First report of ‘Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum’ and update on the situation of Bactericera cockerelli in Peru
The bacterium causing zebra chip disease of potato, ‘Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum’ (Solanaceae haplotypes are listed in the EPPO A1 List), is reported for the first time in Peru, in the province of Huancabamba (Piura region). Control measures have allowed containment of the pest.
The pest status of ‘Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum’ in Peru is officially declared as: Present, transient.
In Peru, the presence of Bactericera cockerelli (Hemiptera: Triozidae - EPPO A1 List), potato psyllid vector of zebra chip disease, was first reported in 2021 (EPPO RS 2022/055) in the province of Huancabamba (Piura region) and is now reported from the potato production areas in the regions of Cajamarca, La Libertad, Piura, and Tumbes (all North-western Peru). An official monitoring programme is implemented to contain the psyllid and IPM is applied to reduce infestation levels.
The pest status of Bactericera cockerelli in Peru is officially declared as: Present, not widely distributed and under official control.
Sources
IPPC website. Official Pest Reports - Peru (2024-08-24): Condición de Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum y su vector. https://www.ippc.int/fr/countries/peru/pestreports/2024/08/reporte-de-candidatus-liberibacter-solanacearum-y-bactericera-cockerelli/