Pest categorisation of Aleurocanthus spp.

Abstract

The Panel on Plant Health performed a pest categorisation of Aleurocanthus spp., a well‐defined insect genus of the whitefly family Aleyrodidae (Arthropoda: Hemiptera). Difficulties within the taxonomy of the genus give doubt about the ability to accurately identify some members to species level. Nevertheless, the genus is thought to currently include about ninety species mainly reported from tropical and subtropical areas. The genus is listed in Council Directive 2000/29/EC and is regulated on Citrus, Fortunella and Poncirus. Several Aleurocanthus species are highly polyphagous; Aleurocanthus spiniferus has hosts in 38 plant families; Aleurocanthus woglumi has more than 300 hosts including Pyrus, Rosa and Vitis vinifera as well as Citrus. A. spiniferus is present in the EU in restricted areas of Italy and Greece, where it is under official control. No other Aleurocanthus spp. are known to occur in the EU. Host plants for planting, excluding seeds, and cut flowers or branches are the main pathways for entry. Outside of the EU, the genus can be found in regions that have climate types which also occur within the EU, suggesting establishment is possible. Aleurocanthus spp. can be significant pests of crops that are also grown in the EU. Phytosanitary measures are available to reduce the likelihood of entry into the EU, e.g. sourcing host plants for planting from pest free areas. As a genus Aleurocanthus does satisfy all the criteria that are within the remit of EFSA to assess and required by risk managers to give it consideration as a Union quarantine pest. Aleurocanthus does not meet all of the criteria to allow it consideration by risk managers as a Union regulated non‐quarantine pest (RNQP). Specifically, Aleurocanthus is not widespread in the EU.

Risk assessment of Citripestis sagittiferella for the EU

“…On the other hand, there are species such as the citrus blackfly, Aleurocanthus woglumi Ashby (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha: Aleyrodidae), which occurs in South Africa (EFSA PLH Panel, 2018b), the oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) (Diptera: Tephritidae), which has been detected several times in California, US, but also in the EU (EFSA PLH Panel, 2020), and the Asian citrus psyllid, D. citri , which occurs in Israel (EPPO Reporting Service, 2022) and California (EFSA PLH Panel, 2021c). These non‐EU species are now regulated as quarantine pests in the EU (Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2072).…”

Pest survey card on Aleurocanthus spiniferus and Aleurocanthus woglumi

“…They are the units of interest, on which statistics are applied (e.g. a tree, orchard, field, glasshouse, or nursery) (EFSA, 2018).…”

“…They are the units within the epidemiological units that could potentially host the pests and on which the pest diagnosis takes place. (EFSA, 2018).…”

“…The objective of this pest survey card is to provide the relevant biological information needed to prepare surveys for Aleurocanthus spp. in EU Member States (EFSA, 2018). It is part of a toolkit that is being developed to assist Member States with planning a statistically sound and risk-based pest survey approach in line with International Plant Protection Convention guidelines for surveillance…”

SHORT COMMUNICATION: FIRST RECORD OF Aleurocanthus camelliae (Homoptera: aleyrodidae) IN INDONESIA, AN INVASIVE PEST ON VARIOUS MEDICINAL PLANTS

“…It is a member of the genus Aleurocanthus that comprises about 80 species worldwide (Jansen & Porcelli, 2018). They belong to the family Aleyrodidae that referred to as whitefly (Bragard et al, 2018). The living behaviour of A. camelliae larvae is sessile and settles on the underside of the leaves.…”