PRAs for consultation on Pest risk management
Click on the pest/disease in the left-hand column to view the PRA (pdf format) Comments should be sent by the date specified in the final column, in writing or by email to: plantpestsrisks@defra.gsi.gov.uk Plant Health Risk Management, Rm 342, Foss House, Kings Pool, York YO1 7PXComments received will not be attributed to individuals without permission in any published summary, but may have to be released if a request is received under the Environmental Information Regulations
| Defra's approach to Pest Risk Analysis is explained here | New Pest risk analyses added for: Milviscutulus mangiferae, Paratrichodorus minor 5 Sept 2008 |
| (Some of the files below are large pdf files - you can also right-click links and Save to your PC) | |
| Pest/disease | Hosts and/or sector potentially affected | Key factors | Current Defra Plant Health recommendations | Stakeholder action |
| Aceria tulipae (dry bulb mite) | Tulip and Allium spp. (onions, leeks etc) especially bulbs in storage | Occurs across the world, damage mainly caused to stored bulbs in warmer countries | No statutory action | Further comments still welcome |
| Acizzia uncatoides (Acacia sucker or Acacia psyllid) | Acacia and Albizia conservatory plants | Has been detected in the UK several times. Perhaps been in a UK garden since 1998. Much of UK has unsuitable climate. May have already established to a limited extent outdoors and indoors | No statutory action | Comments preferably by 3rd Sept 2008 |
| Aleurocerus palmae (a whitefly on palms) | Mainly protected palms but also tropical orchids, bananas and others | From Central and tropical South America, conspicuous larvae, low impact | No statutory action | Further comments still welcome |
| Alternaria sp. | Impatiens walleriana | Can be a problem under glass when plants are stressed but although exotic it is possible to manage by good nursery practice | No statutory action. Can be controlled by good nursery practice | Further comments still welcome |
| Alternaria panax | Fatsia japonica | Affects Araliaceae (ornamentals, ginseng). In EU (Italy - Aralia japonica, Spain – Schefflera). Also Australia, Canada, China, Israel, Korea, New Zealand USA, USSR, Venezuela. Controllable. | No statutory action | Further comments still welcome |
| Aculops fuchsia (fuchsia gall mite) | Fuchsia species and cultivars | Recognised quarantine pest spreading in France and Germany. Now in Channel Islands and few sites in southern England. Difficult to eradicate. | a) Campaign of suppression (review early summer 08) b) Statutory action on infested material and nearby hosts, plant passporting required c) Publicity campaign for gardeners. |
Comments preferably by 25 June 2008 |
| Anoplophora chinensis (Citrus longhorn beetle) | A wide range of deciduous trees including apple and citrus trees, as well as hardy nursery stock | Potential for establishment and serious impacts in southern Europe. In the UK long-term establishment outdoors unlikely but significant damage still possible | Listed pest. Continue statutory action against findings. Introduce tighter emergency measures (including intensive import inspection) on nursery stock imported from countries where this pest occurs | Further comments still welcome |
| Cerataphis lataniae (an aphid) | Protected pot plants and ornamentals: Latania spp., palms and banana plants | Already established outdoors in southern EU & under glass in Germany | No statutory action, since the main hosts are not widespread in the UK | Further comments still welcome |
| Cercospora carotae (Cercospora leaf blight) | Carrots | Found worldwide, widespread in Northern Europe | No action, since the pest causes little economic damage. | Further comments still welcome |
| Chrysolina americana (Rosemary beetle) | Herbs: rosemary and lavender | Now regarded as established in UK | No statutory action, since the pest is already well established in the UK | Further comments still welcome |
| Chrysophtharta bimaculata (Tasmanian eucalyptus leaf beetle) | Hardy ornamental nursery stock: eucalyptus | Could be a big risk to eucalyptus in EU. Entry pathway (tree ferns) now restricted | Continue to take statutory action on findings and notify this pest to other European countries (to whom the risks may be higher) but UK will not seek listing | Further comments still welcome |
| Clover yellow mosaic virus | Ornamentals, fruit, grassland: wide range of hosts including verbena, clover, apple | Information from USA and Canada suggests risk of damage to crop and wild host plants is low | No statutory action, since the virus is not causing significant damage in the areas where it occurs. Verbena suppliers and importers are aware of the problem on that host, and are taking measures to secure clean supplies | Further comments still welcome |
| Coleosporium asterum (Western pine-aster rust) | Forestry, hardy ornamental nursery stock: pines. Cut flowers: solidago, aster | Absent from UK/Europe. Could enter on cut flowers, plants, from North America, Asia, Africa. Defoliates and stunts young pines, quality losses on ornamentals | Request listing as a banned organism in Annex IA1 of the Plant Health Directive, with additional measures for host plants from affected areas | Further comments still welcome |
| Corythucha arctuata (Oak lace bug) | Quercus spp, Castanea | Could establish in UK and become a minor pest of oaks | Continue to take statutory action on interceptions and notify other European countries, but UK will not seek listing | Further comments still welcome |
| Cylas formicarius (Sweet potato weevil) | Vegetables: carrots, sweet potatoes | Major pest in tropics, can overwinter in Japan. Risk to southern EU more than UK | Share PRA with other European countries that grow more sweet potatoes, are at more risk and may choose to seek listing. Take statutory action on plants for planting | Further comments still welcome |
| Diabrotica virgifera virgifera (Western corn rootworm) | Dairy, arable, game: maize (especially continuous maize) | Spreading across Europe. In UK, EU measures becoming more costly than predictions of damage by the pest under current conditions | Listed pest with EC emergency measures against outbreaks, and subject to separate consultation procedures – UK continues to promote a regionalised approach with national flexibility on eradication measures and improved suppression where spread is natural and where this does not put other countries at risk | Further comments still welcome |
| Dialeurodes kirkaldyi (Arabian jasmine whitefly) | Protected ornamentals: woody shrubs e.g. jasmine | Present in Portugal and Cyprus. Few hosts. Small risk to UK | Not to seek listing, but continue to take statutory action on interceptions on plants, and advise growers with outbreaks to attempt eradication | Further comments still welcome |
| Diaphania indica (Cucumber moth) | Protected crops: Curcurbits | Tropical & subtropical pest of curcubits. Risk outdoors in southern EU/EPPO | Seek addition to European (EPPO) alert list, meanwhile continue to take measures on outbreaks or interceptions on plants | Further comments still welcome |
| Eulecanium excrescens (Wisteria scale) | Top fruit, hardy ornamental nursery stock: orchard trees & wisteria | Established on wisterias in London. Absent from the rest of Europe. Potential to establish in large areas | No action on existing incidents in private gardens, but action may be taken on plants for planting | Further comments still welcome |
| Helcystogramma convolvuli (Sweet potato leaf roller) | Sweet potatoes & related spp. | Tropical pest, low risk to UK, more risky to southern EU | No action, since the main hosts are not widespread in the UK | Further comments still welcome |
| Helicoverpa armigera (African bollworm) | Polyphagous species damaging to many crops. In the UK glasshouse crops are at small risk | Established in southern EC. Can migrate from Europe, found breeding outdoors in UK in summer 2006. No obvious pathway to production sites when found on produce | Seek removal of listing on all hosts except plants for planting of Pelargonium and Chrysanthemum | Further comments still welcome |
| Hemiberlesia rapax (A scale insect) | Many hosts including, Acer, Citrus, Laurus, Olea, Palmae, Rosa, Vaccinium & Vitis grown in glasshouses in northern EU or outdoors in southern EU | Tropical & subtropical pest. Now outdoors in southern EU and in glasshouses in France. 20+ finds by PHSI during inspections. Risk only to woody ornamentals under glass | May be a minor pest on woody ornamentals under glass in UK. No statutory action recommended | Further comments still welcome |
| Iris yellow spot virus | Allium spp., Alstromeria Hippeastrum, Iris, Lisianthus, plus many other ornamental and weed species | In Europe – France, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Slovenia, Spain, one UK outbreak (eradicated) plus Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Guatemala, India, Iran, Israel, Japan, Peru, Reunion Island, South Africa, USA. Damaging. Thrips tabaci vector. Current PRA to be updated to account for new findings in Canada and Germany. | Continue to take statutory action and propose for listing in Annex 2 of the Plant Health Directive | Further comments still welcome |
| Leucinodes orbonalis | Solanaceae grown in protection, e.g. aubergine, tomato | A serious tropical pest, intercepted on aubergines. | No statutory action | Further comments still welcome |
| Meloidogyne incognita (a root-knot nematode) | Soil grown salad crops in protection | A pest in Mediterranean climes. This is very unlikely to survive outdoors in the UK and there is no clear pathway from soil with ware potatoes to protected crops | Statutory action should no longer be taken on potatoes as the nematode is unlikely to survive outdoors, but will be taken on plants for planting | Further comments still welcome |
| Meloidogyne minor | Found on golf courses | Probably a native pest in UK and Ireland. Has been found on potatoes grown after pasture in The Netherlands. | No statutory action | Further comments still welcome |
| (Mango shield scale) | Mangoes and avocadoes are at most risk in southern Europe. Citrus and exotic ornamentals in southern Europe could also be hosts but are not likely to suffer economic damage. Protected hosts in northern Europe are at low risk. | Intercepted in the UK on numerous occasions on imported cut flowers, ornamentals and aquatic plants, mainly from Singapore. Widely distributed in the Pacific and Caribbean, also in Africa. Present in Israel. Low impact pest where it occurs unless on mangoes or avocadoes. | No statutory action. | Comments preferably by 28th Nov 2008 |
| Neotoxoptera formosana | Allium esp. onions and garlic | Minor pest in USA & Australia. Previously found at Wisley. Can be a pest in storage with large numbers developing | Statutory action will continue to be taken | Further comments still welcome |
| Nysius huttoni | Polyphagous species feeding on brassicas, cereals, grasses and weeds | Spread from NZ to NL and Belgium | No statutory action | Further comments still welcome |
| (a stubby root nematode) | Ornamental shrubs, field crops. | Highly polyphagous found in warmer soils (tropical/subtropical/ southern European). Economic damage only reported from tropical/subtropical regions. | No statutory action. | Comments preferably by 28th Nov 2008 |
| Passiflora chlorosis virus (Florida passionflower virus) | Passiflora spp. | Reported in Florida in 2007 (2004: 2006 findings) 3 UK nursery findings Nov 07 - Mar 08 | No statutory action | Comments preferably by 3rd Sept 2008 |
| Pepino mosaic virus | Tomatoes, pepino | Recently introduced to Europe, highly contagious, varying experience on level of yield and quality loss | Continue to apply EU emergency measures, and press for a move to permanent listing with measures at least on seed of host species such as tomatoes | Has been subject to separate consultation with tomato growers. Comments on PRA and proposals still welcome. |
| Phytomza gymnostoma (leaf mining fly) | Allium esp. leeks and onions | A significant European pest, spreading in Europe. Established in West Midlands in gardens and allotments | No statutory action | Further comments still welcome |
| Phytophthora ramorum | Nursery stock, gardens, woodland: rhododendron, viburnum, camellia, beech, oak, etc. | Newly described pathogen, believed to have been recently introduced to Europe, causes “Sudden Oak Death” in California | Continue to apply EU emergency measures, and require containment and eradication measures at outbreak sites. Development of a more detailed EC Pest Risk Analysis is in progress | Has been subject to separate consultation process. Further comments still welcome |
| Phytophthora kernoviae | Nursery stock, gardens, woodland: rhododendron, magnolia, beech, oak etc. | Recently described pathogen, only known to occur in Cornwall and S Wales. Similarities with P ramorum, but may also be differences in the way it has been spreading | Require containment or eradication measures at outbreak sites | Has been subject to separate consultation process. Further comments still welcome |
| Phytophthora lateralis (New pathogen) | Chamaecyparis spp. and Taxus brevifolia. Rhododendron may carry it. Outdoors amenity in UK (Forestry elsewhere in EU) | Likely to establish outdoors. Can cause 100% mortality to Chamaecyparis. Main potential pathways are already blocked; Chamaecyparis plants and soil from N America are prohibited | Propose for addition to Annex IIAI as a prohibited pest on relevant host plants, and take into account in reviewing measures on soil | Further comments still welcome
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| Planococcus lilacinus (a mealybug) | Tropical fruit and amenity plants & trees grown in tropical glasshouses | Very unlikely to establish outdoors. Low risk under glass | Requires hot humid conditions. Could be a problem in botanic gardens. No statutory action | Further comments still welcome |
| Plasmopara obducens Impatiens downy mildew (+ cost benefit analysis) |
Impatiens spp. (ornamental and wild species) | Outbreaks in the UK on commercial premises since 2003 (2004 and 2007). Found in some EU countries. Causes quality losses on bedding plants | No statutory action – best practice guidance for growers can be found on the HDC website http://www.hdc.org.uk | Further comments still welcome |
| Pratylenchus mediterraneus (Root lesion nematode) | Arable, vegetables, vineyards: wheat, potatoes, carrots, vine, olives | More a risk to southern EU (already present in Cyprus) | No action, since the pest is already established in the Mediterranean and likely to be restricted to that region by temperature requirements | Further comments still welcome |
| Pseudaulacaspis pentagona (White peach scales) | Polyphagous, Ficus, Juglans, Malus, Morus, Nerium, Prunus, Ribes, Rubus, Sorbus and others | Widespread in Europe, spreading north, could establish outdoors and under glass. Is present under glass in Sweden. Can kill hosts. | Eradication action should continue. Replacement PRA with updated findings. |
Further comments still welcome |
| Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici (stem rust of wheat) - Ug99 race | Wheat plus other cereals, grasses: berneris and mahonia alternate hosts | Global distribution. However, new race Ug99 overcame wheat resistance in Africa (1999, Uganda; since spread further and into Asia). Long-distance spread by spores in wind so may reach Europe if northern Africa becomes affected. Host (wheat) resistance in the UK not known | No action as aerial spread cannot be controlled | Comments preferably by 3rd Sept 2008 |
| Puccinia hemerocallidis (Daylily rust fungus) | Ornamentals: Hemerocallis, Patrinia | Absent from UK/Europe. Could enter on cut flowers, plants, from North America, Asia, Oceania, possibly Central America. Quality losses on ornamentals | Request listing as a banned organism on Hemerocallis plants in Annex IIAI of the Plant Health Directive with measures for plants imported from countries where the pathogen occurs. Meanwhile continue statutory action against findings | Further comments still welcome |
| Scirtothrips dorsalis (chilli thrips) | Over 100 species in 40 families, including onions, Capsicum, Citrus, Cuphea, Ficus, Hydrangea, Rosa, strawberry, tomato and Vitis grown in glasshouses in northern EU and outdoors in southern EU | Currently expanding its range via spread in trade. Risk to vegetables and flowers under glass. Have been outbreaks in Dutch glasshouses in the past | Suggest to EC extending the listing in Annex IIAI so that this is a quarantine pest on all plants for planting (not just citrus). Meanwhile take action on findings on plants and on produce moving to growing sites | Further comments still welcome |
| Stephanitis takeyai (Andromeda lace bug) | Pieris is a favoured host. Can also feed on a range of other plants. | Pest now appears to have established in the UK. | No further statutory action should be taken. | Further comments still welcome |
| Tetranychus evansi (a red spider mite) | Solanaceous crops (tomatoes, peppers, aubergines, potatoes) | Prefers warm climates e.g. around the Mediterranean coast. Can cause serious damage in protected tomatoes | Statutory action | Comments preferably by 3rd Sept 2008 |
| Thaumetopoea processionea (Oak processionary moth) | Oak trees [This is a Forestry Commission PRA.] |
Native pest of southern and central Europe. Found on trees in west and south-west of London | Forestry Commission are taking emergency eradication measures. See http://www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/infd-74ce39 | Further comments still welcome |
| Tilletia indica (Karnal bunt) | Arable: wheat, triticale | EC listed pest and not known to be present in Europe. Originally found in S Asia, more recently spread to USA and South Africa. Difficult to treat. Can affect grain quality | Development of a more detailed EC Pest Risk Analysis was completed in March 2006. Defra is preparing to consult on appropriate measures, which may include EC contingency planning | Further comments still welcome |
| Tomato infectious chlorosis virus (virus) | Protected crops: tomato, lettuce, tomatillo, artichoke, petunia, zinnia plus several weeds | Present in Greece, Italy and Spain. Requires glasshouse whitefly vector. Could establish and be damaging to protected crops in the UK and outdoors in southern Europe | Request listing in Annex IIAII of the Plant Health Directive – possibly as a Regulated Non Quarantine Pest whose movement should be prohibited on plants for planting. Meanwhile take statutory action against findings on plants for planting | Further comments still welcome |
| Trialeurodes abutiloneus (banded winged whitefly) | Protected crops in north Europe, outdoor crops in south: very wide host range | Present in the Americas, not present in Europe. Occasional pest of field and ornamental crops in USA. Virus vector | Request listing as a banned organism in Annex IAI of the Plant Health Directive | Further comments still welcome |
| Various – commodity PRA | Salix spp. imported from Poland | Plant health risks from a number of pests and pathogens are considered. | No further statutory measures. Importers of plants of Salix from Poland should check they are visually free of disease and report any suspicious symptoms. | Further comments still welcome |
| Verticillium longisporum (a fungal pathogen) | Oilseed rape (Brassica napus) | Confirmed in UK this summer. Present in Northern European countries for many years on oilseed rape. Not practical to attempt to control all entry pathways for this pathogen | No statutory action - revised article published June 2008 including control advice | Further comments still welcome |
| Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. poinsettiicola | Poinsettia and other Euphorbiaceae | Affects quality. Absent from UK but there have been interceptions. | Continue to take statutory action on findings and consider for listing subject to industry comments. | Further comments still welcome |
| Xanthomonas hortorum pv carotae (bacterial blight) | Carrots | Causes foliage blight. Occurs in other parts of Europe & USA | No action, since the pest causes little economic damage | Further comments still welcome |
Page last modified:
5 Sept 2008
Page published: 10 Mar 2006