EUROPEAN AND MEDITERRANEAN PLANT PROTECTION ORGANIZATION

05-12078

Limonius californicus

Extracts of reports of EPPO Meetings

As mentioned on the introductory section of the Web page on PRA documents, PRA documents are working documents which have usually been produced by an assessor whose opinion may have been commented during Panel meetings and comments have usually not been included in the PRA documents but are found in Panel meeting reports. This document consists of extracts of EPPO Meetings' discussions on Pest Risk Analysis documents on the relevant pest. Discussions on Pest Specific Phytosanitary Requirements (PSPR)[1], have also been reported when relevant as they include elements on possible risk management options.

33rd Meeting of the Panel on Phytosanitary Measures (Paris, OIE, 2001-01-23/26)

8.  Potential EPPO quarantine pests

8.5  Candidates from the Panel on European Phytosanitary Measures for Potato

8.5.7 Limonius californicus

A pest risk assessment, report of a pest risk assessment and data sheet had been prepared by Dr McLeod in UK. Dr Smith (Chairman) noted that this wireworm seemed to be less important on potato, that it could be managed like European species and was not likely to be damaging. However, the pathway was more probable since L. californicus tunnelled into tubers. Mr Pemberton noted that the programme on potato should be put in context. There were no potato imports at the moment. If the work of the Panel on Potato showed that it may be possible to allow potato trade, this sort of organism would need to be considered and a package of measures to avoid introduction would have to be put into place. Mr Unger said that EPPO should single out one or two species of wireworms on potato in North America and take appropriate measures. He supported addition of L. californicus.

6th meeting of the Panel on European Phytosanitary Measures for Potato (Bratislava, Slovakia, 2001-02-20/22)

4.  Draft commodity standard

4.2  Candidates quarantine pests of potato

Limonius californicus and Melanotus communis: a data sheet, a report of a pest risk assessment and a pest risk assessment had been prepared by Mr MacLeod, in UK. The Panel on Phytosanitary Measures had noted the existence of a number of North American Elateridae, several of which attacked potatoes. It had taken the view that, although one could not be sure that the most important species had been identified, one or two should be singled out. M. communis feeds on the surface and is considered as the most important wireworm in the USA, while L. californicus feeds in the tubers. The Panel had also noted that similar wireworms were already present in Europe, but had argued that this was not a sufficient reason to ignore the risk from North American species. Mr Steeghs argued that M. communis could only enter if it was shipped with large quantities of soil. Since potatoes would be accompanied by a limited amount of soil, it should not therefore be a quarantine pest. Mr Smith (Chairman) noted that this pest was an appropriate technical justification for the requirement on freedom (complete or substantial) from soil. Mrs Müller agreed that one or two, amongst the many damaging species of North American wireworms, should be listed to give the opportunity to take action.

The Panel recommends addition of L. californicus and M. communis to the A1 list.

7th meeting of the ad hoc Panel on European Phytosanitary Measures for Potato (Kleinmachnow, DE, 2001-09-26/28)

3.  First draft of the commodity standard for potato

3.4  Pest-specific phytosanitary requirements (PSPRs) for quarantine pests of potato

3.4.2 PSPRs for: Melanotus communis, Limonius californicus, Diabrotica speciosa

As explained under point 2.2, individual PSPRs are needed for Melanotus communis, Limonius californicus and Diabrotica speciosa before they can be added to the A1 list. The Secretariat had drafted PSPRs. Mr Smith explained that requirements were identical for the three pests. For potato tubers, the main requirement was simply freedom from soil. For plants for planting, the simplest requirement would be just a PC. However, the Secretariat had noted that "soil or growing medium attached to or associated with plants", from most non-European origins, was subject to strict requirements in Eu Directive 2000/29. In EPPO terms, this was equivalent to requiring all plants to follow EPPO quarantine procedure PM 3/54. The technical justification for this was not explicit, and it did not appear to the Secretariat that it could be justified, on account of these three pests, for countries where they did not occur. Mr Pemberton (GB) thought that PM 3/54 was a systems approach to deal with all these pests, and that it could be used in the PSPR. However, this issue should be discussed more broadly by the Panel on Phytosanitary Measures. It was finally proposed that plants with growing medium from all origins should have a PC, while only plants with growing medium from countries where [the pest] occurs should be grown following EPPO Phytosanitary Procedure 54.

The Panel on Phytosanitary Measures should reflect on the technical justification of the requirements for plants for planting with growing medium, and in particular the justification of the differentiation between origins which arises from EU Directive 2000/29.

39th Meeting of the Working Party on Phytosanitary Regulations (Irkutsk, Russia, 2001-06-25/28)

13. EPPO lists of quarantine pests

13.1  Additions

13.1.2 from the Panel on Potato: Epitrix cucumeris, Limonius californicus, Melanotus communis, Diabrotica speciosa

On the basis of the documentation presented to it, the Working Party was favourably disposed to the addition of Limonius californicus, Melanotus communis and Diabrotica speciosa to the A1 list. The Panel on European Phytosanitary Measures for Potato should now consider suitable SQRs. The Working Party was also in favour of addition of Epitrix cucumeris. A relevant SQR had already been drafted by the Panel on European Phytosanitary Measures for Potato.

The Working Party recommends to Executive Committee and Council the addition of Epitrix cucumeris to the A1 list. The Panel on European Phytosanitary Measures for Potato should draft SQRs for Limonius californicus, Melanotus communis and Diabrotica speciosa.

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[1] formerly called Specific Quarantine Requirements (SQR)