CSL Pest Risk Analysis For Planococcus lilacinus STAGE 1: PRA INITIATION 1. What is the name of the pest? Planococcus lilacinus Cockerell Hemiptera Pseudococcidae coffee mealybug Synonyms Dactylopius coffeae Newstead Dactylopius crotonis Green Planococcus crotonis (Green) Planococcus deceptor Planococcus tayabanus (Cockerell) Pseudococcus coffeae (Newstead) Pseudococcus crotonis (Green) Pseudococcus deceptor Betrem Pseudococcus lilacinus Cockerell Pseudococcus tayabanus Cockerell Tylococcus mauritiensis Mamet 2. What is the reason for the PRA? This organism has been detected in England in imported consignments on four occasions; on Plumeria leaves (cuttings) from Sri Lanka in March 1996; on Nephelium lappaceum (rambutan fruit) from Indonesia in vember 1996 and December 2004; and on Garcinia mangostana (mangosteens) from Indonesia in December 2004 (CSL unpublished data). When first detected the organism was considered benign. However, it has now attained pest status within its natural geographic range and it is expanding its range. Hence a PRA is warranted. 3. What is the PRA This PRA considers the 47 members countries of EPPO as the PRA region because the organism is not known to occur anywhere within the EPPO region. STAGE 2: PEST RISK ASSESSMENT 4. Does the pest occur in the PRA area or does it arrive regularly as a natural migrant?. 5. Is there any reason to suspect that the pest is already established in the PRA. 6. What is the pest s status in Council Directive 2000/29/EC (the Plant Health Directive)? Planococcus lilacinus is not included in Council Directive 2000/29/EC. (http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex/en/consleg/pdf/2000/en_2000l0029_do_001.pdf) 7. What is the pest s status in the European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organisation (EPPO)? (www.eppo.org) EPPO List: A1 regulated pest list A2 regulated pest list Action list Alert list Planococcus lilacinus is not included in any of the EPPO lists of plant pests of actual or potential quarantine significance. Page 1 of 5
8. What are its host plants? P. lilacinus is extremely polyphagous, feeding on tropical and sub-tropical fruit and shade trees within 35 families. Williams (1982), Cox (1989) and Ben-Dov (1994) provide comprehensive lists of hosts. Its chief hosts are cocoa, Annona muricata, Psidium guajava (guavas), Ceiba pentandra and species of Bauhinia, Spondias and Erythrina (Le Pelley, 1943). Other hosts include Amaranthus gracilis, bamboos, Citrus, Coffea, coconuts, Ludwigia hyssopifolia, Mangifera indica, Mirabilis jalapa, Solanum nigrum, Solanum tuberosum, Sonchus arvensis, Spilanthes acmella and Vitis. 9. What hosts are of economic and/or environmental importance in the PRA Citrus, bamboos, Solanum tuberosum and Vitis, which are all secondary hosts for P. lilacinus, are probably the most important hosts within the PRA area. 10. If the pest needs a vector, is it present in the PRA vector is required. P. lilacinus is a free living organism. 11. What is the pest s present geographical distribution? P. lilacinus occurs mainly in tropical Asia and Oceania. Williams (1982) reports that the species was probably introduced into the South Pacific from Southern Asia. Up to the 1970s there were no records of it in Africa, but it has been recorded from the Comoros, Kenya and Madagascar (Ben-Dov, 1994). According to Le Pelley (1968), the species does not occur above 1000 m. Table 1 lists country distribution. Table 1: Distribution of Planococcus lilacinus rth America: Absent no records. Central America & Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guyana, Haiti Caribbean: South America: Absent no records Europe: Absent no records Africa: Comoros, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles Asia: Bangladesh, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, China (Taiwan), Cocos Islands, India, Indonesia, Japan (Ryukyu Archipelago), Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, Yemen Oceania: Micronesia (Caroline Islands), Guam, rthern Mariana Islands, Papua New Guinea Source: CABI, 2002 12. How likely is the pest to enter the PRA area 1? Very unlikely Unlikely Likely Very likely Although this PRA was initiated following the organism being detected on a number of occasions in consignments of fruit imported from tropical Asia (see 2) it is unlikely that the fruit would have followed a pathway that provided the pest an opportunity to transfer to a suitable growing host plant. 13. How likely is the pest to establish outdoors in the PRA Very unlikely Unlikely Likely Very likely 1 Pest entry includes an assessment of the likelihood of transfer to a suitable host (ISPM. 11, FAO, Rome) Page 2 of 5
The known geographic distribution of P. lilacinus indicates that this organism is a tropical species found only in the humid tropics. The PRA area does not have a humid-tropical climate outdoors hence it is judged very unlikely to establish outdoors. 14. How likely is the pest to establish in protected environments in the PRA Very unlikely Unlikely Likely Very likely Within the PRA area, this organism is likely to be able to survive only in those glasshouses that have high year-round temperatures and high humidity. Infested host plant cuttings carried into such environments could provide a possible pathway (see 2.). 15. How quickly could the pest spread within the PRA Very slowly Slowly Quickly Very quickly The number of heated humid glasshouses in the PRA area is very low (compared to the number of conventional commercial glasshouses) and they are very scattered. However, there may be some movement of plants between such botanic gardens and other locations where these glasshouses are found. Nevertheless potential spread of the pest is considered to be slow. 16. What is the pest s potential to cause economic and/or environmental damage within the PRA Very small Small Medium Large very Large Host species grown in the PRA area that have been recorded as being damaged by P. lilacinus in the tropics include Citrus (Cox, 1989), Solanum tuberosum & Ficus (Williams, 2004) and Vitis (Tandon & Verghese, 1987). However, these crops are not grown commercially in hot humid AYR Commercial crops are not at risk from this organism. However, hot humid glasshouses, that act as visitor attractions, e.g. botanic gardens, in which hosts are grown, are at most risk. However, as noted above the pathway into such areas is not obvious. (see 15). Overseas contingency plans Of interest is the fact that biological control regimes have been developed for control of this pest in India. In 2003 the USA considered P. lilacinus as posing such a sufficient threat that it warranted importing and rearing beneficial BCAs in preparation for their dissemination in the event of an infestation of the meallybug. 17. What is the pest s potential as a vector of plant pathogens? Very low Low High Very high Planococcus lilacinus is not recorded as a vector of plant pathogens. STAGE 3: PEST RISK MANAGEMENT 18. What are the prospects for continued exclusion? a) Outdoors: Very good Good Poor Very Poor Page 3 of 5
The climate is unsuitable and primary hosts are not widely available. b) In protection: Very good Good Poor Very Poor There are limited opportunities for P. lilacinus to find a pathway to a suitable host. 19. How likely are outbreaks to be eradicated? Very likely Likely Unlikely Very unlikely Outbreaks are likely to be contained within a tropical glasshouse and hosts are likely to be easily found since dense colonies form conspicuous patches on fruits (Mani, 1995a). Destruction of hosts would ensure eradication. However, this is likely to be an expensive option causing considerable disruption to a humid tropical glsshouse. 20. What management options are available for containment and control? If an outbreak is found, CSL Action Recommendations team will consider the circumstances and advise on the most appropriate treatments. Advice will consist of a variety of options from plant destruction such as by burning, or removal of infested plant parts to chemical treatments or use of beneficial biological control agents. FURTHER WORK THAT WOULD REDUCE UNCERTAINTIES Section of PRA Area of uncertainty Potential work required to reduce uncertainty Taxonomy ne - Pathway Distribution Hosts Establishment Spread Impact Management Route from infested imported fruit and cuttings to humid glasshouses not clear. May be more widespread in Africa. i) uncertainty about where hosts are grown in the PRA area. ii) Could be more hosts than listed in the literature. Number of hot and humid Rate of spread between There is a lack of data from current area of distribution to quantify potential impacts. Options available will vary according to circumstances. Determine where intercepted material was bound for. Monitor literature for further reports of spread. i) survey for hosts. ii) Monitor literature for further hosts. Determine where such tropical glasshouses are in UK. Seek information about exchange of material between tropical 21. Summary Planococcus lilacinus is a tropical mealybug that has been detected in England in consignments of exotic fruit and leaf cuttings on a number of occasions. It does not occur in Europe. Its primary hosts are not grown widely in Europe and it is unlikely to establish outdoors or even in glasshouses involved with commercial production. However, the hot humid conditions found in some of the botanical gardens glasshouses could provide a suitable environment for its survival. - Page 4 of 5
REFERENCES Ben-Dov Y (Editor), 1994. A systematic catalogue of the mealybugs of the world (Insecta: Homoptera: Coccoidea: Pseudococcidae and Putoidae) with data on geographical distribution, host plants, biology and economic importance. Andover, UK; Intercept Limited, 686 pp. CABI, 2005. Crop Protection Compendium, CABI, Wallingford. Cox JM, 1989. The mealybug genus Planococcus (Homoptera: Pseudococcidae). Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History), Entomology, 58 (1):1-78. Le Pelley RH, 1943. An Oriental mealybug (Pseudococcus lilacinus Ckll.) (Hemiptera) and its insect enemies. Transactions of the Royal Entomological Society of London, 93 (1):73-93. Le Pelley RH, 1968. Pests of Coffee. London and Harlow, UK: Longmans, Green and Co Ltd. Mani M, 1995. Comparative development, progeny production and sex ratio of the exotic parasitoid Leptomastix dactylopii Howard (Hym., Encyrtidae) on Planococcus lilacinus and P. citri (Homop., Pseudococcidae). Entomon, 20 (1):23-26. Tandon PL, Verghese A, 1987. New insect pests of certain fruit crops. Indian Journal of Horticulture, 44 (1-2):121-122. Williams DJ, 1982. The distribution of the mealybug genus Planococcus (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) in Melanesia, Polynesia and Kiribati. Bulletin of Entomological Research, 72 (3):441-455. Williams DJ 2004. Mealybugs of Southern Asia. Natural History Museum, London. Pest Risk Analyst: Alan MacLeod Address: Central Science Laboratory, Sand Hutton, UK, YO41 1LZ, UK Date of 1 st Draft: March 2006 Date of first revision: July 16th 2004 (Summary and conclusion added following discussion with PHD and PHSI at QT in April 2006) Page 5 of 5