7^th Meeting of the EPPO Panel on Diagnostics in Entomology

Teleconference, 2021-05-18/19

The EPPO Panel on Diagnostics in Entomology met by videoconference. The face-to-face meeting was cancelled as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic. The EPPO Secretariat was pleased to welcome new experts from the Czech Republic, Denmark, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands and Turkey.

Revised EPPO Diagnostic Protocols reviewed during the meeting

The Panel reviewed 3 revised Diagnostic Protocols.

PM 7/053 Liriomyza spp.

The Panel reviewed the comments received during country consultation. The Diagnostic protocol will be finalized with the contribution of experts from Israel and the United Kingdom and the revised version of the Diagnostic Protocol will be sent to the Panel for approval and then sent for the final approval (formal objection) stage in June 2021.

PM 7/007 Aleurocanthus spiniferus and PM 7/008 A. woglumi

A draft revision was prepared by experts from France. The revision consisted of an update and merge of the Diagnostic Protocols on Aleurocanthus spiniferus and A. woglumii and of the addition of another species Aleurocanthus citriperdus. The Lead Authors will prepare a revised version of the Diagnostic Protocol that will take into account the discussions of the Panel and will include drawings of the pests to highlight the morphological characters that are important for their identification. The revised Diagnostic Protocol will be sent for country consultation by the end of 2021-06.

PM 7/116 Tetranychus evansi

A revision was prepared by experts from France and Russia. The Panel agreed to include additional illustrations and references on the preparation of specimens. The revised Diagnostic Protocol will be sent for country consultation.

New EPPO Diagnostic Protocols reviewed during the meeting

The Panel discussed 3 new Diagnostic Protocols.

Dendrolimus sibiricus

The Panel reviewed the first draft of the Diagnostic Protocol prepared by the expert from Finland. The Panel discussed the information to include in the sections on Detection and Identification. A drafting team composed of experts from Belgium, Finland, France, Italy, the Netherlands and Slovenia will prepare a revised version of the Diagnostic Protocol. Pictures will be added (e.g. of females, of the vesica). Information on the European species will be included in the Diagnostic Protocol. A teleconference of the Drafting Team will be organized in 2021-09.

Agrilus planipennis

The preliminary draft Diagnostic Protocol prepared by experts from Canada, the Netherlands, Russia and Slovenia was presented to the Panel. The Drafting Team will continue to work on the Diagnostic Protocol: the introduction will be shortened, pictures will be added, the way the morphological key is presented will be modified, additional validation data for the LAMP test will be added. A new version will be prepared before the summer and discussed by the Panel in 2021-08.

Euwallacea fornicatus

A draft Diagnostic Protocol was prepared by the expert from the United Kingdom. The Panel discussed the specific scope of the Diagnostic Protocol, in particular if it should be Euwallacea fornicatus sensu stricto or sensu lato. It was agreed that the focus of the Diagnostic Protocol should be Euwallacea fornicatus sensu lato (as recommended for regulation by EPPO) and to include information on the morphological and molecular identification of the four species in the complex in a specific section. Experts from the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and possibly Israel will prepare a new draft that takes into account the Panel’s discussions.

Participants

The composition of the EPPO Panel on Diagnostics in Entomology can be found on the  EPPO website.