Chloridea virescens is a polyphagous pest of many field crops (in particular cotton, tobacco and chickpea) as well as of fruits, vegetables and ornamentals. Over 200 hosts are recorded in the literature. The overall likelihood of entry was high with a moderate uncertainty, based on the likelihood of entry on host plants for planting. Entry on asparagus was rated separately as low with a high uncertainty. Other fresh cut plant parts of host plants and host fruits had a moderate likelihood and respectively high and moderate uncertainty. 

Many host plants of C. virescens are present in the EPPO region, in commercial cultivation, gardens, and in nature. Climatic conditions, including soil temperatures in winter, were considered as limiting factors for the establishment of C. virescens. The likelihood of establishment outdoors was rated as high with a low uncertainty. The pest is more likely to establish from the Mediterranean through to the Black Sea coast, Caucasus, southwest Russia and Central Asia than in other parts of the EPPO region, and especially in areas where preferred hosts are grown. In part of this area soil temperatures in winter may be too low and limit survival of pupae. Throughout the EPPO region, the likelihood of establishment under protected conditions is assessed to be high with a moderate uncertainty. There may be transient populations outdoors in areas where the pest cannot overwinter. 

The magnitude of spread was rated as high with a high uncertainty. There is a large trade of host commodities in the region, pupae may also be moved as a contaminant of machinery and of soil, and the pest may disperse by approximately 10 km per generation but there may be movements over longer distances as observed with migratory populations in North America. However, there is a high uncertainty linked to the fact that the pest may not fly at long-distance if it finds suitable hosts, and whether infested commodities will be traded (plants for planting, fruit, above-ground fresh cut plant parts).

The magnitude of impact in the current area of distribution was rated as moderate with a moderate uncertainty, focusing on impact in the last ten years, knowing that more impact occurred in the past when no effective control methods were available (especially before transgenic Bt cotton). Economic impact has been reported in some countries during the last ten years. Although the pest is under control in some countries and crops, this is not the case throughout its distribution. The magnitude of impact is lower in some countries like the USA and higher in others such as Peru.

Significant impact is expected on many hosts (such as but not limited to: cotton, tobacco, soybean, chickpea, asparagus, tomato), throughout the area of potential establishment, and would be more severe where several generations may occur (up to 5). The pest may also cause damage under protected conditions throughout the EPPO region. The potential impact was rated as high with a high uncertainty, especially in an initial phase until management measures can be fully developed and implemented. Transgenic Bt crops may prove critical to potential impact, but transgenic crops are not authorized for cultivation in many EPPO countries, for example in major cotton producers of the EPPO region or in the EU. There are fewer control options available for organic crops than for conventional crops in the EPPO region, and there may be more impact than in conventional agriculture. Overall, impact may be higher in countries where main hosts are cultivated over large areas (such as cotton in Uzbekistan or Türkiye). In crops where no management is applied against lepidopteran pests currently, the initial phase until management measures can be fully developed and implemented may take longer. Impact may be different depending on the country, and the speed at which measures can be developed, authorized and implemented.