1st Meeting of the Panel on Entomology

Paris, 2011-05-04/05

 
This was the first meeting of the Panel on Entomology which was formed following the reorganization of the Diagnostics Panels. The Panel continued the work on Diagnostic Protocols for entomology started by the Panel on Diagnostics (now the Panel on Diagnostics and Quality Assurance). Altogether, 29 Diagnostic Protocols on insects and mites and have now been approved and published and about 9 more are in different stages of preparation. A formalized procedure for annual review of the existing entomology protocols was agreed by the members of the Panel.

 

 

Pest-specific protocols

The following new protocols were considered to be ready, following consultation with the author to be presented for final approval: Ceratitis capitata, Ceratitis cosyra, Rhagoletis completa, Paysandisia archon, Sternochetus mangiferae.

 

The following protocols were considered ready to be sent to EPPO member governments for their critical comments:
The Panel considered that the protocol on Epitrix spp. should be sent for country consultation and that the EPPO Secretariat should ask the Working Party about the possibility for a speeded up process for country consultation by September and to submit this protocol for provisional approval this year.

 

Work on the following protocols continues: 
Work on Tetranychus evansi continues, the Panel agreed that it may be required to change the scope of the protocol and the EPPO Secretariat will discuss this with the author to find out whether it is feasible.

 

New or revised drafts of the following protocols are expected:
Depending on the availability of samples (for the protocol on Spodoptera spp.) and on the availability of the expert to work on the protocol (for the protocol onDrosophila suzukii) drafts may be prepared for the next meeting.


The protocol on Aleurocanthus spiniferus & A. woglumii was discussed relative to the inconsistencies in the descriptions of the number of marginal teeth. It was agreed that a corrigendum for this protocol should be prepared for the EPPO Bulletin to explain that this protocol is under revision. It was also agreed that the revision of this protocol to species level is not possible at the moment as the taxonomy is still under question. The author will be able to provide more information on this by the end of 2011.

 

Withdrawal of existing protocols:
As there is now an IPPC protocol on Thrips palmi the Panel recommended to the Working Party that the EPPO Protocol on Thrips palmi should be withdrawn with reference then made to the IPPC protocol. Some explanatory text would then be given about how EPPO interprets the IPPC protocol.

 

 

Horizontal diagnostic protocols

PM 7/76 Use of EPPO diagnostic protocols
Various suggestions were made about this standard by a group of nematologists and entomologists and presented at the meeting. These were discussed by the Panel. Some of the points were taken up, and in particular added to the instructions for authors. Other comments will be investigated further at the Panel on Diagnostics and Quality Assurance.

 

PM 7/98 Specific requirements for laboratories preparing accreditation for a plant pest diagnostic activity. 
Various general topics were discussed by the group concerning, whether morphological identification can be accredited according to ISO 17025 as well as how to judge competency in morphological identification. 


For Appendix 1 (Tests widely used in the EPPO region) of this standard the Panel agreed the following tests can be included in the list of tests that are widely used in the EPPO region when it is revised: Morphological identification methods included in PM 7/3 (2) Thrips palmi, PM 7/53 (1) Liriomyza spp., PM 7/35 (1) Bemisia tabaci, PM 7/36 (1) Diabrotica virgifera, PM 7/11 (1) Frankliniella occidentalis, PM 7/19 (1) Helicoverpa armigera, PM 7/53 (1) Liriomyza spp., PM 7/71 (1) Opogona sacchari, PM 7/55 (1) Rhizoecus hibisci, PM 7/56 (1) Scirtothrips aurantii, Scirtothrips citri & Scirtothrips dorsalis, PM 7/13 (1) Trogoderma granarium.

 

 

Other topics

A presentation of the redesigned EPPO Global Database was made. The Database on Diagnostic Expertise was introduced. Other general discussions included a discussion on sequencing and availability of references.

 

 

Next meeting

The next Panel meeting is scheduled in 2013.