EPPO Study on the Risk of Imports of Plants for Planting: description and details of the first outcomes

Abstract

EPPO member countries requested that a study be conducted to identify and better address the risks presented by the trade of plants for planting, which has led to numerous introductions of pests into the EPPO region in recent years. Concerns were raised about the efficacy of the current plant health systems in place in the EPPO region to deal with the risks presented by plants for planting. The EPPO Study on the Risk of Imports of Plants for Planting was launched by the EPPO Council in 2010. The first part of the Study was completed in spring 2012. It was published as EPPO Technical Document 1061 (http://www.eppo.int/QUARANTINE/EPPO_Study_on_Plants_for_planting.pdf). Examples of pest outbreaks in the EPPO region suspected to be caused by international trade of plants for planting were analyzed. This analysis identified characteristics of the pest/crop/trade patterns associated with the risks of importing pests. These characteristics are described as criteria that are intended to be used in a screening process to enable identification of commodities that require an assessment prior to import in the EPPO region. The further elaboration of the screening process is briefly outlined.

Categorisation of plants for planting, excluding seeds, according to the risk of introduction ofXylella fastidiosa

“… Trade flows of plants for planting, as reported in the ISEFOR database (section 2.1.2): the overall trade of plants for planting for each plant species was ranked in five categories based on the yearly average of plants imported from all Third Countries into the EU, calculated over the whole period covered by the database: below 1 000 plants, between 1 000 and 9 999 plants, between 10 000 and 99 999 plants, between 100 000 and 999 999 plants, more than 1 000 000 plants. The overall trade from all Third Countries was considered as it was deemed a better indicator of the trade flow than the trade only from countries where X. fastidiosa is reported, due to the dynamic nature in the trade of plants for planting (Brasier 2008;Dehnen-Schmutz et al 2010;Grousset et al 2012;Pautasso and Jeger 2014).…”

Drivers for occasional spillover event of Ebola virus

“…The overall trade from all Third Countries was considered as it was deemed a better indicator of the trade flow than the trade only from countries where X. fastidiosa is reported, due to the dynamic nature in the trade of plants for planting (Brasier 2008;Dehnen-Schmutz et al 2010;Grousset et al 2012;Pautasso and Jeger 2014).…”

Scientific Opinion on the pest categorisation ofAculops fuchsiae

“…More than 100 fuchsia species are known, most of which are native to Central and South America, and few are native to the Caribbean, New Zealand and Tahiti (Jones and Miller, 2005;Grousset et al, 2012). More than 100 fuchsia species are known, most of which are native to Central and South America, and few are native to the Caribbean, New Zealand and Tahiti (Jones and Miller, 2005;Grousset et al, 2012).…”

“…Fuchsias are perennial plants. More than 100 fuchsia species are known, most of which are native to Central and South America, and few are native to the Caribbean, New Zealand and Tahiti (Jones and Miller, 2005;Grousset et al, 2012). There are about 12 000 to 15 000 cultivars and hybrids around the world (Anderson and MacLeod, 2007;Euro-Fuchsia, 2014).…”

“…FREDON, 2009), indicating F. arborescens, F. magellanica, and F. procumbens as susceptible species and the following species and cultivars as resistant: F. microphylla subsp. microphylla, F. thymifolia, Baby Chang, Chance Encounter, Cinnabarina, Isis, Mendicino Mini, Miniature Jewels, Ocean Mist et Space Shuttle Grousset et al (2012). conducted a detailed analysis of trade in plants for planting provided by the border inspection services of Germany, France, Italy and the Netherlands (the main plants for planting trading countries in the EU) from 2006 to 2010.…”