EPPO Bulletin最新文献

The presence of coconut rhinoceros beetle (Oryctes rhinoceros) was confirmed in Timor–Leste based on damage symptoms observed in photographs of coconut palms and subsequent trapping efforts. Specimens collected by the National Directorate of Quarantine and Biosecurity, Timor–Leste were identified as O. rhinoceros through morphological and molecular analysis. This is the first confirmed report of coconut rhinoceros beetle in Timor–Leste, highlighting the urgent need for a coordinated biosecurity response to assess eradication potential and prevent pest spread.

The European spruce bark beetle (Ips typographus), a primary concern for forest management in Europe, often co-infests its host tree Norway spruce (Picea abies) with the northern bark beetle (Ips duplicatus). To achieve effective bark beetle control, it is crucial to differentiate between the two species. However up-to-date research on I. duplicatus in the hemiboreal region of Europe is lacking. In Estonia, I. duplicatus has been considered univoltine. To address previous suspicions, the current pilot study was conducted to explore the voltinism of I. duplicatus. The study confirmed the development of two generations during the activity period of 2024, with the majority of newly emerged adults of the second generation leaving the host tree by October. Calculation of accumulated degree days above the lowest temperature threshold of 6.3°C demonstrated a significant increase in the annual temperature sum over an 80-year observation period, indicating the extension of the activity period of I. duplicatus. The shift to bivoltinism is significant for forest managers because it leads to greater forest damage across a larger area within a single activity season. In some cases, I. duplicatus can become the primary pest, requiring distinct monitoring and control measures compared to I. typographus. However, the details of overwintering habits and the exact temperature sum necessary to complete a full generation require further investigation.

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) was mandated by the European Union (EU) to perform a group pest categorization of exotic Scolytinae (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) whose establishment in the EU territory would present a significant risk in terms of plant health. This should be used to reconsider the listing of ‘Non-European Scolytinae’ as quarantine pests in the current EU Regulation. In a first stage, EFSA short-listed 88 Scolytinae species developing on broadleaf hosts and known for their mobility, having impact levels documented in literature and either absent or with a limited presence in the EU. EFSA then asked the European Union Reference Laboratory (EURL) to provide comments related to its expertise in the diagnosis of quarantine insects, and to assess the practical and technical implications of including these species in the list submitted for future regulation? The EURL proceeded with a case-by-case examination of these 88 species and ranked the overall feasibility of their identification, from A (both morphological and molecular tools available) to D (none available). Several related issues were also raised. In particular, the molecular identification of Scolytinae using sequences hosted in NCBI GenBank and Bold databases proved to be highly hazardous. The case of the Euwallacea fornicatus complex was also especially problematic because of multiple issues in its taxonomy and in the available tools for the distinction of its constitutive species. As a result, we proposed a list of recommendations for consideration in modifying EFSA's pest categorization and selected the tools to be developed in the next EURL working programme.

Based on specimens collected in citrus orchards the African fruit fly, Zaprionus tuberculatus Malloch, 1932 (Diptera: Drosophilidae), is recorded for the first time in Corsica (France) and Sicily (Italy). The spread of invasive drosophilid species to new regions via imported fruits occurs very rapidly. In the Mediterranean region, the invasive fly Z. tuberculatus has recently established in numerous areas. Although it is not yet well-known what impact it may cause on agricultural crops, in the light of recent data it must be considered as potentially harmful, like the closely related species Z. indianus, which has become an economically important pest on fig fruits. The pest status and range expansion of Z. tuberculatus should be assessed to estimate risk to fruit production. This paper provides information on the morphology, distribution and ecology of this drosophilid.

The following information should be added to the PM 8 Standards on tree genera:

The EPPO Working Party on Phytosanitary Regulations (Prague, 2024-06-18/21) decided that EPPO Standards of the series PM 8 Commodity-specific phytosanitary measures for tree genera, including this one, should no longer be updated. Therefore, the phytosanitary recommendations included in the text of this Standard might be outdated. Information on the current recommendations may be available in the EPPO Pest Risk Analysis (PRA) documents (stored in https://pra.eppo.int or https://gd.eppo.int).

This information should be added in the form of an addendum to the Standards: PM 8/2 (3) Coniferae (EPPO, 2018a), PM 8/4 (1) Castanea (EPPO, 2017a), PM 8/5 (1) Quercus (EPPO, 2017b), PM 8/6 (1) Betula (EPPO, 2017c), PM 8/7 (1) Populus (EPPO, 2017d), PM 8/8 (1) Salix (EPPO, 2017e), PM 8/9 (1) Fagus (EPPO, 2018b), PM 8/10 (1) Ulmus (EPPO, 2020a), PM 8/11 (1) Fraxinus (EPPO, 2020b), PM 8/12 (1) Juglans (EPPO, 2020c), PM 8/13 (1) Acer (EPPO, 2022a), PM 8/14 (1) Platanus (EPPO, 2022b) and PM 8/15 (1) Tilia (EPPO, 2022c).

Bamboos are popular ornamental plants in the EPPO region though some of them have been observed to escape the confines of planting and establish in the natural environment. The aim of this study is to produce a risk-based list of bamboo species which are recorded in the natural environment in the EPPO region, and to determine if any of the species require a pest risk analysis. Forty-two bamboo species were identified as being present in the natural environment in the EPPO region. Of these, 11 species fulfil the three pre-selected criteria for species to be considered potentially harmful: (1) the species is naturalized in at least one EPPO country; (2) the species has a running dispersal behaviour (leptomorph); and (3) there is evidence of invasive behaviour in at least one country. These 11 species were prioritized using the EPPO prioritization process for invasive alien plants. Owing to their high spread potential and potential high impact, three species, namely Phyllostachys aurea, Pseudosasa japonica and Sasa palmata, proceeded to the second stage of the prioritization process (risk management stage). All three species were identified as having a high priority for a pest risk analysis. In 2024, the EPPO Panel on Invasive Alien Plants agreed with the results of the study but noted that further information on impacts would be beneficial and therefore the Panel agreed that Ph. aurea and S. palmata should be added to the EPPO Alert List along with the already included P. japonica. This will raise awareness of these species in the region and further information can be gathered to support the development of a risk assessment.

Biological control is a pest control method that can offer an environmentally safer alternative to chemical pesticides. The proven safety record of both augmentative and classical biological control technologies allows its utilization against indigenous and non-indigenous but well-established pests, whether under protected conditions (e.g., glasshouses) or in open field cropping systems. This manuscript has been developed by the Joint European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization (EPPO) and the International Organization for Biological and Integrated Control (IOBC) Panel on Biological Control Agents and presents an assessment on the current use of classical and augmentative biological control for the control of regulated plant pests. The paper discusses challenges for the uptake of biological control for regulated pests and provides recommendations to increase the safe use of biological control agents in the EPPO region.

The coconut rhinoceros beetle (Oryctes rhinoceros) is an invasive pest from South-East Asia that poses a significant threat to coconut palms in tropical regions. First detected on the mainland of Papua New Guinea in 2009 near Jacksons International Airport, located on the southern coast of the mainland near the city of Port Moresby, coconut rhinoceros beetle spread rapidly throughout Port Moresby and along the coast. This study utilized historical records, satellite imagery, on-site surveys and stakeholder interviews to assess the impact of coconut rhinoceros beetle in three Port Moresby locations: the Gateway Hotel gardens, the Kilakila settlement and the Pacific Adventist University plantation. Results indicated severe coconut palm losses, over 90%, 80% and 40% at the three sites, respectively, with significant economic repercussions, including a sharp rise in local coconut prices. These findings highlight the urgent need for comprehensive management and mitigation strategies to protect Papua New Guinea's coconut palm ecosystems and dependent livelihoods.