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
Stephanitis pyrioides (Heteroptera: Tingidae – formerly EPPO Alert List), the azalea lace bug was first recorded in Spain in Galicia and in Catalunya in potted plants of Rhododendron indicum and R. japonicum respectively in September and November 2022 (Riba-Flinch, 2023).
Xylosandrus compactus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae - formerly EPPO Alert List) is reported for the first time from Croatia. It was identified in 2023 on the island of Lokrum on several host plants, including laurel (Laurus nobilis), holm oak (Quercus ilex), laurustinus (Viburnum tinus), olive (Olea sp.), myrtle (Myrtus communis), strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo), pittosporum (Pittosporum tobira), carob tree (Ceratonia siliqua), and mock privet (Phillyrea sp.) (Pernek et al., 2025).
Retithrips syriacus (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) is first reported in Algeria. The species was observed in Khenchela Province (north-eastern Algeria), on grapevine (Vitis vinifera) and Parthenocissus quinquefolia in private gardens (Hayet & Soua, 2024).
- Detailed records
In Japan Anoplophora glabripennis (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae – EPPO A2 List) has been first recorded in 2020 in Hyogo Prefecture (Honshu island) (EPPO RS 2022/181), and later in Aichi, Toyama, Saitama, Ibaraki, Fukushima, and Miyagi prefectures (RS 2022/204). Since then, it has further spread within Honshu island to the prefectures of Yamaguchi, Nagano, Hiroshima, Tochigi, Gifu, and Chiba. It is recorded causing damage to street trees such as Cercidiphyllum japonicum, Ulmus parvifolia, Aesculus turbinata, and Salix spp.
In Australia, Euwallacea perbrevis, one of the species of Euwallacea fornicatus sensu lato (Coleoptera: Scolytinae, EPPO A2 List) was first found in Sydney (New South Wales), in March 2022 in association with Fusarium obliquiseptatum on box elder (Acer negundo). The two species have also been reported from avocado (Persea americana) in Queensland (Callaghan et al., 2024). Present, not widely distributed and not under official control.
In India, Euwallacea perbrevis, one of the species of Euwallacea fornicatus sensu lato (Coleoptera: Scolytinae, EPPO A2 List) is causing wilting on cocoa trees (Theobroma cacao) in association with a Fusarium sp. in Karnakata (India) (Thube et al., 2024).
In China Pochazia shantungensis (Hemiptera: Ricaniidae - EPPO Alert List) occurs in Guangxi (Jiang et al., 2023).
In France Pochazia shantungensis (Hemiptera: Ricaniidae - EPPO Alert List) had so far only been found in southern France (EPPO RS 2025/007). It was found for the first time in north-eastern France in January 2025. Four larvae were detected in Grand-Est region (Haut-Rhin department) in a small greenhouse of a botanical garden on a rare tree species (Sophora toromiro) that had been grown from seed. All host plants in the greenhouse have been inspected but no further specimens were found. Surveys with traps are implemented (NPPO of France, 2025).
In the USA Ralstonia pseudosolanacearum (EPPO A2 list) is first reported causing bacterial wilt of ginger (Zingiber officinale) grown under tunnels in Minnesota in 2023-2024. The origin of the outbreak was linked to imported ginger rhizomes from Peru (Chiu et al., 2025).
In Spain, Thrips parvispinus (Thysanoptera: Thripidae – formerly EPPO Alert List) was first reported in 2017 in ornamental plants in greenhouses (EPPO RS 2019/204). Since then, the pest has spread and is now reported to be causing damage to a number of vegetables, such as capsicum in greenhouses, in the regions of Andalucia, Comunidad Valenciana and Murcia (Cantó et al., 2024).
- Eradications
In Germany, cotton leaf curl Gezira virus (Begomovirus gossypigeziraense, CLCuGV - EU A1 Quarantine pest as ‘Begomovirus’) was first recorded in 2022 (EPPO RS 2022/246) on Lavatera plants for planting. Eradication measures were applied, and the outbreak is now considered eradicated (NPPO of Germany, 2025)
The pest status of cotton leaf curl Gezira virus in Germany is officially declared as: Absent, pest eradicated.
In Belgium, sweet potato chlorotic stunt virus (Crinivirus ipomeae, SPCSV) was first found in 2022 on sweet potatoes (Ipomoea batatas) (EPPO RS 2022/245). Phytosanitary measures were applied and the outbreak is considered eradicated (NPPO of Belgium, 2025). It may be noted that SPCSV is no longer a quarantine pest for the EU (RS 2024/166).
The pest status of sweet potato chlorotic stunt virus in Belgium is officially declared as: Absent, pest eradicated.
In Belgium, tomato ringspot virus (Nepovirus lycopersici, ToRSV - EPPO A2 List) was first found in January 2024 on three plants for planting of Malus domestica (RS 2024/135). A survey was conducted and did not detect ToRSV in other host plants in the place of production. No nematode vectors were detected in the soil. The infected trees were incinerated. The outbreak is considered eradicated (NPPO of Belgium, 2025). It may be noted that ToRSV is now a Regulated Non-Quarantine Pest for the EU (RS 2024/166).
The pest status of tomato ringspot virus in Belgium is officially declared as: Absent, pest eradicated.
- New pests and taxonomy
In Uruguay, a survey identified root rot of nursery and young Eucalyptus smithii in southern and south-eastern Uruguay. Morphological and molecular investigations revealed this was caused by three fungal (Nectriaceae) species Calonectria pauciramosa, Dactylonectria novozelandica and a new fungal species Ilyonectria charruensis sp. nov. Inoculation tests fulfilling Koch’s postulates confirmed that I. charruensis is pathogenic to E. smithii (Benedetti et al., 2024).
Staphylococcus warneri (Bacillales: Staphylococcaceae), a bacterial pathogen of humans and animals, is emerging as a plant pest in Iran where it causes canker disease in Prunus sp. Inoculation tests fulfilling Koch’s postulates confirmed that S. warneri is pathogenic to almond (P. dulcis), apricot (P. armeniaca), peach (P. persica) and nectarine (P. persica var. nucipersica) and sour cherry (P. cerasus) (Asadi et al., 2024; Dehghan-Niri & Rahimian, 2016).
Four Xiphinema nematode species, X. diffusum, X. simile, X. vuittenezi and X. zagrosense, were reported to cause damage for the first time on bananas (Musa spp.) in Syria during an official survey between 2021 and 2022 (Ali et al., 2024).
Sources
Ali N, Vicente CS, Mota M, Gutiérrez-Gutiérrez C (2024) First report of four dagger nematode species of the genus Xiphinema (Nematoda: Longidoridae) from banana in Syria using an integrative approach. European Journal of Plant Pathology 169(4), 727-753.
Asadi E, Rahimian H, Babaeizad V, Basavand E (2024) Staphylococcus warneri, an unconventional plant pathogen involved in canker disease of almond and other Prunus species. Plant Pathology73(7), 1719-1729.
Callaghan S, Carnegie AJ, Gillespie P, Mulholland S, Nagel M, Sargeant D, Daly A, Wildman O (2024) Response to the detection of Fusarium dieback associated with ambrosia beetles on Acer negundo in New South Wales. Australasian plant pathology 53(4), 345-352. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13313-024-00984-6
Cantó M, Lacasa CM, Guirao P, Lacasa A (2024) Thrips parvispinus en hortalizas: situación actual y perspectivas. Phytoma Espana 361, 16-28.
Chiu M, Lowe-Power T, Grabowski M, Khokhani D (2025) First report of bacterial wilt of ginger caused by Ralstonia pseudosolanacearum in the Continental United States. Plant Disease (early view) https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-11-24-2402-PDN
Dehghan-Niri M, Rahimian H (2016) A stem canker of stone fruit trees caused by Staphylococcus warneri. Iranian Journal of Plant Pathology 52, 143–146.
De Benedetti F, Carbone MJ, Mondino P, Alaniz S (2024) Nectriaceae species associated to root rot of nursery and young Eucalyptus smithii trees in Uruguay with Ilyonectria charruensis as novel species. Plant Disease (early view). https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-05-24-1052-SR
Hayet A, Souad TC (2024) First record of Retithrips syriacus (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) in Algeria: damage observed on two Vitaceae species in Khenchela province. EPPO Bulletin 54(2), 189-193.
Jiang X, Stroinski A, Qin DZ (2023) Geometric morphometric analysis of forewing in Pochazia and Ricania (Hemiptera: Ricaniidae). Acta Entomologica Sinica 66(3), 391-398.
NPPO of Belgium (2025-02).
NPPO of France (2025-02).
NPPO of Germany (2025-02).
Pernek M, Hrašovec B, Lacković N, Domjan O, Avtzis D (2025) First record of the ambrosia beetle Xylosandrus compactus (Coleoptera, Curculionidae) in Croatia. Forests 16(1), 157. https://doi.org/10.3390/f16010157
Riba-Flinch JM (2023) Primera detecció de Stephanitis pyrioides (Scott, 1874)(Heteroptera: Tingidae) en Rhododendron japonicum (A. Gray) Suringar a Catalunya i segona citació a la península Ibèrica. Butlletí de la Institució Catalana d'Història Natural 87(1), 55-61.
Thube SH, Pandian RT, Rajkumar M, Babu M, Josephrajkumar A, Santhoshkumar P, Kumar BN, Hegde V, Patil B, Rajashekara H, Prabhulinga T. (2024) Euwallacea perbrevis (Schedl, 1951) and associated novel fungal symbiont, Fusarium sp.: A potential cause of wilting in cocoa, Theobroma cacao in India. Crop Protection 184, 106754.
Yasui H, Fujiwara-Tsujii N, Kugimiya S, Shibuya K, Mishiro K, Uechi N (2024) Anoplophora glabripennis, an invasive longhorned beetle, has the potential to damage fruit trees in Japan. Scientific Reports 14(1), 12708. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-63548-0