Ireland reported an interception of Cryptophlebia ombrodelta on a shipment of Vigna imported through the UK from Malaysia on the 25/03/2021. This pest had previously been intercepted once before by IE on a shipment of black-eyed/cow pea (Vigna unguiculata) originating from Viet Nam in 2020. As there are no relevant PRAs and a general lack of detailed information available on the CABI and EPPO databases for this pest, a rapid PRA was initiated to determine the level of threat the pest potentially posed to Irish Biosecurity.

Main conclusions 

Considering all elements of the pests’ biology it is unlikely that C. ombrodelta poses a significant threat to Irish biosecurity. Though the pest has been intercepted on imported fresh produce on several occasions, there are few known host species present in the wider Irish Environment or produced under protected cultivation. The pest needs 5 weeks during the summer months to complete its lifecycle in tropical and sub-tropical regions at temperatures that greatly exceed those typically experienced in Ireland. It therefore seems unlikely that the pest would be able to complete its lifecycle in the Irish climate given how considerably colder our summers are compared to its native distribution range. While the pest is of little threat to Irish biosecurity it is likely a potential threat to other EU MS. In the EU Phaseolus spp. and Glycine max (soybean) which are known hosts, are commercially cultivated in more southerly regions where the pest is more likely to establish. Given the uncertainty around the lower temperature tolerances of the pest a policy of continued exclusion throughout the EU should be applied when the pest is encountered in imported plant commodities to prevent its possible entry and establishment in the EU. Known host species (Vigna spp., Phaseolus spp., etc) imported from regions where the pest is present should be continued to be inspected and a policy of exclusion implemented until a full EU/EPPO PRA is undertaken.