Pest risk assessment made by France on Panonychus citri considered by France as harmful in French overseas departments of French Guiana and Martinique - Scientific Opinion of the Panel on Plant Health - Archive ouverte HAL Accéder directement au contenu
Rapport Année : 2008

Pest risk assessment made by France on Panonychus citri considered by France as harmful in French overseas departments of French Guiana and Martinique - Scientific Opinion of the Panel on Plant Health

David Makowski

Résumé

Following a request from the European Commission, the Panel on Plant Health was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on 30 pest risk assessments made by France on organisms which are considered by France as harmful in four French overseas departments, i.e. French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique and Réunion. In particular, the Panel was asked whether these organisms can be considered as harmful organisms for the endangered area of the above departments, in the meaning of the definition mentioned in Article 2.1.(e) of Directive 2000/29/EC and thus potentially eligible for addition to the list of harmful organisms in Directive 2000/29/EC. This document presents the opinion of the Panel on Plant Health on the full[1] the pest risk assessment conducted by France on Panonychus citri with French Guiana and Martinique considered as endangered areas. The citrus red mite Panonychus citri (McGregor) is a species distributed in all regions of the world. It primarily feeds on the upper surface of mature leaves, fruit and young branches, and may cause heavy leaf drop, twig dieback and fruit drop. P. citri has a wide host range including all species of citrus, apple, pear, peach, plum, carambola, papaya, loquat and grapevines. Citrus is the major host, and although P. citri is polyphagous, the above effects have only been recorded on the major host (CABI, 2007). P. citri has a short generation time: up to 16 generations may occur within one year, with the majority of these (10-11) in spring/summer (Jeppson et al., 1975). It relies on wind for long-distance dispersal (Jeppson et al., 1975). Natural enemies are important for the biocontrol of P. citri wherever it occurs. Existing control programs (IPM, application of petroleum spray oil) may control P. citri but effective biocontrol strategies exist (New South Wales, Australia, Smith et al., 1997). The Panel examined in detail the risk assessment provided, and considered the accuracy and quality of the information provided and methods applied for pest risk assessment purposes. The review was based on the principles of the International Standard on Phytosanitary Measures ISPM No. 11[2]: Pest risk analysis for quarantine pests including analysis of environmental risks and living modified organisms (2004) by the International Plant Protection Convention (FAO, 2007b). The pest risk assessment concludes that the risk of introduction into French Guiana and Martinique is moderate for the citrus fruits pathway, high for the citrus plants for planting (whole plants and budwood for grafting). The risk of establishment is very high, and the potential economic impact is moderate. The Panel judges that the probability of the pest to enter the PRA area[3] is higher than moderate because: * Normal pre-packing procedures should eliminate the pest from the fruit but not all imported citrus fruit undergoes this treatment, * The pest may occur in the calyx and not be detected during inspection, * The current restrictions limit the probability of entry through the citrus plant pathway (including propagation material), but * Other host plants, including ornamentals, can carry the pest, and * The passenger pathway, although unknown, can seriously increase the probability of entry Further, the Panel agrees that P. citri has a high probability of establishment, due to its polyphagous nature, the presence of suitable environmental conditions, widely dispersed host plants in the PRA area, and the high dispersal ability of the pest. Once established, the pest can spread rapidly. The Panel disagrees with the rating of economic consequences in the pest risk assessment. There is only limited evidence of the harmfulness of P. citri to citrus crops in its area of current distribution and no evidence of harm to other host plants. Further, effective management methods exist to control the pest (pesticides and biological control methods). Additionally, citrus fruits are not grown extensively for commercial purposes in the PRA area, therefore the economic consequences of the presence of the pest, as also pointed out in the pest risk assessment, are not expected to be serious. Uncertainty exists about the absence of the pest from the PRA area, quality and reliability of treatment of fruit transported from areas where the pest is present, and the efficacy of existing biological control agents in the PRA area. These, however, are not expected to influence the overall conclusion. The Panel disagrees with the conclusion of the French document, and does not consider P. citri as appropriate for pest risk management. Therefore, the Panel concludes that P. citri is not potentially eligible for addition to the list of harmful organisms of Directive 2000/29 EC
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Dates et versions

hal-01173703 , version 1 (07-07-2015)

Identifiants

  • HAL Id : hal-01173703 , version 1
  • PRODINRA : 29203

Citer

R. Baker, D. Caffier, J.W. Choiseul, P. de Clercq, E. Dormannsne-Simon, et al.. Pest risk assessment made by France on Panonychus citri considered by France as harmful in French overseas departments of French Guiana and Martinique - Scientific Opinion of the Panel on Plant Health. [0] European Commission. 2008, 17 p. ⟨hal-01173703⟩
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