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 an article on pests of Capsicum chinense in Cameroon, Sah et al. (2025) record the presence of the following alien species: Aleurothrixus trachoides (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae – formerly EPPO Alert List), Exomala orientalis (syn. Anomala orientalis) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae - EPPO A1 List), Grapholita funebrana (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), Heliothrips haemorrhoidalis (Thysanoptera), Tagasta marginella (Orthoptera: Pyrgomorphidae), Xenocatantops humilis (Orthoptera: Acrididae). Present.
Aleurothrixus trachoides (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae – formerly EPPO Alert List) occurs in Kenya. It was first detected on Capsicum chinense in 2020 (Canty, 2024). Present.
Aleurothrixus trachoides (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae – formerly EPPO Alert List) occurs in Indonesia. It is reported in association with yellow leaf curl disease on Capsicum annuum (Kamaliah et al., 2024). Present.
Anastrepha obliqua (Diptera: Tephritidae, EPPO A1 List) is reported from Texas (USA). Four larvae were detected in grapefruit (Citrus x aurantium var. paradisi) collected on a residential property in Mission (Hidalgo County) in January 2026. A quarantine area was established, and eradication measures are applied (NAPPO, 2026).
The pest status of Anastrepha obliqua in the USA is officially declared as: Present: transient, only in one area in Texas, under eradication.
Aulacaspis yasumatsui (Hemiptera: Diaspididae – formerly EPPO Alert List) is first recorded in Japan, threatening native Cycas revoluta in Ryukyu Archipelago (Deloso et al., 2025)
Cucurbit chlorotic yellows virus (Crinivirus, CCYV) is reported for the first time in Italy. CCYV was detected on melon (Cucumis melo) in Caserta province (Campania region) in July 2021. Cucumis melo endornavirus (Alphaendornavirus cucumis, CmEV), tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus (Begomovirus solanumdelhiense, ToLCNDV – EPPO A2 List), and cucurbit aphid-borne yellows virus (Polerovirus CABYV) were also detected (Kwak et al., 2025).
Ditylenchus destructor (EU RNQP) is first reported from Iraq on potato (Solanum tuberosum) crops in the provinces of Erbil and Duhok provinces (Kurdistan Region). It was detected during the 2024 growing season (Ahmed & Ami, 2025). Present.
Rahnella victoriana, one of the bacteria associated with acute oak decline, is first reported from Poland. It was isolated from symptomatic pedunculate oaks (Quercus robur) in the Odra River valley, south-western Poland (Tkaczyk et al., 2025). So far, only Brenneria goodwinii and Gibbsiella quercinecans had been detected from weakened oak trees (EPPO RS 2022/134, RS 2025/157). Present.
The following pests in the family Crambidae (Lepidoptera) are first recorded from the Federated States of Micronesia: Diaphania indica, Maruca vitrata (Ko et al., 2025). Present.
Neopestalotiopsis rosae is reported for the first time in Costa Rica. In September 2022, strawberry plants (Fragaria x ananassa) showing leaf chlorosis, necrosis, browning and wilting were reported from plantations in Alajuela, Cartago and San José. The identity of the pest was confirmed by molecular testing (Arroyo Vargas et al., 2025). Present, not widely distributed.
The banana rust mite Phyllocoptruta musae (Acarida: Eriophyidae) is first reported from Mexico (NAPPO, 2026). The pest was detected in December 2025 in the municipality of Teapa (Tabasco, Mexico). Phytosanitary measures are implemented and include surveillance, delimitation, sampling and management. This mite was first described in Australia, and is known to occur in China (Guangxi, Hainan) and in Thailand. It was first reported from the western hemisphere in 2020 in the Dominican Republic.
The pest status of Phyllocoptruta musae in Mexico is officially declared as: Present, transient.
Tomato chlorosis virus (Crinivirus tomatichlorosis, ToCV - EPPO A2 List) is first reported from Argentina where it occurs in mixed infections with tomato brown rugose fruit virus (Tobamovirus fructirugosum, ToBRFV – EPPO A2 List) in the provinces of Buenos Aires and Corrientes. ToBRFV was detected in tomato crops in several regions as well as in wastewater (Ibañez et al., 2025). Present.
- Detailed records
In Australia, a new outbreak of Bactrocera tryoni (Diptera: Tephritidae – EPPO A1 List) is reported in Elizabeth East (Adelaide, South Australia). Outbreaks have previously been reported in Glynde and Riverland (also in South Australia). Official measures are applied to eradicate the pest (Government of South Australia, 2026).
In China, Ditylenchus destructor (EU RNQP) is first reported on sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) in Hunan (southern China. Prior reports of D. destructor on sweet potato were limited to northern provinces of China (Liu et al., 2026).
The following scale insects were recently recorded in California (USA): Ceroplastes rusci (Hemiptera: Coccidae – EAEU A1 List), Toumeyella parvicornis (Hemiptera: Coccidae – EPPO A2 List), Coccus viridis (Hemiptera: Coccidae), Aulacaspis yasumatsui (Hemiptera: Diaspididae – formerly EPPO Alert List) (von Ellenrieder, 2025).
In China, tomato chlorosis virus (Crinivirus tomatichlorosis, ToCV - EPPO A2 List) occurs on tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) in Sichuan and Chongqing (Yang et al., 2025).
In Spain, Trachymela sloanei (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae – EPPO Alert List) was known to occur in Andalucía (EPPO RS 2016/101). Adame & Martín (2025) report its presence for the first time in northern Spain, in Cataluña.
Trirachys sartus (syn. Aeolesthes sarta) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae – EPPO A2 List) is expanding its range in Kazakhstan. During surveys conducted in 2022-2025, it was recorded in Turkestan, Zhambyl, Kyzylorda and Mangystau Oblasts. The preferred host plants are black poplar (Populus nigra) and silver poplar (P. alba), Russian olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia), and elm (Ulmus pumila) (Temreshev, 2025).
In China, tomato brown rugose fruit virus (Tobamovirus fructirugosum, ToBRFV – EPPO A2 List) is first reported from Inner Mongolia (Neimenggu). It was detected on tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) in March 2024 (Shan et al., 2025).
In China, tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus (Begomovirus solanumdelhiense, ToLCNDV – EPPO A2 List) is known to occur in Anhui, Jiangsu, Shanghai, Shandong and Zhejiang (EPPO RS 2023/103, RS 2025/113, RS 2025/229) on tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and cucurbits. In autumn 2024, ToLCNDV was reported for the first time in Jiangxi province on symptomatic melon (Cucumis melo) plants grown in a greenhouse in Gao’an City. High Throughput Sequencing tests on three plants identified ToLCNDV and melon necrotic spot virus (Gammacarmovirus melonis, MNSV), watermelon silver mottle virus (Orthotospovirus citrullomaculosi, WSMoV – EPPO A1 List), Cucumis melo alphaendornavirus (Alphaendornavirus cucumis, CmEV), and a newly described virus, cucurbit chlorotic virus (CuCV) (Fanghong et al., 2025).
In China, tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus (Begomovirus solanumdelhiense, ToLCNDV – EPPO A2 List) is first reported in Guangdong. It was detected in wax gourd (Benincasa hispida) (Guo et al., 2025).
- Absence
In Azerbaijan, the presence of Cacoecimorpha pronubana (Lepidoptera; Tortricidae – EPPO A2 List) was reported in 2017 by scientists. Larvae had been observed in the Absheron Peninsula and the Lankaran district on Laurus nobilis and Ligustrum lucidum, between 1997 and 2008. The NPPO of Azerbaijan recently informed the EPPO Secretariat that C. pronubana is a regulated pest in Azerbaijan. The pest was not detected during surveys conducted by the Food Safety Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan in 2023-2025.
The pest status of Cacoecimorpha pronubana in Azerbaijan is officially declared as: Absent, pest no longer present.
- Eradication
In Finland Phytophthora ramorum (EPPO A2 List) had been detected sporadically in nurseries and garden centres in Rhododendron spp. The NPPO of Finland recently informed the EPPO Secretariat that all outbreaks have been eradicated (NPPO of Finland, 2026).
The pest status of Phytophthora ramorum in Finland is officially declared as: Absent, pest eradicated.
- Aetiology
Wang et al. (2025) showed that the Hadda beetle (Henosepilachna vigintioctopunctata) serves as an effective mechanical vector for tomato brown rugose fruit virus (Tobamovirus fructirugosum, ToBRFV – EPPO A2 List).
- New host plants
Verbena (Verbena x hybrida) is first reported as a host of chrysanthemum stunt viroid (Pospiviroid impedichrysanthemi, CSVd – EPPO A2 List). It was detected in nursery stock in New Zealand (Guy, 2025).
During a study to detect thrips species between 2023-2024 in lime greenhouses in Sari County (Mazandaran province, Iran), Frankliniella occidentalis (Thysanoptera: Thripidae, EPPO A2 List) and Thrips hawaiiensis (Thysanoptera: Thripidae, EAEU A1 List) were reported to cause damage to fruit and flowers of Persian lime (Citrus × latifolia) and limequat (x Citrofortunella floridana). The identity of the pests was confirmed by morphological tests. (Shayanmehr et al., 2025).
A high throughput sequencing analysis of the viromes of Phalaenopsis orchids in Fujian province (China) detected the following viruses in P. amabilis, P. haojili and P. hongfugitian: Odontoglossum ringspot virus (Tobamovirus odontoglossi, ORSV), tobacco mosaic virus (Tobamovirus tabaci, TMV), tomato mottle mosaic virus (Tobamovirus maculatessellati, ToMMV, formerly EPPO Alert List), pepper mild mottle virus (Tobamovirus capsici, PMMoV), plum pox virus (Potyvirus plumpoxi, PPV, EPPO A2 List), tobacco etch virus (Potyvirus nicotianainsculpentis, TEV). This is the first report of ToMMV, PMMoV, PPV and TEV infecting Phalaenopsis orchids. The EPPO Secretariat had no previous record of ToMMV and PPV in Fujian province (Huang et al., 2025).
Sources
Adame FR, Martín DF (2025) Primer registro de Trachymela sloanei (Blackburn, 1896)(Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) para la comunidad autónoma de Cataluña, España. Revista gaditana de Entomología 16, 99-102.
Ahmed AI, Ami SN (2025). First record of phyto-parasitic nematodes associated with potato in Erbil and Duhok provinces Kurdistan region-Iraq. Journal of Plant Protection Research (early view) (abst). https://www.plantprotection.pl/First-Record-of-Phyto-parasitic-Nematodes-Associated-with-Potato-in-Erbil-and-Duhok,215206,0,2.html
Arroyo Vargas AJ, Calvo-Araya JA, Peraza Padilla W, Hilje-Rodríguez I, Rebollar-Alviter A (2025) First report of Neopestalotiopsis rosae causing crown rot of strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.) in three production areas in Costa Rica. Plant Disease (early view) https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-08-25-1669-PDN
Canty RJ (2024) First record of the solanum whitefly Aleurothrixus trachoides (Back, 1912)(Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) from Kenya. Integrative Systematics: Stuttgart Contributions to Natural History 7(1), 133-135. https://doi.org/10.18476/2024.747949
Deloso BE, Gutiérrez‐Ortega JS, Chang JT, Ito‐Inaba Y, Lindström AJ, Terry LI, Donaldson J, Tang W, Cave RD, Gómez‐Díaz JA, Handley VM (2025) Biological invasion by the cycad‐specific scale pest Aulacaspis yasumatsui (Diaspididae) into Cycas revoluta (Cycadaceae) populations on Amami‐Oshima and Okinawa‐jima, Japan. Plant Species Biology 40(4), 280–291. https://doi.org/10.1111/1442-1984.12505
Fanghong Z, Na C, Chenpu Y, Fangshu L, Xinlong Z, Bin P (2026) First report of cucurbit chlorotic virus infecting melon and luffa in China. Plant Disease (early view) https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-11-25-2406-PDN
Guo M, Zhang L, Sun P, Jiang B, Yan J, Li Z (2025) Molecular characterization and evolutionary dynamics of tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus isolate from wax gourd (Benincasa hispida) in Guangdong. Scientia Agricultura Sinica 58(19), 3890-3904. https://doi.org/10.3864/j.issn.0578-1752.2025.19.007 (in Chinese, with English abstract).
Government of South Australia (2026) Queensland fruit fly outbreak declared in Elizabeth East. https://fruitfly.sa.gov.au/news/fruit_fly/queensland-fruit-fly-outbreak-declared-in-elizabeth-east
Government of South Australia (2026) Current fruit fly outbreaks in South Australia. https://fruitfly.sa.gov.au/outbreaks/current-outbreaks
Guy PL (2025) Disease note: first report of chrysanthemum stunt viroid in verbena (Verbena x hybrida) in New Zealand. Australasian Plant Pathology 54, 509–510.
Huang J, Chen Y, Zhu X, Li C, Hu H, Zhang J, Hu J, Zhao S, Zhang S, Hu Q, Wu J (2025) Viral detection in Phalaenopsis orchids using high-throughput sequencing and one-step multiplex RT-PCR. Plant Disease 109(11), 2257-2261
Ibañez JM, Zambrana R, Carreras P, Obregón V, Irazoqui JM, Vera PA, Lattar TE, Blanco Fernández MD, Puebla AF, Amadio AF, Torres C (2025) Phylodynamic of tomato brown rugose fruit virus and tomato chlorosis virus, two emergent viruses in mixed infections in Argentina. Viruses 17(4), 533. https://doi.org/10.3390/v17040533
Kamaliah TL, Syukur M, Sobir, Maharijaya A, Hidayat P (2024) Aleurotrachelus trachoides Back’s (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) preference on different host plants. In IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science 1302, 012029). IOP Publishing.
Ko JH, Cha YB, Lee TG, Albert A, Bayarsaikhan U (2025) Nine newly recorded species of Crambidae (Lepidoptera: Pyraloidea) from Kosrae Island, Federated States of Micronesia. Journal of Asia-Pacific Biodiversity (in press) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.japb.2025.04.009
Kwak M, Desbiez C, Eui-Joon KI, Parrella G (2025) Virome analysis of melon with yellowish symptoms reveals mixed infections of known and emerging viruses in Southern Italy. Phytopathologia Mediterranea 11, 585-596. https://doi.org/10.36253/phyto-16655
Liu H, Xiao W, Yang Z, Ye S, Ding Z (2026) First report of Ditylenchus destructor infesting sweet potatoes in Hunan Province, China. Plant Disease 110(1), 248 https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-08-25-1636-PDN
NAPPO (2026) Phytosanitary Pest Alert System. Official Pest Reports
-Anastrepha obliqua: APHIS Establishes a Quarantine Area in Texas (2026-01-30). https://www.pestalerts.org/nappo/official-pest-reports/1185/
-Detection of the banana rust mite, Phyllocoptruta musae (Keifer), in banana production units in the municipality of Teapa, Tabasco, Mexico. https://www.pestalerts.org/nappo/official-pest-reports/1182/
NPPO of Azerbaijan (2026-02).
NPPO of Finland (2026-02).
Sah C, Mohammadou M, Adamou M, Tsekane SJ, Kenne TA, Ngamaleu-Siewe B, Kenne EL, Oumarou AA, Youssoufa O, Tchoubou AS, Atibita NE (2025) Diversity and abundance of pest insects associated with Capsicum chinense (Jacq. 1776)(Solanales: Solanaceae) in the locality of Bini (Ngaoundere-Cameroon). Asian Journal of Research in Crop Science 10(3), 81-104. https://doi.org/10.9734/ajrcs/2025/v10i3376
Shan H, Wu X, Zhang M, Chen F, Ga Y, Zhou X, Li F (2025) Identification and complete genome sequence analysis of tomatoes-infecting tomato rugose fruit virus from Inner Mongolia, China. Acta Phytopathologica Sinica 55(6), 1206-1214. https://doi.org/10.13926/j.cnki.apps.001373
Shayanmehr M, Yoosefi Lafooraki E, Bakhshi A, Mirab-Balou M (2025) Damage report caused by two herbivorous thrips in lime greenhouses in Sari, Mazandaran province. Plant Pest Research 2024-15(1), 97-101 https://doi.org/10.22124/iprj.2025.30043.1631
Temreshev II (2025) О Расширении Ареала Городского Усача Aeolesthes sarta (Solsky, 1871) (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae) В Казахстане [on the expansion of the areas of city longhorn beetle Aeolesthes sarta (Solsky, 1871) (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae) In Kazakhstan]. Фитосанитария. Карантин растений №2S (23A) 292-293.
Tkaczyk M, Dziuk A, Sikora K (2025) First report of the occurrence of Rahnella victoriana in oak stands in Poland. Forest Pathology 55(6), e70049. https://doi.org/10.1111/efp.70049.
von Ellenrieder (2025) New records of scale insects (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha: Coccomorpha) from California with an updated checklist for the state. The Pan-Pacific Entomologist 101(1), 15-50.
Wang XX, Xing QJ, Zhang C, Liu YN, Liu TX, Zhang Y (2025) The role of Henosepilachna vigintioctopunctata in facilitating the spread of tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV) among hosts. Insects 16(12), 1225. https://doi.org/10.3390/insects16121225
Yang X, Li J, Gao M, Huang P, Li M, Wu G, Qing L (2025) Complete genomic analysis of tomato chlorosis virus isolates from Sichuan and Chongqing, China. Virology 604, 110447.