| Legend |
|---|
| Justification for qualification based on EPPO PM 4 Standards |
| Justification for disqualification |
| Additional or non-conclusive information |
| Standard text |
NAME OF THE ORGANISM: Phytonemus pallidus (TARSPA)
GENERAL INFORMATION ON THE PEST
Name as submitted in the project specification (if different):
Pest category:
Acari
1- Identity of the pest/Level of taxonomic listing:
Is the organism clearly a single taxonomic entity and can it be adequately distinguished from other entities of the same rank?
Yes
Is the pest defined at the species level or lower?:
Yes
Can listing of the pest at a taxonomic level higher than species be supported by scientific reasons or can species be identified within the taxonomic rank which are the (main) pests of concern?
- Not relevant: Fruits (including hops) sector
If necessary, please list the species:
-
Is it justified that the pest is listed at a taxonomic rank below species level?
Not relevant
Conclusion:
- Not evaluated: Fruits (including hops) sector
Justification (if necessary):
-
2 – Status in the EU:
Is this pest already a quarantine pest for the whole EU?
No
Presence in the EU:
List of countries (EPPO Global Database):
-
Conclusion:
Justification (if necessary):
HOST PLANT N°1: Fragaria (1FRAG) for the Fruits (including hops) sector.
Origin of the listing:
Commission Implementing Directive (EU) 2014/98/EU and Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2072
Plants for planting:
Plants intended for planting
3 - Is the pest already listed in a PM4 standard on the concerned host plant?
Yes
Conclusion:
Qualified
Justification (if necessary):
EPPO Standard PM 4/11 Certification scheme for strawberry recommends inspection for 'Phytonemus pallidus fragariae', with same tolerance as in the EU.
Although ES considered in responses to the questionnaire that plants for planting was not the main pathway, this was not supported by enough justification. This was rediscussed during the Fruit SEWG and experts reported about several articles stating that the use of clean planting material may be the most effective way to manage this pest when planting new fields (see data collected in the pathway section). The Fruit SEWG had no evidence that plants for planting was not a significant pathway for production of strawberries under protected conditions.
Although ES considered in responses to the questionnaire that plants for planting was not the main pathway, this was not supported by enough justification. This was rediscussed during the Fruit SEWG and experts reported about several articles stating that the use of clean planting material may be the most effective way to manage this pest when planting new fields (see data collected in the pathway section). The Fruit SEWG had no evidence that plants for planting was not a significant pathway for production of strawberries under protected conditions.
4 - Are the listed plants for planting the main* pathway for the "pest/host/intended use" combination? (*: significant compared to others):
Conclusion:
Justification:
Several publications report that the use of pest free planting material is important when planting new strawberry fields:
- The key management approach for P. pallidus is the acquisition and planting of strawberry plants that are free of the pest. Once P. pallidus is established in strawberry crops, its suppression is more complex due to its tendency to seek refuge under the calyxes or within the crevices of the fruits, where they are less conspicuous and somewhat protected from insecticides (Vacacela Ajila et al., 2018).
- Since P. pallidus is difficult to eliminate by physical, biological, or chemical methods once a population is established in a field, the use of clean planting material for new strawberry fields may be the most effective way to manage cyclamen mites, and thereby prevent plant damage and crop loss. If introduced to a new field on a few infested transplants, P. pallidus can be passively dispersed by wind, farm equipment, field workers or insects. Movement also occurs locally between runners that emerge from infested plants and neighboring plants. Pests and pathogens that are transported on strawberry planting stock contribute to infestations in production fields and thus an opportunity exists to eliminate them before planting (Bernier et al., 2023).
- When healthy plants are planted, the population of strawberry mites increased over the next three growing seasons, but never to the point that chemical control was necessary (Labanowska, 2004).
- The propagation of free plants is essential for preventing the introduction of populations to the fruit production fields (UC, 2005).
- Generally, infested plants are arriving to the field (Kirschbaum, 2022).
- The key management approach for P. pallidus is the acquisition and planting of strawberry plants that are free of the pest. Once P. pallidus is established in strawberry crops, its suppression is more complex due to its tendency to seek refuge under the calyxes or within the crevices of the fruits, where they are less conspicuous and somewhat protected from insecticides (Vacacela Ajila et al., 2018).
- Since P. pallidus is difficult to eliminate by physical, biological, or chemical methods once a population is established in a field, the use of clean planting material for new strawberry fields may be the most effective way to manage cyclamen mites, and thereby prevent plant damage and crop loss. If introduced to a new field on a few infested transplants, P. pallidus can be passively dispersed by wind, farm equipment, field workers or insects. Movement also occurs locally between runners that emerge from infested plants and neighboring plants. Pests and pathogens that are transported on strawberry planting stock contribute to infestations in production fields and thus an opportunity exists to eliminate them before planting (Bernier et al., 2023).
- When healthy plants are planted, the population of strawberry mites increased over the next three growing seasons, but never to the point that chemical control was necessary (Labanowska, 2004).
- The propagation of free plants is essential for preventing the introduction of populations to the fruit production fields (UC, 2005).
- Generally, infested plants are arriving to the field (Kirschbaum, 2022).
5 - Economic impact:
Are there documented reports of any economic impact on the host?
Justification:
What is the likely economic impact of the pest irrespective of its infestation source in the absence of phytosanitary measures? (= official measures)
Is the economic impact due to the presence of the pest on the named host plant for planting, acceptable to the propagation and end user sectors concerned?
Is there unacceptable economic impact caused to other hosts (or the same host with a different intended use) produced at the same place of production due to the transfer of the pest from the named host plant for planting?
Conclusion:
Justification:
6 - Are there feasible and effective measures available to prevent the presence of the pest on the plants for planting at an incidence above a certain threshold (including zero) to avoid an unacceptable economic impact as regards the relevant host plants?
Conclusion:
Justification:
7- Is the quality of the data sufficient to recommend the pest to be listed as a RNQP?
Conclusion:
Justification:
CONCLUSION ON THE STATUS:
Recommended for listing as an RNQP, based on EPPO PM 4 Standards.
8 - Tolerance level:
Is there a need to change the Tolerance level:
No
Proposed Tolerance levels:
9 - Risk management measures:
Is there a need to change the Risk management measure:
No
Proposed Risk management measure:
REFERENCES:
- Bernier V, Lefebvre N, Khelifi M, Renkema J & Fournier V (2023) Control of Phytonemus pallidus (Acari: Tarsonemidae) from strawberry transplants using controlled atmosphere temperature treatment. Journal of Economic Entomology 116(5), 1560-1566.
- Kirschbaum (2022) Cultivo, poscosecha, procesado y comercio de berries. Chapter 2.1.1 Caracteristicas botanicas, fisiologia y tipos de variedades de fresas. In Eds. Namesny A, Conesa C, Olmos y Pere Papasseit LM. SPE3. Especialistes en Serveis per a la produccio editorial s.l. ISBN 978-84-16909-47-6. www.bibliotecahorticultura.com
- Labanowska BH (2004) Spread of the strawberry mite (Phytonemus pallidus ssp. fragariae Zimm.) on thirteen strawberry cultivars. Journal of Fruit and Ornamental Plant Research 12, 105-111. Available at https://www.inhort.pl/files/journal_pdf/journal_2004/full2004-13.pdf.
- UC (2005) Universidad de California Manejo Integrado de Plagas. Guia para el manejo de las plagas: Fresas. Publicacion 3473, 1-70.
- Vacacela Ajila HE, Lemos F, Colares F, Ferreira JAM LofegoAC & Pallini A (2018) A new record of a pest mite on strawberry: Phytonemus pallidus (Banks) (Acari: Tarsonemidae) arrives in Minas Gerais, Brazil. Florida entomologist 101(3).