The introduction of invasive species causes damages from the economic and ecological point of view. Interception of plant pests and eradication of the established populations are two management options to prevent or limit the risk posed by an invasive species. Management options generate costs...

The pinewood nematode (PWN), Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, is the causal agent of pine wilt disease. This species has been reported from the United States of America and Asia associated with important forestry tree species, including pine, spruce, fir, larch and other conifers. However, in Europe,...

Scaphoideus titanus Ball, the main vector of Flavescence dorée phytoplasma, was monitored in Slovakia during 2013 and 2014. The species was present in the vineyards of eastern Slovakia but it was rarely found in the south of central part of the country. It was also found at many locations of...

The whiteflies Bemisia tabaci and Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Hemiptera Aleyrodidae) are harmful pests of vegetable and ornamental crops in many countries. Also, they are vectors of emergent viruses on tomato including the criniviruses (Closteroviridae genus Crinivirus) Tomato chlorosis virus (ToCV) ...

Symptoms caused by Maize Streak Virus (MSV) were first observed in the Lower South Coast region of the South African sugarcane industry in 2007 on variety N44. Identical symptoms were subsequently observed on varieties N44 and N36 in the Midlands North and South Coast areas and on N36 in...

Huanglongbing, also known as citrus greening or yellow-shoot-disease, has been associated with three species of phloem restricted bacteria. This Standard describes a diagnostic protocol for Candidatus Liberibacter africanus', 'Candidatus Liberibacter americanus' and 'Candidatus Liberibacter...

Pepper witches' broom (PWB) disease was observed in a field in Yangling, Shaanxi Province, China. The result of mechanical inoculation test for this disease was negative. Phytoplasma-like bodies were observed in ultrathin sections of petiole tissues of symptomatic samples. 16S rRNA gene and tuf...

Leptoglossus occidentalis, an insect native to North America, was inadvertently introduced into Italy about 1999. The insect damages the cones of conifer trees, especially Pinus pinea (Italian Stone pine). Pinus pinea is also affected by Diplodia pinea, a fungus native to Italy, which is becoming...

A phytoplasma strain belonging to group 16SrI, subgroup B ('Candidatus Phytoplasma asteris'), the most widely spread phytoplasma worldwide, was detected in diseased larch (Larix sp.) in Ukraine. Detection, identification, and classification of the larch infecting phytoplasma were accomplished...

A quantitative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) procedure using a general primer set and three TaqMan®MGB probes was developed for general and genotype-specific detection and quantitation of the genomic M segment of Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV). Standard...