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
Acanalonia conica (Hemiptera: Acanaloniidae) is first reported from Russian Federation. Two specimens of this North American planthopper were collected in light traps: one in Krasnodar City in 2024, and one in the surroundings of Pokrovsky village in 2025 (both in Krasnodar Territory, Southern Russia) (Popov et al., 2026). Present, not widely distributed.
Amrasca biguttula (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae, EPPO Alert List) is officially reported from Gabon. It has been observed damaging okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) since 2023 in Estuaire Province (IPPC, 2026).
The pest status of Amrasca biguttula in Gabon is officially declared as: Present, at low prevalence.
Parasaissetia nigra (Hemiptera: Coccidae, formerly EU RNQP) is first recorded from Uzbekistan. Specimens were found in 2019 in Andijan Region on Ficus elastica. In 2025 it was found on Ficus benjamina in Fergana region in urban green areas and ornamental plant nurseries. This is the first record in Central Asia (Sobirov et al., 2026). Present, not widely distributed.
- Detailed records
In the USA, Chrysobothris mali (Coleoptera: Buprestidae, EPPO A1 List) is a wood borer causing damage in fruit orchards. It is considered as a reemerging pest of walnut orchards (Juglans regia) in California since the end of the 2010s (Rijal et al., 2026)
In the USA, Phyllachora maydis (EPPO Alert List) causes tar spot on maize (Zea mays) and is mainly reported in the north-east part of the country. In August 2026, it was first reported in North Carolina, in Randolph County (NC State Extension, 2026).
The citrus snow scale Unaspis citri (Hemiptera: Diaspididae, EPPO A1 List) is reported from Bahia (Brazil) (Santos De Jesus et al., 2026).
In India, potato virus S (Carlavirus sigmasolani, PVS – EU Quarantine pest 2019/2072 Annex II A for non-European isolates) is first reported in one location in Kerala and across Tamil Nadu state. It was detected on symptomatic passion fruit (Passiflora edulis) plants during surveys conducted between 2023 and 2025. Co-infection of PVS with passiflora latent virus (Carlavirus latenspassiflorae, PLV) and cucumber mosaic virus (Cucumovirus CMV, CMV – EU RNQP 2019/2072 Annex IV) was reported in Kerala and in two locations in Tamil Nadu. This is also the first report of potato virus S infecting passion fruit (Madhu et al., 2026).
In Australia, Liriomyza huidobrensis (Diptera: Agromyzidae - EPPO A2 List) was first found in New South Wales and Queensland states in October and December 2020 (EPPO RS 2021/001). The pest was detected for the first time in Tasmania on host plants and confirmed by molecular testing in June 2026. As of September 2026, L. huidobrensis has been reported at multiple sites in North West Tasmania and is considered established in the environment (Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania, 2026).
In the USA, Agrilus planipennis (Coleoptera: Buprestidae – EPPO A2 List) has been found for the first time in Washington state in August 2026 (WSDA, 2026). A. planipennis mainly occurs in the eastern part of the USA and Canada On the west coast of North America it was previously reported in the neighbouring state of Oregon and in British Columbia (Canada).
Watermelon silver mottle virus (Orthotospovirus citrullomaculosi – EPPO A1 List) is reported for the first time from Jiangsu province, China in samples collected between 2023 and 2024 in cucumber (Cucumis sativum) crops (Yang et al., 2026).
In Denmark, the oak processionary moth Thaumetopoea processionea (Lepidoptera: Notodontidae – EU PZ Quarantine pest ((EU) 2019/2072 Annex III)) was first reported in 1996 and since has been observed at over 35 localities. The first established population was recognized in 2024 in the municipality of Odense (Justesen et al., 2026).
- New host plants
Elasmopalpus lignosellus (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae, formerly EPPO Alert List) is reported for the first time on Eucalyptus plantations in Brazil. E. lignosellus was detected causing mortality of saplings of Eucalyptus urograndis (E. urophylla x E. grandis) in Minas Gerais and Mato Grosso do Sul states in Brazil in December 2023. Between 2023 and 2025 the outbreak covered over 20 000 ha. Although both larvae and adults were detected in the plants, the authors consider that further research should confirm that Eucalyptus are true hosts of the pest. Prior to this report, this polyphagous pest was mainly known to be causing damage to annual agricultural crops. (Souza et al., 2026).
Meloidogyne fallax (EPPO A2 List) is reported for the first time on coriander (Coriandrum sativum) plants showing stunting and poor root development in a commercial farm in Norfolk (United Kingdom) (Moura de Souza et al. 2026).
Experiments with the elm borer Saperda tridentata (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae – formerly EPPO Alert List) showed that adults could feed on European elm species (Ulmus glabra, U. laevis, U. minor, and U. pumila) to a similar extent as on U. americana. Larvae could also develop in all European elm species tested. Tests on maple species (Acer campestre, A. platanoides, and A. pseudoplatanus), and poplar species (Populus alba, P. nigra, and P. tremula) showed that they were not hosts (Santoiemma et al., 2026)
- Taxonomy
As a result of phylogenetic analyses, several species in the fungal genus Gnomoniopsis are transferred to the genus Sirococcus. As a consequence, the two emerging pathogens of chestnuts in Europe and in Asia, respectively Gnomoniopsis smithogilvyi and G. daii are now named Sirococcus smithogilvyi and Sirococcus daii (Jian et al., 2026).
Sources
Burba PO, Snihur HO, Pozhylov IM, Shevchenko OV, Budzanivska IH (2026) First report of cucumber mosaic virus natural infection in Euphorbia epithymoides in Ukraine. Mikrobiolohichnyi Zhurnal. 88(2), 78-84. https://doi.org/10.15407/microbiolj88.02.078
Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania (2026-09-11) Biosecurity Tasmania: Serpentine leafminer in Tasmania. Accessed at: https://nre.tas.gov.au/biosecurity-tasmania/plant-biosecurity/pests-and-diseases/serpentine-leafminer
IPPC website. Official Pest Reports - Gabon (2026-08-03): L'effet de la jacide sur les variétés de gombo plantées dans la province de l'Estuaire au Gabon. https://www.ippc.int/fr/countries/gabon/pestreports/2026/08/leffet-de-la-jacide-sur-les-varietes-de-gombo-plantees-dans-la-province-de-lestuaire-au-gabon/
Jiang N, Wijayawardene NN, Xue H, Li Y (2026) Reevaluating Sirococcus: synonymizing Gnomoniopsis and elucidating the life cycle of S. daii. IMA fungus 17, e186049. https://doi.org/10.3897/imafungus.17.186049
Justesen MJ, Jensen B, Ravn HP (2026) Establishment of oak processionary moth Thaumetopoea processionea (Lepidoptera: Notodontidae) in Odense, Denmark. EPPO Bulletin 56(1), 271–276. https://doi.org/10.1111/epp.70066
Madhu GS, Niresh Kumar S, Muttappagol M, Hiremath S, Kruthika R, Pavan Kalyan P, Shankarappa KS, Ningaraju TM, Venkataravanappa V, Lakshminarayana Reddy CN (2026) Deciphering the passion fruit woodiness disease associated viruses in India, and development of real-time turbidimetric RT-LAMP assay and multiplex PCR for their detection. BMC Plant Biology (In press) https://doi.org/10.1186/s12870-026-09518-2
Moura de Souza VH, Sonawala U, Derevnina L, Eves-van den Akker S (2026) First report of Meloidogyne fallax parasitising coriander in the United Kingdom. Plant Disease (early view) https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-06-26-1184-PDN
NC State Extension (2026-08-31) First report of tar spot of corn confirmed in North Carolina. https://corn.ces.ncsu.edu/news/first-report-of-tar-spot-of-corn-confirmed-in-north-carolina/
Popov IB, Leptyagin DO, Neimorovets VV, Gnezdilov VM, Kremneva OY (2026) First record of the family Acanaloniidae Amyot et Audinet‐Serville, 1843 (Hemiptera: Fulgoroidea) in Russia. EPPO Bulletin 56(3),303–308. https://doi.org/10.1111/epp.70078.
Rijal J, Sakaki S, Gyawaly S, Addesso K (2026) Optimizing trap design, lure, and color for monitoring Chrysobothris mali (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) in California walnut orchards. Environmental Entomology 55(2), nvag033.
Santoiemma G, Sweeney J, Van Rooyen K, Pureswaran DS, Battisti A, Santini A, Pecori F, Rassati D (2026) European elms as potential hosts of Saperda tridentata (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae). Environmental Entomology 55(5), nvag094. https://doi.org/10.1093/ee/nvag094
Santos De Jesus AF, de Brito Sila SX, Ferreira de Amorim D, de Oliveira Magalhães L, Correia De Souza F (2026) Phytosanitary survey in citrus production units in the municipalities of Apora, Inhambupe, and Satiro Dias. International Journal of Advanced Research (IJAR) 14 (07), 1109-1119, https://doi.org/10.21474/IJAR01/23862
Sobirov OT, Kakhkhorova KR, Turdiyeva DT, Voxidov ST, Turdiyeva FT (2026) Diversity, distribution and pest status of soft scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Coccidae) in Fergana Valley agroecosystems, Uzbekistan: implications for phytosanitary monitoring and integrated pest management. Phytoparasitica 54(5), 107. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12600-026-01436-1
Washington State Department of Agriculture (2026-08) State officials confirm first detection of emerald ash borer in Washington state. Accessed at: https://agr.wa.gov/about-wsda/news-and-media-relations/news-releases?article=47256
Yang L, Sun F, Gao XX, Ren CM, Ji YH (2026) Infection and molecular identification of Watermelon silver mottle virus in cucurbit crops in Jiangsu. Jiangsu Journal of Agricultural Sciences 42(1) https://doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.1000-4440.2026.01.005 (abstract).