Background
Epiphyas postvittana (EPPO code: TORTPO), with the Swedish common name “Blek fruktvecklare”, is a well known invasive pest of horticultural plants that originates from Australia but has spread around the world with plant material (Suckling & Brockerhoff 2010; CABI 2022). The pest is very polyphagous and Malus domestica is a major host (EPPO 2022). The pest is considered present in UK and is not regulated in the EU (EPPO 2022a; EU 2021). Epiphyas postvittana may however be of concern for the EU, e.g. in an Express PRA for Poland it was assessed to constitute a medium phytosanitary risk (Kubasik et al. 2019). EFSA is currently working on a commodity risk assessment of a host species of E. postvittana from the UK, i.e., Ligustrum delavayanum grafted on L. japonicum. EFSA refer to CABI (2022) and Svensson (2009) for the presence of Epiphyas postvittana in Sweden and now request information about the pest status of E. postvittana in Sweden (pers. comm. Swedish Board of Agriculture 2022). They also request information about measures applied, or that are planned to be applied, to limit its spread.
SLU Risk Assessment of Plant Pests was requested by the Swedish Board of Agriculture to evaluate whether E. postvittana should be regarded to be present or absent in Sweden. In addition, information should be provided whether any measures are applied against the spread of this pest in Sweden.
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