Update on the situation of quarantine pests in Ukraine
A recent article by Geryak et al. (2025) reports the first finding of Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae – EPPO A2 List) in Ukraine. One male adult was caught in a light trap in the vicinity of Velyki Dmytrovychi (Kyiv Oblast) in June 2021. The identity of the pest was confirmed based on morphology. No subsequent findings occurred in the region or in Ukraine as a whole in the following years. The authors consider that the specimen probably emerged from a pupa associated with imported material from an infested area. S. frugiperda is not considered present in Ukraine. The NPPO of Ukraine recently confirmed that S. frugiperda has not been detected during official surveillance.
The pest status of Spodoptera frugiperda in Ukraine is officially declared as: Absent: pest not recorded. Surveillance supports the conclusion that the pest is absent and has not been recorded.
The NPPO of Ukraine recently informed the EPPO Secretariat of the absence of several quarantine pests on its territory:
- Cacoecimorpha pronubana (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae – EPPO A2 List): Absent: pest not recorded. Surveillance supports the conclusion that the pest is absent and has not been recorded.
- Ralstonia solanacearum (EPPO A2 List): in 2025, as a result of phytosanitary measures, outbreaks of Ralstonia solanacearum were eradicated in Ukraine. The absence of the pest was confirmed by official phytosanitary inspections and tests. Absent: pest no longer present.
- Tobacco ringspot virus (Nepovirus nicotianae, TRSV - EPPO A2 List): as a result of phytosanitary measures, outbreaks of TRSV were eradicated. The absence of the pest was confirmed by official phytosanitary inspections and tests. Absent: pest no longer present.
Finally, the situation of the following quarantine pests is provided, based on the surveillance conducted in 2025. For each pest, the number of regions where it is present and the total area of the quarantine zones are given (to the nearest hectare).
- Phthorimaea absoluta (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae – EPPO A2 List): outbreaks in 9 regions, 200 quarantine areas covering 6943 ha. Present: not widely distributed and under official control.
- Mycosphaerella linicola (formerly EPPO A2 List): outbreaks in 2 regions, 6 quarantine areas covering 7933 ha. Present: not widely distributed and under official control.
- Puccinia horiana (EPPO A2 List): 1 outbreak in Odesa region, covering 1.5 ha. Present: transient.
- Synchytrium endobioticum (EPPO A2 List): outbreaks in 3 regions, 163 quarantine areas covering 2229 ha. Present: not widely distributed and under official control.
- Erwinia amylovora (EPPO A2 List):2 outbreaks in 1 region, covering 14.7 ha. Present: not widely distributed and under official control
- Beet necrotic yellow vein virus (Benyvirus necrobetae, EPPO A2 List – rhizomania): outbreaks in 2 regions, 2 quarantine areas covering 145 ha. Present: not widely distributed and under official control.
- Plum pox potyvirus (Potyvirus plumpoxi, EPPO A2 List): outbreaks in 5 regions, 32 quarantine areas covering 3700 ha. Present: not widely distributed and under official control.
- Globodera rostochiensis (EPPO A2 List): outbreaks in 14 regions, 1989 quarantine areas covering 2741 ha. Present: not widely distributed and under official control.
- Ambrosia artemisiifolia (Asteraceae, EPPO List of IAPs): outbreaks in 25 regions, 2258 quarantine areas covering 2 845 638 ha. Present: not widely distributed and under official control.
- Acroptilon repens (Asteraceae, EPPO List of IAPs): outbreaks in 5 regions, 154 quarantine areas covering 220 226 ha. Present: not widely distributed and under official control.
- Solanum rostratum (Solanaceae – EAEU A2 List): 1 outbreak in 1 region, covering 134 ha. Present: not widely distributed and under official control.
- Cuscuta spp. (Convolvulaceae): outbreaks in 15 regions, 788 quarantine areas covering 28 196 ha. Present: not widely distributed and under official control.
- Cenchrus longispinus (Poaceae, EPPO Observation list of IAPs): outbreaks in 6 regions, 77 quarantine areas covering 20 132 ha. Present: not widely distributed and under official control.
Sorghum halepense (Poaceae): outbreaks in 2 regions, 9 quarantine areas covering 843 ha. Present: not widely distributed and under official control.
Sources
NPPO of Ukraine (2026-01). https://www.ippc.int/en/countries/ukraine/publications/
Geryak Y, Voronov V, Kaliuzhna M (2025) First report of the invasive pest species Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in Eastern Europe. Integrative Systematics: Stuttgart Contributions to Natural History 8(2), 137-140.