First report of Meloidogyne chitwoodi in Lithuania
The NPPO of Lithuania recently informed the EPPO Secretariat of the first report of the root knot nematode Meloidogyne chitwoodi (EPPO A2 List) on its territory. The nematode was detected in October 2022 in Klaipėda region, in a field where perennial grasses were grown in the municipality of Šilutės rajono savivaldybė. A sample of soil was collected as a part of the official survey. Phytosanitary measures are being applied in the place of production, including measures concerning farm machinery. In the infested field (0.42 ha), cropping restrictions are applied: a black fallow should be maintained for the first year; in the second and third year, only non-host crops can be grown, and no root crops are allowed; in the fourth year host plants for which only above-ground parts are harvested will be allowed. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of the prescribed phytosanitary measures, soil samples will be taken from the infested field for laboratory testing every year. Specific surveys will be carried out in the adjacent fields. The source of this outbreak is unknown, as since 2019 only perennial grasses have been grown in this field.
The pest status of Meloidogyne chitwoodi in Lithuania is officially declared as: Present, under eradication, only in one location, at low prevalence.
Sources
NPPO of Lithuania (2022-10).