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 on the EPPO Alert List, and indicated in bold the situation of the pest concerned using the terms of ISPM no. 8.
- New records
In autumn 2014, Chilo partellus (Lepidoptera: Crambidae – spotted stem borer) was detected for the first time in Turkey. It was found during a survey conducted in maize fields in the East Mediterranean region, in the provinces of Adana, Hatay and Osmaniye.
C. partellus is a pest of maize (Zea mays), sorghum (Sorghum vulgare), sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum), rice (Oryza sativa) and millets (Pennisetum spp.). Larvae feed on leaves and tunnel within plant stalks, sometimes causing economic damage to crops. This is the second time that C. partellus is recorded in the EPPO region, as in 2011 its presence had been reported in Israel (EPPO RS 2011/197). Present, first found in 2014 in the East Mediterranean region (Adana, Hatay, Osmaniye provinces).
C. partellus is a pest of maize (Zea mays), sorghum (Sorghum vulgare), sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum), rice (Oryza sativa) and millets (Pennisetum spp.). Larvae feed on leaves and tunnel within plant stalks, sometimes causing economic damage to crops. This is the second time that C. partellus is recorded in the EPPO region, as in 2011 its presence had been reported in Israel (EPPO RS 2011/197). Present, first found in 2014 in the East Mediterranean region (Adana, Hatay, Osmaniye provinces).
In November 2014, Marchalina hellenica (Hemiptera: Margarodidae – formerly EPPO Alert List) was detected for the first time in Australia. The pest was found in Melbourne and Adelaide (Victoria state) on Pinus halepensis (Aleppo pine), P. pinea (Italian stone pine), and P. radiata (Monterey pine). Phytosanitary measures are being implemented to prevent any further spread of the pest (DEPI, 2015). Present, first found in 2014 in Victoria state, under official control.
The presence of Scaphoideus titanus (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), the main vector of flavescence dorée, is reported for the first time from Slovakia. During a survey carried out in 2013-2014, the pest was commonly found in vineyards in Eastern Slovakia, but was rare in South and Central Slovakia. It was also found in many localities of Western Slovakia (Tóthová et al., 2015). Present, locally distributed.
- Detailed records
In Brazil, Helicoverpa armigera (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae – EPPO A2 List) was first found in 2012 in the state of Bahia in cotton and soybean crops. During the 2012/2013 harvest, yield losses reaching up to 35% were observed and economic losses of 1 billion USD were reported in Western Bahia, triggering a state of phytosanitary crisis. The pest was then found in other Brazilian states: Goiás, and Mato Grosso. In July 2013, H. armigera was detected in Roraima on soybean and maize crops. In addition, genetic studies using molecular tools have shown that H. armigera also occurs in Maranhão, Mato Grosso do Sul, and Piauí (Leite et al., 2014; Mastrangelo et al., 2014).
In the USA, Maconellicoccus hirsutus (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae – EPPO A2 List) was detected in Hawaii in 1983, and in California in 1999. Populations are now well established in California, Florida and Hawaii. In addition to these established populations, infested plants have been detected in Alabama and Oklahoma (2005), Louisiana (2006), New York and Texas (2007), Georgia (2008), North Carolina and South Carolina (2009), and Tennessee (2014) (Chong et al., 2015).
- Diagnostic
A new molecular diagnostic method (PCR-RFLP) has been developed in the USA to distinguish Drosophila suzukii (Diptera: Drosophilidae – EPPO A2 List) from other Drosophila species associated with fruit. This technique can identify field-collected specimens, adults and immature stages (Kim et al., 2014).
- New host plants
Recent observations made in Ohio (US) have shown that Agrilus planipennis (Coleoptera: Buprestidae – EPPO A2 List) can attack and complete its development on Chionanthus virginicus (Oleaceae – white fringetree). C. virginicus is a small tree which originates from Eastern USA and which is also planted for ornamental purposes (Cipollini, 2015).
- Epidemiology
Field experiments conducted in Italy from 2011 to 2013 showed that Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae (EPPO A2 List) could be transmitted to healthy plants of Actinidia deliciosa cv. ‘Hayward’ via infected pollen. Although further pollination experiments are needed to confirm this preliminary study, the results obtained strongly support the hypothesis that infected pollen can be a pathway for introducing and spreading the disease (Tontou et al., 2014).
Sources
Bayram A, Tonğa A (2015) First report of Chilo partellus in Turkey, a new invasive maize pest for Europe. Journal of Applied Entomology. doi: 10.1111/jen.12232 (via PestLens).
Chong JH, Aristizábal LF, Arthurs S (2015) Biology and management of Maconellicoccus hirsutus (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) on ornamental plants. Journal of Integrated Pest Management 6(1). doi: 10.1093/jipm/pmv004
Cipollini D (2015) White fringetree as a novel larval host for emerald ash borer. Journal of Economic Entomology 108(1), 370-375.
INTERNET
Department of Environment and Primary Industries (DEPI), State Government of Victoria, Australia (2015) Giant pine scale (via PestLens). http://www.depi.vic.gov.au/agriculture-and-food/pests-diseases-and-weeds/pest-insects-and-mites/giant-pine-scale
Kim SS, Tripodi AD, Johnson DT, Szalanski AL (2014) Molecular diagnostics of Drosophila suzukii (Diptera: Drosophilidae) using PCR-RFLP. Journal of Economic Entomology 107(3), 1292-1294.
Leite NA, Alves-Pereira A, Corrêa AS, Zucchi MI, Omoto C (2014) Demographics and genetic variability of the New World bollworm (Helicoverpa zea) and the Old World bollworm (Helicoverpa armigera) in Brazil. PLoS ONE 9(11), e113286. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0113286
Mastrangelo T, Paulo DF, Bergamo LW, Morais EGF, Silva M, Bezerra-Silva G, Azeredo-Espin AMI (2014) Detection and genetic diversity of a Heliothine invader (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) from North and Northeast of Brazil. Journal of Economic Entomology 107(3), 970-980.
Tontou R, Giovanardi D, Stefani E (2014) Pollen as a possible pathway for the dissemination of Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae and bacterial canker of kiwifruit. Phytopathologia Mediterranea 53(2), 333-339.
Tóthová M, Bokor P, Cagan L (2015) The first detection of leafhopper Scaphoideus titanus Ball (Hemiptera, Cicadellidae) in Slovakia. Plant Protection Science 51(2), 88-93.