New record of Pistia stratiotes in Italy
Pistia stratiotes (Araceae, EPPO Alert List) is now recorded in Italy in Campania, Emilia Romagna, Lombardia, Toscana and Veneto.
In Campania, the occurrence of the species was confirmed by the Plant Protection Service of the Campania region and by the Department of Botany of the Università Federico II di Napoli in November 2010, in the cities of Villa Literno (Caserta) and Giugliano in Campania (Napoli).
The Assessorato all’Agricoltura, the Plant Protection Service of the Campania region and the Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II have published a leaflet presenting the species and the threats it represents. The leaflet invites the institutions in charge of environmental protection as well as citizens to report any suspected occurrence of the species to the Plant Protection Service of the Campania region and to the Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II. In addition, the Plant Protection Service of the Campania region has launched surveys to limit the spread and impacts of Pistia stratiotes.
Sources
Assessorato all’Agricoltura, Servizio Fitosanitario Regionale, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II (2010) Lattuga d’acqua. Pistia stratiotes L. Progetto Piante Aliene della Regione Campania. 6 p. http://www.agricoltura.regione.campania.it/difesa/pistia.html
Contact: Dott. Raffaele Griffo, Plant Protection Service of the Campania region, Email: r.griffo@maildip.regione.campania.it