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Quickscan Lasioptera sp.

Description

This quick scan concerns an unknown gall midge species on tomato and cucumber. The species is thus far only known from (samples from) Greece, Romania and Turkey. It is unknown if it concerns an exotic species or a native species which has widened its host range recently. The information available indicates that the species can cause considerable damage in tomato. The potential impact for Dutch glasshouse crops is uncertain. It is for example unknown if the pest would be able to survive outdoors in the Netherlands and re-infest glasshouses from outside. In case the pest would only be able to survive indoors, impact may be limited by strict hygiene measures during crop removal in the autumn; incidental infestations can be eradicated from the greenhouse by local insecticide sprays and removal of infested plants. In a worst-case situation, the pest would become widespread in tomato and cucumber glasshouses requiring repeated insecticide sprays which would disrupt current integrated control strategies and pollination with bumble bees. Potential pathways are import of tomato fruits from areas where the pest is present (cucumber fruits have not been reported to be infested). As far as known plants for planting of tomato and cucumber are not imported from Greece, Romania and Turkey (young plants are obtained from plant nurseries in the Netherlands).

Organisms

  • Lasioptera sp.

Files

Type File Size
Pest Risk Analysis Download 243,56kB

PRA Area

  • Netherlands