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The number of invasive alien pest and pathogen species affecting ecosystem functioning, human health and economies has increased dramatically over the last decades. Discoveries of invasive pests and pathogens previously unknown to science or with unknown host associations yet damaging on novel hosts highlights the necessity of developing novel tools to predict their appearance in hitherto naïve environments. The use of sentinel plant systems is a promising tool to improve the detection of pests and pathogens before introduction and to provide valuable information for the development of preventative measures to minimize economic or environmental impacts. Though sentinel plantings have been established and studied during the last decade, there still remains a great need for guidance on which tools and protocols to put into practice in order to make assessments accurate and reliable. The sampling and diagnostic protocols chosen should enable as much information as possible about potential damaging agents and species identification. Consistency and comparison of results are based on the adoption of common procedures for sampling design and sample processing. In this paper, we suggest harmonized procedures that should be used in sentinel planting surveys for effective sampling and identification of potential pests and pathogens. We also review the benefits and limitations of various diagnostic methods for early detection in sentinel systems, and the feasibility of the results obtained supporting National Plant Protection Organizations in pest and commodity risk analysis.

Classical biological control is often advocated as a tool for managing invasive species. However, accurate evaluations of parasitoid species complexes and assessment of host specificity are impeded by the lack of morphological variation. Here, we study the possibility of host races/species within the eulophid wasp Pediobius saulius, a pupal generalist parasitoid that parasitize the highly invasive horse-chestnut leaf-mining moth Cameraria ohridella. We analysed the population genetic structure, host associations and phylogeographic patterns of P. saulius in Europe using the COI mitochondrial gene. This marker strongly supports a division into at least five highly differentiated parasitoid complexes, within two of which clades with differing degrees of host specialization were found: a Balkan clade that mainly (but not only) attacks C. ohridella and a more generalist European group that attacks many hosts, including C. ohridella. The divergence in COI (up to 7.6%) suggests the existence of cryptic species, although this is neither confirmed by nuclear divergence nor morphology. We do not find evidence of host tracking. The higher parasitism rates observed in the Balkans and the scarcity of the Balkan–Cameraria haplotypes out of the Balkans open the possibility of using these Balkan haplotypes as biological control agents of C. ohridella elsewhere in Europe.

The important quarantine pest Frankliniella occidentalis was found in Albania for the first time in 2001. A monitoring programme using blue and yellow sticky traps, and examination of flower samples from tomato, cucumber and Rubus , confirmed the presence of the pest at low levels in tomato glasshouses in Durrës and Tirana districts, and outdoors on Rubus . TSWV was also detected, and confirmed by ELISA, on tomato and weeds.

Background and purpose: This work presents the first research on wood nematodes in Croatia and it was done in order to address the question of the impact of dendropathogenic nematodes in pine stands in the coastal region of Croatia. To reveal this impact, the first step is the isolation and proper identification of the species spectrum of the existing wood nematodes. The aim of this study was to identify wood nematode species isolated from different pine tree species (Pinus halepensis, P. nigra, P. maritima) throughout the coastal region of Croatia and to identify their status as either pathogens or saprofits, which should build the basis for further research and understanding of the negative influence of this organisms on the decline of Mediterranian pine stands.   Materials and methods: The research was carried out in 2013 and 2014 and it was done along the entire coastal region of Croatia. The experiments were carried out at two levels: by sampling wood nematodes and by monitoring pine longhorn beetles. Wood samples of dry or partly dry trees of P. nigra, P. halepensis and P. pinaster were collected throughout the year in the form of rings, branches, sawdust or wood chips without bark on different heights on the trees. Two techniques were used for the extraction of nematodes: Baermann funnel technique and Cobb`s method. In samples with an increased number of nematodes, some nematodes were separated and preserved in DESS solution for further morphological and molecular analysis. In the spring of 2014, the  monitoring of pine longhorn beetle Monochamus galloprovincialis was done at 6 locations along the coastal region of Croatia were traps with pheromones were installed. The traps were placed in the treetops at a height of about 7 m in P. halepensis stands. The collected pine longhorn beetles were inspected for nematodes in the laboratory.   Results: Saprophytic nematodes from the families Rhabditidae, Diplogasteridae and Cephalobidae dominated in the samples. In 9 wood samples pathogenic nematodes which belong to the genus Bursaphelenchus: B. mucronatus, B. sexdentati and B. minutes were detected . The pine wood nematode B. xylophilus was not found in the collected samples. A total of 109 pine longhorn beetles have been caught in traps with pheromones and their analysis showed that neither B. xylophilus nor native wood nematodes were present on them..   Conclusions: This is the first record of wood nematodes in the coastal region of Croatia. The results of this research confirm the presence of nematodes and their possible influence on the process of pine decline of the  Mediterranean pine species in Croatia. The presence of M. galloprovincialis, the vector of highly damaging B. Xylophilus, has been confirmed during this research.