis (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae – EU Annex IIA) a vector of phytoplasma diseases was found in two tropical exhibition greenhouses, at one location in the Eastern part of the Netherlands. The insect was found on imported tropical plants (Cecropia, Codiaeum, Hibiscus, Lantana, Theobroma cacao), but no symptoms were observed. Eradication measures were taken (NPPO of the Netherlands, 2023-07).
The pest status of Hishimonus phycitis in the Netherlands is officially declared as: Present, under eradication.
Ophraella communa (Coleoptera: Galerucinae) which feeds on leaves and flowers of Ambrosia artemisiifolia (EPPO List of IAP) is reported for the first time from France. At the end of summer 2023, the insect was observed near Lyon. It is hoped that the beetle will help limit A. artemisiifolia populations, and thus reduce pollen allergies (Observatoire des Ambroisies, 2023).
Tomato fruit blotch virus (Blunervirus solani, ToFBV) is first reported from Greece. It was detected in symptomatic tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) in three sites: in West Attica as well as in the islands of Evia and Kriti (Beris et al., 2023).
Tomato mild mottle virus (Ipomovirus, TMMoV – EU Annex II A) occurs in India. Eggplant mild leaf mottle virus which is considered to be a strain of TMMoV was detected in leaf samples of aubergine (Solanum melongena) from Uttar Pradesh (Mishra et al., 2023).
Tomato zonate spot virus (Tospovirus, TZSV) is first reported from Japan. It was identified in 2021 on green pepper (Capsicum annuum) in Kanagawa Prefecture. This is the first report of this recently described virus outside of China (EPPO RS 2013/130) (Shimada et al., 2023).
- Detailed records
Beech leaf disease caused by the nematode Litylenchus crenatae mccannii (EPPO Alert List) was first detected in Maryland in September 2023. The disease is now present in eight counties in the State (University of Maryland Extension, 2023).
Lycorma delicatula (Hemiptera: Fulgoridae – EPPO A1 List) is still spreading westward in the USA with first findings in September 2023 in Illinois and Tennessee and in October in Kentucky (Illinois Department of Agriculture, 2023; Tennessee Department of Agriculture, 2023; Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, 2023).
In Canada ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma pruni’ (EPPO A1 List) is reported for the first time in cherry trees (Prunus avium) (Urbez-Torres et al., 2023).
In Italy, tomato brown rugose fruit virus (Tobamovirus, ToBRFV – EPPO A2 List) was detected for the first time from Sardegna in October 2023 on tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) grown under greenhouses for fruit production. Official measures are applied (NPPO of Italy, 2023).
- Eradication
In Germany Ditylenchus destructor (EU RNQP) was found in 2018 on tubers of Dahlia sp. The nematode was found in a nursery in Brandenburg. Official phytosanitary measures were taken, including prohibition of soil movement to cultivated land. The NPPO of Germany subsequently conducted a survey in the outdoor area of the nursery and the pest was not detected again.
The pest status of Ditylenchus destructor in Germany is officially declared as: Absent: pest eradicated.
In the Netherlands, sweet potato chlorotic stunt virus (Crinivirus, SPCSV - EU Annex II A) was first reported from 3 sites in 2022 (EPPO RS 2022/244). Official phytosanitary measures have been taken and the outbreaks are now considered eradicated (NPPO of the Netherlands, 2023).
The pest status of sweet potato chlorotic stunt virus in the Netherlands is officially declared as: Absent, pest eradicated.
Sources
Beris D, Galeou A, Kektsidou O, Varveri C (2023) First report of Tomato fruit blotch fruit virus infecting tomato in Greece. New Disease Reports 48, e12219. https://doi.org/10.1002/ndr2.12219
Illinois Department of Agriculture (2023-09-26) Spotted lanternfly identified in Illinois. https://agr.illinois.gov/news/press-release.27063.html
Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment (2023-10-25) Critical invasive species now spotted in Kentucky. https://news.ca.uky.edu/article/critical-invasive-species-now-spotted-kentucky
Mishra R, Verma RK, Mall S, Gaur RK (2023) Complete genome sequence of eggplant mild leaf mottle virus (EMLMV) infecting eggplant in India. Indian Phytopathology (abst.). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42360-023-00672-3
Nacanabo M, Zida I, Sawadogo WM, Ouattara M, Dabiré R, Bakouan BB, Nacro S (2023) Diversity, host plant range and distribution of Thrips spp. (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) in three vegetable production basins in Burkina Faso. Advances in Entomology 11(3), 143-155. https://doi.org/10.4236/ae.2023.113011
NPPO of Germany (2023-08).
NPPO of Italy (2023-10).
NPPO of the Netherlands (2023-07, 2023-10).
Observatoire des Ambroisies. Ophraella communa est arrivée en France ! (2023-10-03). https://ambroisie-risque.info/ophraella-communa-est-arrivee-en-france/
Shimada R, Okamoto M, Tomitaka Y (2023) First report of tomato zonate spot virus on green pepper in Japan. Journal of General Plant Pathology 89, 292–295.
Tennessee Department of Agriculture (2023-09-28) Spotted lanternfly detected in middle Tennessee. https://www.tn.gov/agriculture/news/2023/9/28/spotted-lanternfly-detected-in-middle-tennessee.html
University of Maryland Extension (2023) Beech leaf disease. https://extension.umd.edu/resource/beech-leaf-disease
Urbez-Torres JR, Sabaratnam S, Acheampong S, Balcaen D, Boule J, Ghoshal B, Bennypaul H, Thurston M, Richardson T, Molnar C, Harper S (2023) First report of ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma pruni’ associated with X-disease on sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) in Canada. Plant Disease (early view) https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-09-23-1875-PDN