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
Eutetranychus africanus (Acari: Tetranychidae) is first recorded from New Caledonia, FR. This mite was found in January 2025 on a symptomatic fig tree (Ficus carica) in a field in Païta. Surveys are being conducted to confirm the presence of this pest and to assess its distribution across the territory. No other specimens have been found to date (IPPC, 2025).
The rice root nematode Hirschmanniella oryzae (regulated by the EU as Hirschmanniella spp.) is first reported from Kenya. It was detected both in irrigated lowland and rain-fed upland rice crops (Oryza sativa) (Ndirangu et al., 2024).
Maconellicoccus hirsutus (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae – EPPO A2 List) is first reported from Ecuador. The mealybug was detected in urban trees in Guayaquil (province of Guayas) in 2022 and in Portoviejo (province of Manabí) in 2023 (Arias de López et al., 2025).
Pseudacysta perseae (Hemiptera: Tingidae, formerly EPPO Alert List) is first reported from Africa, in Gabon. The avocado lace bug was recorded in 2022 on avocado trees (Persea americana) in home gardens in Franceville town (Poligui et al., 2023).
Singhiella simplex (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae – formerly EPPO Alert List) is first reported from Algeria. It was observed in May 2025 in the Mostaganem region, north-west Algeria on Ficus microcarpa trees present in public gardens and in green spaces (Labdaoui et al., 2025).
The string cottony scale Takahashia japonica (Hemiptera: Coccidae) occurs in Switzerland. It is recorded in several municipalities in canton Ticino (Comune di Novazzano, 2025)
- Detailed records
In Thailand Hirschmanniella oryzae (regulated by the EU as Hirschmanniella spp.) has been detected in aquatic plants grown for export in Chachoengsao (central region) and Nakhon Ratchasima (north-eastern region). The nematode was detected from Cryptocoryne costata, Echinodorus rose, E. amazonicus, Vallisneria spiralis, V. gigantea (Suwanngam et al., 2025).
In Spain Vespa velutina (Hymenoptera: Vespidae – EU IAS of concern) is reported to cause yield loss in vineyards (Vitis vinifera) in north-western Spain. Losses are caused by adults feeding on grapes and secondary fungal infections. Studies showed that trapping is not an effective management method (Lueje et al., 2025).
In the USA, Meloidogyne enterolobii (EPPO A2 List) is is a federally regulated quarantine pest, known to occur in several south-western states (Florida, Louisiana, Georgia, North and South Carolina). It is reported for the first time in the state of Texas. In May 2024, root galls were observed on a tomato plant (Solanum lycopersicum) bought from a national retailer. The tomato plant was planted in a private garden but later died and a second tomato variety was planted in the same place and then developed root galls. M. enterolobii caused galls on these two tomato varieties which were reported to be resistant to root knot nematodes. Molecular and morphological identification confirmed that the pest was M. enterolobii. As the plant was bought from a national retailer, Nunes Rodon et al. (2025) suggest that M. enterolobii could be present in other states too.
- New host plants
In China, Curtobacterium flaccumfaciens pv. flaccumfaciens (EPPO A2 List) is reported for the first time on tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) where it was found in an open field in Guizhou province in July 2024. Infected N. tabacum showed chlorotic spots on the stem, wilting of leaves and stems, vascular browning and in severe cases death, resulting in yield losses over 20%. Molecular testing confirmed the identity of the pathogen and Koch’s postulates were fulfilled. This is the first report of C. flaccumfaciens pv. flaccumfaciens in tobacco. The EPPO Secretariat previously did not have records of Curtobacterium flaccumfaciens pv. flaccumfaciens in China.
In China, squash leaf curl China virus (Begomovirus cucurbitachinaense– regulated by the EU as Begomoviruses) is reported for the first time on symptomatic watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) showing small, yellowing, and curling leaves with mosaic symptoms in a greenhouse in Zhejiang province in autumn 2023. Squash leaf curl China virus was previously reported to have a narrow host range, causing severe disease in pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima), wax gourd (Benincasa hispida), and melon (Cucumis melo) and mild symptoms in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and wild eggplant (S. torvum).
- Taxonomy
Based on genomic analysis, van Ingen-Buijs et al. (2024) showed that infraspecific variation between P. citricarpa (citrus black spot - EPPO A1 List) and P. paracitricarpa is minimal. Consequently Phyllosticta paracitricarpa should be considered as a synonym to P. citricarpa.
Sources
Arias de López M, Kondo T, Molina-Moreira N (2025) A new threat to Ecuadorian flora: first report of the pink hibiscus mealybug, Maconellicoccus hirsutus (Green, 1908)(Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) and its potential biological control agent. Revista Brasileira de Entomologia 69, e20250007. https://doi.org/10.1590/1806-9665-RBENT-2025-0007
Comune di Novazzano (2025) Takahashia Japonica: cocciniglia dai filamenti cotonosi. https://www.novazzano.ch/takahashia-japonica-cocciniglia-dai-filamenti-cotonosi/ (accessed 2025-07-18).
Dai F, Xue Y, Zhang Q, Pan S, Wang N, Zhang J (2025) First report of bacterial wilting caused by Curtobacterium flaccumfaciens pv. flaccumfaciens on tobacco. Plant Disease (early view) https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-03-25-0641-PDN
IPPC website. Official Pest Reports- New Caledonia (2025-07-01) Detection of Eutetranychus africanus in New Caledonia. https://www.ippc.int/fr/countries/new-caledonia/pestreports/2025/07/detection-of-eutetranychus-africanus-in-new-caledonia/
Labdaoui ZE, Bourmita Y, Halima MK, Guenaoui Y (2025) First record of Singhiella simplex (Singh, 1931) in Algeria. EPPO Bulletin 55(1),142-145.
Liu L, Wang Y, Geng Y, Yu B, Yan L, Hao F, Wu H, Wang P, Gu Q, Kang B (2025) Molecular characterization and pathogenicity of watermelon isolates of Begomovirus cucurbitachinaense. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 26(9), 4289 https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26094289
Lueje YR, Jácome A, Fagúndez J, Servia MJ (2025) Trapping is not effective for limiting damage by Vespa velutina in vineyards. Pest Management Science (early view). https://doi.org/10.1002/ps.70031
Ndirangu KJ, Pili NN, Chelal J, Biwot J, Kandie F, Razieh Y, Quintanilla M, Ouedraogo RS, Hughes D, Kantor M, Coyne D, Haukeland S, Couvreur M, Bert W, Teklu MG (2024) Occurrence of plant-parasitic nematodes on rice (Oryza sativa) in Kenya with a focus on Hirschmanniella oryzae. Nematology 26(10), 1179-1193. https://doi.org/10.1163/15685411-bja10364
Nunes Rondon M, Baugh B, Chagoya J, Skantar AM, Handoo Z (2025) First report of Meloidogyne enterolobii infecting tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) in Texas, United States. Plant Disease, (early view) https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-04-25-0740-PDN
Poligui RN, Apinda LE, Nzandi H, Cornelie OB (2023) Presence of Pseudacysta perseae (Heidemann) (Hemiptera: Tingidae) and it relate predatory mirid Stethoconus praefectus on Persea americana at Franceville, Gabon. Acta Entomology and Zoology 4(1), 37–43. https://doi.org/10.33545/27080013.2023.v4.i1a.94
Suwanngam A, Schiffer PH, Sasnarukkit A, Siripattanapipong S, Jindapunnapat K, Ruang-areerate T, Chinnasri B (2025) Development of a closed tube loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay to detect Hirschmanniella oryzae (Tylenchida: Pratylenchidae) in exported aquatic plants. Crop Protection 187, 106989.
van Ingen-Buijs VA, van Westerhoven AC, Skiadas P, Zuijdgeest XC, Haridas S, Daum C, Duffy K, Gui J, Hundley H, LaButti K, Lipzen A, Pangilinan J, Riley R, Wang J, Yan M, Martin F, Barry K, Grigoriev IV, Groenewald JZ, Crous PW, Seidl MF (2024) Phyllosticta paracitricarpa is synonymous with the EU quarantine fungus P. citricarpa based on phylogenomic analyses. Fungal Genetics and Biology 175, 103925. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fgb.2024.103925