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
The invasive eucalyptus psyllid, Blastopsylla occidentalis (Hemiptera: Aphalaridae) is first reported from Japan. In 2025 the presence of B. occidentalis was confirmed on eucalyptus trees (Eucalyptus globulus) planted in parks in Osaka and Hyogo Prefectures in western Japan (Honshu) (Inoue et al., 2026).
Curtobacterium flaccumfaciens pv. flaccumfaciens (EPPO A2 List) is reported for the first time in Chile. It was detected in bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) seeds produced in Tucapel commune, Biobio region. Eradication measures have been implemented (Ministerio de Agricultura, 2026). Present, not widely distributed, under official control.
- Detailed records
In India, tomato chlorosis virus (Crinivirus tomatichlorosis, ToCV - EPPO A2 List) was first reported in the northern part of the country (Himachal Pradesh) in 2022 (EPPO RS 2023/055). ToCV was subsequently identified in symptomatic tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) crops in Tamil Nadu. This is the first report for southern India (Bharath et al., 2026)
In Mexico, the pine tortoise scale Toumeyella parvicornis (Hemiptera: Coccidae - EPPO A2 List) was known to occur in the north-eastern part of the country. It was first detected in 2024 in the state of Puebla (central part of the country) on Pinus patula seedlings in a forest nursery. This is the first record of T. parvicornis on P. patula (Morales-Figueroa et al., 2026)
In China, watermelon silver mottle virus (Orthotospovirus citrullomaculosi, WSMoV – EPPO A1 List) is first reported from Fujian Province. It was detected in symptomatic bitter gourd plants (Momordica charantia) in May 2025 by molecular tests (Chen et al., 2026b)
In India, chilli leaf curl virus (Begomovirus chillicapsici, ChiLCV – EU Quarantine pest 2019/2072 Annex II A) has first been recorded in Tamil Nadu state in a mixed infection with ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma australasiaticum’ on Capsicum annuum (Vinodhini et al., 2026).
In Argentina, the African leafhopper Leptodelphax maculigera (Hemiptera: Delphacidae) was recently reported to occur in Santa Fe, Entre Ríos, Chaco and Formosa provinces (EPPO RS 2025/236). L. maculigera was detected for the first time in Salta province associated with alfalfa (Medicago sativa) and wheat (Triticum aestivum) in August 2025 (Socías, 2026).
In the USA, Neopestalotiopsis rosae is reported for the first time in the state of Hawaii. In March 2025, leaf blight symptoms on Oahu sedge (Carex wahuensis subsp. wahuensis) were observed. The pest was identified by molecular tests and Koch’s postulates were fulfilled. This is also the first report of C. wahuensis subsp. wahuensis as a host of N. rosae (Ojo et al., 2026).
In Colombia, tomato brown rugose fruit virus (Tobamovirus fructirugosum, ToBRFV – EPPO A2 List) was previously reported in fields only in Antioquia province (EPPO RS 2025/229). A recent study sampled tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and pepper (Capsicum annuum) plants in twelve provinces. The paper confirmed the widespread presence of ToBRFV in seeds and plantlets of both host species across Colombia. The pest was identified by molecular testing (Yalí et al., 2026). Present, widely distributed.
In China, Clavibacter michiganensis (EPPO A2 List) is reported for the first time in Gansu province. In August 2025, severe symptoms of bacterial canker were observed on pepino (Solanum muricatum) seedlings grown in six commercial greenhouses in Wuwei City. The pest was identified by molecular tests. This is the first record of S. muricatum as a host, Koch’s postulates were confirmed (Li et al., 2026).
In China, tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus (Begomovirus solanumdelhiense, ToLCNDV – EPPO A2 List) is reported for the first time in Guangxi province. It was detected in mixed infections with other viruses in symptomatic pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata, C. maxima and C. pepo) plants during surveys conducted between September 2022 and October 2025 (Chen et al., 2026a).
- New host plants
Neopestalotiopsis rosae was found to cause black decay symptoms on sweet persimmon (Diospyros kaki) between September and October 2024 in Yunnan Province, China. The pest was identified by molecular testing and Koch’s postulates were confirmed (Kong et al., 2026).
Meloidogyne enterolobii (EPPO A2 List) was reported for the first time on Hosta plantaginea and ornamental plants including Alocasia sp., Caladium sp., Epipremnum sp., Euonymus sp., and Hoya carnosa during import inspections in China (Du et al., 2026).
EFSA has recently published an update of its database on host plants of Xylella fastidiosa (EPPO A2 List). The overall number of host plants naturally infected by X. fastidiosa and determined with at least two different detection methods (or positive with one method) now reaches 471 plant species, 213 genera and 72 families. When considering plant species artificially infected or infected in unspecified conditions this number reaches 755 plant species (EFSA, 2026). New host plant records (from natural infections) have been included in EPPO Global Database.
Sources
Bharath BS, Karthikeyan G, Krishnan N, Sivagnanapazham K (2026) Emergence of tomato chlorosis virus in southern India: a new threat to tomato cultivation. Indian Phytopathology (early view). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42360-026-00991-1
Chen B, Zhou Y, Zhang M, Zhou J, Wan Z, Liu W (2026a) Pervasive mixed infections and recurrent begomovirus co-detection in symptomatic pumpkin plants from Guangxi, China. Frontiers in Microbiology 17, 1857304. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2026.1857304
Chen Z, Li E, Cai L, Xu D, Du W, Zeng X, Gao F, Gao S (2026b) Complete genome sequence of watermelon silver mottle virus infecting Momordica charantia L. in China. Australasian Plant Pathology 55(4), 55-86.
Du Y, Zhou SF, Lei QW, Jian Z, Li M, Yang Y, Fang K (2026) First report of Meloidogyne enterolobii on Hosta plantaginea from The Netherlands, with interceptions on other plants from Thailand and Vietnam. Nematology 28(5), 541-556.
EFSA (European Food Safety Authority), Cavalieri V, Fasanelli E, Furnari G, Gibin D, Gutierrez Linares A, Mikulová A, La Notte P, Pasinato L, Stancanelli G (2026) Update of the Xylella spp. host plant database – systematic literature search up to 31 December 2025. EFSA Journal, 24(6), e10147. https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2026.10147
Inoue H, Katsura K, Miyatake Y (2026) First record in Japan of an invasive Australian psyllid Blastopsylla occidentalis Taylor (Hemiptera: Psylloidea: Aphalaridae), a pest of eucalyptus. Japanese Journal of Entomology (New Series) 29(2), 99-102. https://doi.org/10.20848/kontyu.29.2_99
Kim SH, Kang HM, Sim JE, Lee YH, Park HK, Kim JK, Ahn JY, Jeon BJ (2026) Targeted RT-PCR survey of ten economically important tomato viruses in major tomato producing regions of Korea. Horticultural Science and Technology. 44(0) https://doi.org/10.7235/HORT.20260014
Kong Q, Lei Y, Zhu J, Wang C, Li X, Huang Q, Xing S, Wang R, Yuan S (2026) First report of Neopestalotiopsis rosae causing postharvest fruit rot of sweet persimmon in Mengzi, China. Plant Disease (early view) https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-01-26-0094-PDN
Li MX, Meng X, Shi Y, Li L, Li B, Xie X, Chai A (2026) First report of bacterial canker caused by Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis on pepino (Solanum muricatum) in China. Plant Disease (early view) https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-04-26-0805-PDN
Miljanović M, Meseldžija M, Mihaljfi T, Dudaš T, Loc M, Grahovac M, Budakov D (2026) First report of powdery mildew caused by Erysiphe corylacearum on hazelnut (Corylus avellana) in Serbia. Plant Disease 110(3), 1024. https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-12-25-2441-PDN
Ministerio de Agricultura (2026) RESOLUCIÓN EXENTA Nº: 5597/2026. Establece programa de acciones fitosanitarias inmediatas de emergencia para el control de la plaga Curtobacterium flaccumfaciens pv. flaccumfaciens. https://www.sag.gob.cl/sites/default/files/Res%205597_Cff.pdf
Morales-Figueroa L, Martínez-Gil P, Arriola-Padilla VJ, Durán-Espinosa LG, Cibrián-Tova D, Corona-Ambriz A (2026) Primer reporte de la escama Toumeyella parvicornis (Cockerell) (Hemiptera: Coccidae) en Pinus patula Schltdl. & Cham. Revista Chapingo Serie Ciencias Forestales y del Ambiente 32, e25027. https://doi.org/10.5154/r.rchscfa.2025.07.027
Ojo OF, Baldos OC, Luis JM (2026) First report of leaf blight caused by Neopestalotiopsis rosae on Carex wahuensis subsp. wahuensis in Hawaii. Plant Disease (early view) https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-01-26-0094-PDN
Socías MG (2026) Detection of the African species Leptodelphax maculigera (Hemiptera: Delphacidae) in Salta province, Argentina. Revista de la Sociedad Entomológica Argentina 85(2), e0210 https://doi.org/10.25085/rsea.850210
Vinodhini J, Rajendran L, Nagendran K, Karthikeyan G (2026) Molecular characterization of ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma australasiaticum’ strain causing mixed infection with chilli leaf curl virus (Begomovirus chillicapsici) on Capsicum annuum in India. Discover Plants 3(1), 237 https://doi.org/10.1007/s44372-026-00663-4
Yalí JS, Pulgarín JM, Montoya MM, Sánchez PG (2026) Tobamovirus fructirugosum (tomato brown rugose fruit virus—ToBRFV) is widely distributed in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and pepper (Capsicum annuum) fields in Colombia. Journal of Phytopathology 174(3), e70341.