EFSA Journal (Apr 2024)

Pest categorisation of Crisicoccus seruratus

  • EFSA Panel on Plant Health (PLH),
  • Claude Bragard,
  • Paula Baptista,
  • Elisavet Chatzivassiliou,
  • Francesco Di Serio,
  • Paolo Gonthier,
  • Josep Anton Jaques Miret,
  • Annemarie Fejer Justesen,
  • Christer Sven Magnusson,
  • Panagiotis Milonas,
  • Juan A. Navas‐Cortes,
  • Stephen Parnell,
  • Roel Potting,
  • Philippe Lucien Reignault,
  • Emilio Stefani,
  • Hans‐Hermann Thulke,
  • Wopke Van der Werf,
  • Antonio Vicent Civera,
  • Jonathan Yuen,
  • Lucia Zappalà,
  • Jean‐Claude Grégoire,
  • Chris Malumphy,
  • Spyridon Antonatos,
  • Virag Kertesz,
  • Dimitrios Papachristos,
  • Oresteia Sfyra,
  • Alan MacLeod

DOI
https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2024.8740
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 22, no. 4
pp. n/a – n/a

Abstract

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Abstract Following the commodity risk assessments of Acer palmatum plants grafted on A. davidii from China, in which Crisicoccus matsumotoi (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) was identified as a pest of possible concern, the European Commission requested the EFSA Panel on Plant Health to conduct a pest categorisation of C. matsumotoi for the territory of the European Union. Recent taxonomic revision of the genus Crisisoccus concluded that C. matsumotoi is a synonym of C. seruratus; therefore, the categorisation will use the current valid name C. seruratus. It is an insect pest native to Japan, feeding on species in 13 plant families. There are reports of its presence also in China and the Republic of Korea, but there is great uncertainty about the identity of the species for these records. Therefore, there is uncertainty about the species referred to as C. matsumotoi in the commodity risk assessments of A. palmatum. C. seruratus is a multivoltine species. It has three generations per year and overwinters as a nymph. The most important crops that may be affected by C. seruratus are figs (Ficus carica), grapes (Vitis spp.), nashi pears (Pyrus pyrifolia var. culta), persimmons (Diospyros kaki) and walnuts (Juglans regia). Plants for planting and fruits provide potential pathways for entry into the EU. Host availability and climate suitability suggest that the central, northern and some areas of southern EU countries would be suitable for the establishment of C. seruratus. The introduction of this mealybug would likely have an economic impact in the EU through yield reduction and fruit downgrading because of honeydew deposition and the consequent growth of sooty moulds. This insect is not listed in Annex II of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2072. Phytosanitary measures are available to reduce the likelihood of entry and spread of this species into the EU. C. seruratus satisfies the criteria that are within the remit of EFSA to assess for it to be regarded as a potential Union quarantine pest.

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