Spanish farmers on alert due to the presence of the 'Scirtothrips aurantii Faure' pest

In Spain, the Department of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries has confirmed the presence of the quarantine pest 'Scirtothrips aurantii Faure' and has implemented urgent measures for its eradication.

 

'Scirtothrips aurantii' is an insect that feeds on fruits and leaves, causing “severe cellular damage” in the affected tissues, resulting in deformations in leaves and fruits. These damages affect the photosynthetic activity of the plants and can lead to crop loss due to fruit falling or depreciation.

 

According to a Spanish media, this pest was detected for the first time in November 2020 in the province of Huelva, Spain. Recently, the Department's Plant Health Service has identified it in pomegranate, persimmon, citrus and table grape fruits in the regions of Vega Baja and Baix Vinalopó in Alicante, as well as in Safor and Ribera Alta in Valencia. .

 

In response, the Ministry has delimited the affected areas and established mandatory phytosanitary measures to combat the pest. In outdoor plantations or greenhouses, parks and gardens, phytosanitary treatments must be carried out on all host plants, chromotropic adhesive traps must be installed and tools, machinery and vehicles used in those places must be cleaned.

 

In warehouses, distribution centers and nurseries, phytosanitary treatments will be implemented to eliminate the pest from all batches of branches, cut flowers with leaves and contaminated host vegetables.

 

In buffer zones, hosts will be intensively monitored in plantations, nurseries, parks and gardens, and traps will be installed in these areas and within storage facilities and packaging centres. Tools, machinery and vehicles used on land with host species will also be inspected and cleaned.

 

In the rest of the territory of the Valencian Community not affected by the pest, plot owners and professional plant operators with host species must carry out surveys to determine the presence of 'Scirtothrips aurantii' and report any indication to the Plant Health Service of the Valencian Community. Department.

 

This pest, of South African origin and known as the South African citrus thrips, mainly affects citrus trees but is very polyphagous, having been found in up to 70 species of plants from various families. In 2022 it was also detected in Portugal and Andalusia, affecting citrus, persimmon, avocado and red fruits.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

source: efeagro.com