Commodity risk assessment of Ficus carica plants from Israel

et al. 2023

EFS2

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The EFSA Panel on Plant Health performed a pest categorisation of Icerya aegyptiaca (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha: Monophlebidae), the Egyptian fluted scale, for the EU. This insect is established in several countries in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Within the EU, the pest has not been reported. It is not listed in Annex II of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2072. It is highly polyphagous, feeding on plants in 128 genera and 66 families, with some preference for avocado ( Persea americana ), banana ( Musa sp.), citrus ( Citrus spp.), coconut ( Coccos nucifera ), common pear ( Pyrus communis ), fig ( Ficus spp.), guava ( Psidium guajava ), maize ( Zea mays ), mango ( Mangifera indica ), white mulberry ( Morus alba ), and grapevine ( Vitis vinifera ). It has also been recorded feeding on tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum ), as well as on ornamental plants. Plants for planting and fruits, vegetables and cut flowers are the main potential pathways for entry of I. aegyptiaca into the EU. Climatic conditions and availability of host plants in parts of the EU where there are very few days of frost each year would likely allow this species to successfully establish and spread. Economic impact in cultivated hosts including citrus, grapes, maize, peppers, sunflowers, tomatoes and ornamental crops is anticipated if establishment occurs. Phytosanitary measures are available to reduce the likelihood of entry and spread. I. aegyptiaca meets the criteria that are within the remit of EFSA to assess for this species to be regarded as a potential Union quarantine pest.

Section: Pest Categorisationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pest categorisation of Icerya aegyptiaca

Bragard¹,

Baptista²,

et al. 2023

EFS2

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“…Families that contain large numbers of host plants include Apocynaceae, Fabaceae, Malvaceae, Moraceae and Rosaceae. The main hosts of economic importance of R. pustulans are fig (Ficus carica), apple (Malus domestica), guava (Psidium guajava), mango (Mangifera indica), olive (Olea europaea), peach (Prunus persica), pear (Pyrus communis), plum (Prunus domestica), other fruit trees and ornamental plants, especially oleander (El-Salam and Mangoud, 2001;Malumphy, 2014;EFSA PLH Panel, 2021). Appendix A provides a comprehensive list of hosts.…”

Section: Biology Of the Pestmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…There is a derogation for F. carica (EU) 2020/1213) and for Persea americana ((EU) 2021/1936) plants coming from Israel. A commodity risk assessment for F. carica plants for planting from Israel, indicated with 95% certainty, that between 95.85% and 100% of imported plants would be free of R. pustulans (EFSA PLH Panel, 2021).…”

Section: Comment On Plants For Planting As a Pathwaymentioning

confidence: 99%

Pest categorisation of Russellaspis pustulans

Bragard¹,

Baptista²,

et al. 2022

EFS2

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The EFSA Panel on Plant Health performed a pest categorisation of Russellaspis pustulans (Hemiptera: Asterolecaniidae), the oleander pit scale, for the EU. R. pustulans occurs widely in tropical and subtropical areas of the world and is restricted to indoor plantings in cooler temperate regions. Within the EU, it has been reported in some literature from Cyprus, Italy and Malta though not confirmed by the NPPOs. R. pustulans is not listed in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2072. It is very polyphagous, feeding on plants in 69 families and exhibits a preference for fig (Ficus carica) and oleander (Nerium oleander). R. pustulans was observed completing up to three generations per year in Egypt, with peaks of presence in June, October and December. The main natural dispersal stage is the first instar, which crawls over the host plant or may be dispersed further by wind and animals. Plants for planting, cut branches and fruits provide potential pathways for entry into the EU. Climatic conditions in some parts of southern EU countries are favourable and host plants are available in those areas to support establishment. However, the magnitude of impact following introduction is uncertain. Phytosanitary measures are available to reduce the likelihood of entry and further spread. R. pustulans does meet the criteria that are within the remit of EFSA to assess for it to be regarded as a potential Union quarantine pest.

“…N. dimidiatum was an actionable pest in the commodity risk assessments of Ficus carica and Persea americana from Israel (EFSA PLH Panel, 2021a , b ), as well as of Prunus persica and P. dulcis from Turkiye (EFSA PLH Panel, 2023 ) and is mentioned in Annex 1D of the mandate (List of pests identified by Horizon Scanning and selected for pest categorisation).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pest categorisation of Neoscytalidium dimidiatum

Bragard¹,

Baptista²,

et al. 2023

EFS2

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The EFSA Plant Health Panel performed a pest categorisation of Neoscytalidium dimidiatum, a clearly defined plant pathogenic fungus of the family Botryosphaeriaceae. The pathogen affects a wide range of woody perennial crops and ornamental plants causing symptoms such as leaf spot, shoot blight, branch dieback, canker, pre-and post-harvest fruit rot, gummosis and root rot. The pathogen is present in Africa, Asia, North and South America, and Oceania. It has also been reported from Greece, Cyprus and Italy, with a restricted distribution. Nevertheless, there is a key uncertainty on the geographical distribution of N. dimidiatum worldwide and in the EU, because in the past, when molecular tools were not available, the two synanamorphs of the pathogen (Fusicoccum-like and Scytalidium-like) might have been misidentified based only on morphology and pathogenicity tests. N. dimidiatum is not included in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2072. Because of the wide host range of the pathogen, this pest categorisation focuses on those hosts for which there is robust evidence that the pathogen was formally identified by a combination of morphology, pathogenicity and multilocus sequence analysis. Plants for planting, fresh fruits and bark and wood of host plants as well as soil and other plant growing media are the main pathways for the further entry of the pathogen into the EU. Host availability and climate suitability factors occurring in parts of the EU are favourable for the further establishment of the pathogen. In the areas of its present distribution, including Italy, the pathogen has a direct impact on cultivated hosts. Phytosanitary measures are available to prevent the further introduction and spread of the pathogen into the EU. N. dimidiatum satisfies the criteria that are within the remit of EFSA to assess for this species to be regarded as potential Union quarantine pest.