North American Plant Protection Organization

2012 report to RPPO – TC

on emerging pests

Ian McDonellNAPPO Executive Director

Current and emerging major pest issues

• Tuta absoluta: NAPPO survey protocol• Huanglongbing• Boxwood blight (Cylindrocladium pseudonaviculatum)

Others • Fruit: Lobesia botrana, Drosophila suzukii

(discussion papers for prevention)• Assessment of risks associated with importation of

bee pollen and royal jelly diverted from its intended use as a health food product

Tuta absoluta• Originated in South America • Significant pest of tomato• Also pest of other solanaceous

crops such as potato and eggplant • Attacks all aerial parts of the host• Can be spread by seedlings,

infested vines with tomato fruit, tomato fruit and used containers

• Economic impact:– increase in the cost of tomato

production (additional costs for crop protection)

– yield loss (lower marketable production)

– and because it is very challenging to control the pest and limit its spread.

http://www.tutaabsoluta.com/uploads/files/tutaabsoluta_profile-01-10-2009.pdf

Damage caused by Tuta absoluta

Europe: Albania, France, Greece, Germany, Italy Bulgaria, Malta, Portugal, England, the Netherlands, Switzerland and United Kingdom.

Northern Africa: Algeria, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia

Asia: Bahrain and Kuwait

South America: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela

Recently found in: Turkey, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Lithuania, Palestine, Panama, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Syria, ...

DISTRIBUTION

Surveillance protocol for the tomato leaf miner, Tuta absoluta,

for NAPPO member countries • Currently under country consultation (Sept 11)• Developed jointly with OIRSA• Objective: the survey should allow for the early

detection, delimitation and management of Tuta absoluta in the North American (Mexico, USA, Canada) region.

• Includes methodologies for detection and delimiting surveys, in particular trapping, as well as suggested phytosanitary measures upon detection

Huanglongbing

• Common name: “Yellow shoot disease”, previously called “greening”

• gram negative, phloem-limited bacterium • Has not been isolated and Koch’s postulates

have not been fulfilled, so is “Candidatus” Liberibacter spp.

• Three strains: – Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus – Candidatus Liberibacter africanus– Candidatus Liberibacter americanus sp nov

• Vector: Asian Citrus Psyllid (Diaphorina citri ) + up to 6 months latency before symptoms appear

From Bové, 2011

HLB in Reunion island

From Bové, 2011

NAPPO DIAGNOSTIC PROTOCOLDP 02: Citrus Huanglongbing

• Currently under country consultation (Sept 6)• IPPC format for diagnostic protocols used• Includes:

– Description of pest– Detection– Identification

• molecular diagnostics – PCR and PCR-RT/qPCR, approving APHIS protocols

• Biological indexing• Sampling of plant material

– Records

Other activities on HLB

OIRSA attended the NAPPO Citrus Panel Meeting – shared information on FAO funded regional project (training, lab

diagnostics, disease management, certified plant material, harmonized legislation among OIRSA countries)

– Work initiated on an area-wide management protocol

Boxwood Blight: Situation Overview

Host genera

Sarcococca sp. (Sweetbox) (photo: Wikipedia)

Pachysandra sp.(Photo: timoilves.planet.ee)

Buxus sp. (photo: redfire.co.nz)

Boxwood Blight: Situation Overview (cont.)

CTMAMDRI

Positive discoveries in U.S.(also present in BC and ON, Canada)

Epidemiology• Spores dispersal mostly through rain splash• Fungus produces microsclerotia• 2 strains are known in Europe - only 1 in U.S.

Photo credit: Dr. Sharon Douglas, CAES

Infected Buxus

Pathogen• Cylindrocladium pseudonaviculatum

= Calonectria pseudonaviculata= Cylindrocladium buxicola

Symptoms• Leaf and stem lesions• Leaf drop and stem dieback

Acknowledgements: Joseph Bischoff, ANLA, 2012

Boxwood Blight: Strategy

• Action still taken at U.S . port of entry• USDA-APHIS is evaluating quarantine and action status• Some states are performing eradication measures• NPB developed voluntary compliance agreement for boxwood growers

• Farm Bill Funded Research ($550K)• Rapid diagnostics• Epidemiology• Fungicide trials• Cultural practices

• Floriculture & Nursery Research Initiative• Field deployable rapid diagnostics tools• Breeding for Boxwood Blight resistance

Regulatory

Industry• Established working group• Developed voluntary BMPs• Identified research agenda• Help coordinate researcher group• Launched info sharing website

• www.boxwoodblight.org

Industry and Researcher Collaboration

Acknowledgements: Joseph Bischoff, ANLA, 2012

Fruit PestsFruit Pests

Lobesia botrana(European grapevine moth)• Draft proposal to manage the risk of

introduction • Recommendations for

– emergency actions in case of an outbreak

– trapping systems– treatments

Drosophila suzukii(Spotted wing Drosophila)

• Compiling information on hosts, IPM measures, postharvest measures, fruit sampling, monitoring, distribution, biology and ecology

• Determine potential for spread

UC-IPM Online)

Bing.com/images

Assessment of risks associated with importation of bee pollen and royal jelly

diverted from its intended use as a health food product

• Draft paper elaborated: interceptions of diverted products, summary of country regulations, risk for pollen carrying viruses and bees carrying American foulbrood; discussion on treatments –not efficient

• Jurisdictional challenges: Animal Health vs. Plant Health departments – possible new Bee Panel

QUESTIONS?QUESTIONS?