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International audience; There is tremendous diversity of interactions between plants and other species. These relationships range from antagonism to mutualism. Interactions of plants with members of their ecological community can lead to a profound metabolic reconfiguration of the plants’ physiology. This reconfiguration can favour beneficial organisms and deter antagonists like pathogens or herbivores. Determining the cellular and molecular dialogue between plants, microbes, and insects, and its ecological and evolutionary implications is important for understanding the options for each partner to adopt an adaptive response to its biotic environment. Moving forward, understanding how such ecological interactions are shaped by environmental change and how we potentially mitigate deleterious effects will be increasingly important. The development of integrative multidisciplinary approaches may provide new solutions to the major ecological and societal issues ahead of us. The rapid evolution of technology provides valuable tools and opens up novel ways to test hypotheses that were previously unanswerable, but requires that scientists master these tools, understand potential ethical problems flowing from their implementation, and train new generations of biologists with diverse technical skills. Here, we provide brief perspectives and discuss future promise and challenges for research on insect–plant interactions building on the 16th International Symposium on Insect–Plant interactions (SIP) meeting that was held in Tours, France (2–6 July 2017). Talks, posters, and discussions are distilled into key research areas in insect–plant interactions, highlighting the current state of the field and major challenges, and future directions for both applied and basic research.

Microbial mutualistic symbiosis is increasingly recognised as a hidden driving force in the ecology of plant–insect interactions. Although plant-associated and herbivore-associated symbionts clearly affect interactions between plants and herbivores, the effects of symbionts associated with higher trophic levels has been largely overlooked. At the third-trophic level, parasitic wasps are a common group of insects that can inject symbiotic viruses (polydnaviruses) and venom into their herbivorous hosts to support parasitoid offspring development. Here, we show that such third-trophic level symbionts act in combination with venom to affect plant-mediated interactions by reducing colonisation of subsequent herbivore species. This ecological effect correlated with changes induced by polydnaviruses and venom in caterpillar salivary glands and in plant defence responses to herbivory. Because thousands of parasitoid species are associated with mutualistic symbiotic viruses in an intimate, specific relationship, our findings may represent a novel and widespread ecological phenomenon in plant–insect interactions.

The South American fruit fly, Anastrepha fraterculus (Diptera: Tephritidae) stands out for its polyphagous habit of damaging the production of several fruits in southern Brazil. This study aimed to evaluate the capture efficiency of A. fraterculus using grape juice at different periods of decomposition and aging as well as to test the capture efficiency of the enzymatic hydrolyzed protein Cera Trap® in feijoa crops. The work was conducted in a commercial feijoa orchard in São Joaquim, SC, Brazil during the 2014 growing season. Undiluted Cera Trap®, fresh grape juice and grape juice that had aged for 7 and 14 days were evaluated. All of the treatments with grape juice were used at the recommended concentration of 25 %. McPhail traps were used with 300 mL for each lure. On a weekly basis, the number of adults and the percentage of female fruit flies captured were evaluated, using identification and counting. Cera Trap® was the lure that captured the highest number of fruit flies, with a high percentage of females and with a higher frequency of captures during the season. Cera Trap® also showed the highest number of action thresholds compared to grape juice treatments. The 25 % fresh and aged grape juice showed a low number of captures and a low number of action thresholds. We conclude that fresh and aged grape juice were not effective for capturing and monitoring A. fraterculus in feijoa orchards. The Cera Trap® lure proves to be an alternative to improve monitoring of A. fraterculus in orchards in southern Brazil. Key words: Monitoring, fruit fly, control index, attractiveness, pest management. La mosca suramericana de las frutas Anastrepha fraterculus (Diptera: Tephritidae) se destaca por su hábito polífago, dañando la producción de diversas frutas en el sur de Brasil. El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar la eficacia de la captura de moscas de la fruta utilizando jugo de uva en diferentes estados de descomposición y envejecimiento, así como evaluar la eficiencia de la captura de A. fraterculus con la proteína hidrolizada de origen animal Cera Trap® en un huerto de Acca sellowiana. El trabajo fue realizado en São Joaquim, SC, Brasil, durante la fructificación de 2014. Los tratamientos fueron: Cera Trap® sin diluir y jugo de uva fresco o envejecido durante 7 y 14 días. Los tratamientos con jugo de uva fueron utilizados a una concentración del 25 %. Se utilizaron trampas McPhail que contenían 300 mL de cada atrayente. Se evaluaron semanalmente el número de moscas adultas de las frutas y el porcentaje de hembras capturadas mediante el recuento e identificación de las especies. Cera Trap® fue el atrayente con el mayor número y mayor porcentaje de hembras de moscas capturadas, y de mayor frecuencia de capturas durante la estación proporcionando más posibilidades de control en comparación con los tratamientos que contenían jugo de uva. Se concluye que los jugos de uva fresca o envejecidos no fueron eficaces en la captura y monitoreo de A. fraterculus en huerto comercial de feijoa. El atrayente Cera Trap® demostró ser una alternativa para mejorar el monitoreo de A. fraterculus en huertos de feijoa. Palabras clave: Monitoreo, moscas de las frutas, instrucción de control, atracción, manejo de plagas. Made available in DSpace on 2018-01-05T23:22:48Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 ARTIGORCdE4322017201207.pdf: 457585 bytes, checksum: 242d71cd9fcba094051582c08be5521f (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-01-05

Studying the susceptibility of peach trees to Grapholita molesta (Busck) is one of the major steps in the develop- ment of pest-resistant peach varieties. This work evaluated the susceptibility of 55 genotypes of the "Prunus Rootstock Collection" ("Coleção Porta-enxerto de Prunus ") of Embrapa Temperate Climate (Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil) to the natural infestation of G. molesta , assessed the oviposition preference of G. molesta in choice and no-choice bioassays, and estimated the biological parameters and the fertility life table on different Prunus spp. genotypes in the laboratory. Genotypes Prunus kansuensis (Rehder), I-67-52-9, and I-67-52-4 were the most susceptible to G. molesta infestation in the field ( > 60% of branches infested), while 0 Sharpe 0 ( Prunus angustifolia x Prunus spp.) and Prunus sellowii (Koehne) were the least infested (0% of branches infested). In choice and no-choice bioassays, G. molesta preferred to oviposit on P. kansuensis when compared with Sharpe. The Sharpe genotype also showed an antibiosis effect, resulting in negative effects on the fertility life table parameters when compared with the genotypes P. kansuensis and 0 Capdeboscq. 0 The results found in the present study can provide information to initiate a long-term breeding program moving desired G. molesta resistance traits from the rootstock into the Prunus spp. cultivars. Keywords : Rosaceae, insect resistance, antibiosis, antixenosis, oriental fruit moth

International audience

Animals use information from their environment while foraging for food or prey. When parasitic wasps forage for hosts, they use plant volatiles induced by herbivore activities such as feeding and oviposition. Little information is available on how wasps exploit specific plant volatiles over time, and which compounds indicate changes in host quality. In experiments investigating the role of herbivore-induced plant volatiles in wasp foraging, induction of plant response is usually achieved by placing larvae on clean plants instead of allowing the natural sequence of events: to let eggs deposited by the herbivore develop into larvae. We compared the attraction of the parasitoid Cotesia glomerata to volatiles emitted by black mustard (Brassica nigra) plants induced by eggs and successive larval stages of the Large Cabbage White butterfly (Pieris brassicae) to the attraction of this parasitoid to black mustard plant volatiles induced only by larval feeding in a wind tunnel setup. We show that wasps are attracted to plants infested with eggs just before and shortly after larval hatching. However, wasp preference changed at later time points towards plants induced only by larval feeding. These temporal changes in parasitoid attraction matched with changes in the chemical compositions of the blends of plant volatiles. Previous studies have shown that host quality/suitability decreases with caterpillar age and that P. brassicae oviposition induces plant defences that negatively affect subsequently feeding caterpillars. We investigated parasitoid performance in hosts of different ages. Wasp performance was positively correlated with preference. Moreover, parasitism success decreased with time and host stage. In conclusion, the behaviour of Cotesia glomerata is fine-tuned to exploit volatiles induced by eggs and early host stages that benefit parasitoid fitness.

Plants release volatiles induced by herbivore feeding that may affect the diversity and composition of plant-associated arthropod communities. However, the specificity and role of plant volatiles induced during the early phase of attack, i.e. egg deposition by herbivorous insects, and their consequences on insects of different trophic levels remain poorly explored. In olfactometer and wind tunnel set-ups, we investigated behavioural responses of a specialist cabbage butterfly (Pieris brassicae) and two of its parasitic wasps (Trichogramma brassicae and Cotesia glomerata) to volatiles of a wild crucifer (Brassica nigra) induced by oviposition of the specialist butterfly and an additional generalist moth (Mamestra brassicae). Gravid butterflies were repelled by volatiles from plants induced by cabbage white butterfly eggs, probably as a means of avoiding competition, whereas both parasitic wasp species were attracted. In contrast, volatiles from plants induced by eggs of the generalist moth did neither repel nor attract any of the tested community members. Analysis of the plant’s volatile metabolomic profile by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and the structure of the plant-egg interface by scanning electron microscopy confirmed that the plant responds differently to egg deposition by the two lepidopteran species. Our findings imply that prior to actual feeding damage, egg deposition can induce specific plant responses that significantly influence various members of higher trophic levels.

This atudy aims to compare the effect of Aedes aegypti mosquito repellent formulations from laundry wastewater combined with various concentrations of lemongrass extract (Cymbopogon nardus L) as an Aedes aegypti mosquito repellent and to prove the effectiveness of mosquito repellent through lethal concentration (LC50) and lethal time (LT50). This study uses an experimental method with a complete randomized plan (RAL) in January-May 2021 at the Laboratory of the Environmental Service, Takalar district and Lab. ILK Entomology Dept. Biology of Hasanuddin University. Formulation of Aedes aegypti mosquito repellent is sample F1 (6:2), F2 (6:1), F3 (6:1.5), F4 (6:0.5) between laundry wastewater and lemongrass extract with an observation time of 8 hours. This study used 300 Aedes aegypti mosquitoes for 3 replications with concentrations of lemongrass extract (8%, 17.5%, 20% and 25%). The ANOVA results showed a significance of P (0.014) < (0.05) which means that the Aedes aegypti mosquito repellent formulation from laundry wastewater combined with various concentrations of lemongrass extract had a very significant effect and the result of the probit analysis found that the value LC50 was 15.04% and an LT50 was 9, 87 minutes. So it can be concluded that the laundry waste combined with various concentrations of lemongrass extract has different effects on the mortality of Aedes aegypti with a level of poison that is quite toxic to the Aedes aegypti mosquito.

According to the preference-performance hypothesis (PPH), also known as ‘mother-knows-best hypothesis’, herbivorous insects prefer those plants for oviposition, which yield the best offspring performance. Yet, most studies testing the PPH neglect the possibility that plant responses to insect eggs may affect both egg survival and larval performance. Here, we tested the PPH by studying responses of seven Brassicaceae plant species to oviposition by two cabbage white species. When including the egg phase, our study supports the ‘mother-knows-best hypothesis’: larvae of Pieris rapae (solitary) or P. brassicae (gregarious) gained most weight on those plant species which had received most eggs (B. nigra or B. montana, respectively). However, our experiments did not reveal any relationship between oviposition preference and egg survival. Brassicaceous species are known to respond to these butterfly eggs with a hypersensitive response (HR)-like necrosis, which can lower egg survival. Pieris eggs frequently induced necrosis in five of the tested plant species. Survival of clustered P. brassicae eggs was unaffected by HR-like in four of the five species. Therefore, our experiments did not reveal any relationship between P. brassicae egg survival and oviposition preference. Females of P. rapae preferred oviposition on plant species which most frequently showed HR-like necrosis. Remarkably, although egg survival was lower on HR-like plants, larval biomass was higher compared to plants without a necrosis. We conclude that egg survival does not seem to be a deciding factor for oviposition choices. However, egg-mediated plant responses might be important to explain the PPH of the two Pieris species.Lay summaryEgg-laying preferences of herbivorous insects can often be linked to offspring performance. Commonly, the fate of insect eggs and the plant responses to the eggs have been ignored when studying the link between preference and performance. By including the egg phase, our study supports the ‘mother-knows-best hypothesis’, explained by butterfly oviposition and associated egg and larval performances on different plant species. We especially found that egg-mediated responses seem a deciding factor for butterfly oviposition choices.

International audience; Many insect herbivores engage in apparent competition whereby two species interact through shared natural enemies. Upon insect attack, plants release volatile blends that attract natural enemies, but whether these volatiles mediate apparent competition between herbivores is not yet known. We investigate the role of volatiles that are emitted by bean plants upon infestation by Acyrthosiphon pisum aphids on the population dynamics and fitness of Sitobion avenae aphids, and on wheat phloem sap metabolites. In a field experiment, the dynamics of S. avenae aphids on wheat were studied by crossing two treatments: exposure of aphid colonies to A. pisum-induced bean volatiles and exclusion of natural enemies. Glasshouse experiments and analyses of primary metabolites in wheat phloem exudates were performed to better understand the results from the field experiment. In the field, bean volatiles did not affect S. avenae dynamics or survival when aphids were exposed to natural enemies. When protected from them, however, volatiles led to larger aphid colonies. In agreement with this observation, in glasshouse experiments, aphid-induced bean volatiles increased the survival of S. avenae aphids on wheat plants, but not on an artificial diet. This suggests that volatiles may benefit S. avenae colonies via metabolic changes in wheat plants, although we did not find any effect on wheat phloem exudate composition. We report a potential case of associational susceptibility whereby plant volatiles weaken the defences of receiving plants, thus leading to increased herbivore performance.

International audience; The plant cell wall plays an important role in damage-associated molecular pattern-induced resistance to pathogens and herbivorous insects. Our current understanding of cell wall-mediated resistance is largely based on the degree of pectin methylesterification. However, little is known about the role of pectin acetylesterification in plant immunity. This study describes how one pectin-modifying enzyme, PECTIN ACETYLESTERASE 9 (PAE9), affects the Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) transcriptome, secondary metabolome, and aphid performance. Electro-penetration graphs showed that Myzus persicae aphids established phloem feeding earlier on pae9 mutants. Whole-genome transcriptome analysis revealed a set of 56 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between uninfested pae9-2 mutants and wild-type plants. The majority of the DEGs were enriched for biotic stress responses and down-regulated in the pae9-2 mutant, including PAD3 and IGMT2, involved in camalexin and indole glucosinolate biosynthesis, respectively. Relative quantification of more than 100 secondary metabolites revealed decreased levels of several compounds, including camalexin and oxylipins, in two independent pae9 mutants. In addition, absolute quantification of phytohormones showed that jasmonic acid (JA), jasmonoyl-Ile, salicylic acid, abscisic acid, and indole-3-acetic acid were compromised due to PAE9 loss of function. After aphid infestation, however, pae9 mutants increased their levels of camalexin, glucosinolates, and JA, and no long-term effects were observed on aphid fitness. Overall, these data show that PAE9 is required for constitutive up-regulation of defense-related compounds, but that it is not required for aphid-induced defenses. The signatures of phenolic antioxidants, phytoprostanes, and oxidative stress-related transcripts indicate that the processes underlying PAE9 activity involve oxidation-reduction reactions.

International audience; The study compares the impact due to rice stem borers in two sites (Yaoundé and Ntui). It also shows the diversity of the African Rice Gall Midge (AfRGM) biotypes in southern Cameroon (Santchou, Ndop, Tonga, Ebolowa, Baïgom, Yaoundé and Ntui). The New Rice for Africa (NERICA) varieties 3, 8, 9 and 13 sown in Ntui were less attacked than those sown in Yaoundé. At both sites, damages ranged from 0.78% to 2.7%. In terms of diversity, the main stem-borer species were O. oryzivora, Diopsis apicalis, D. longiconis and Chilo zacconius. Molecular analyses of Orseolia oryzivora larvae collected in the localities of Santchou, Ndop, Tonga, Ebolowa, Baïgom and Yaoundé showed the existence of more than one O. oryzivora biotype in southern Cameroon's rice basins.

Ticks transmit the highest variety of pathogens impacting human and animal health worldwide. It is now well established that ticks also harbour a microbial complex of coexisting symbionts, commensals and pathogens. With the development of high throughput sequencing technologies, studies dealing with such diverse bacterial composition in tick considerably increased in the past years and revealed an unexpected microbial diversity. These data on diversity and composition of the tick microbes are increasingly available, giving crucial details on microbial communities in ticks and improving our knowledge on the tick microbial community. However, consensus is currently lacking as to which scales (tick organs, individual specimens or species, communities of ticks, populations adapted to particular environmental conditions, spatial and temporal scales) best facilitate characterizing microbial community composition of ticks and understanding the diverse relationships among tick-borne bacteria. Temporal or spatial scales have a clear influence on how we conduct ecological studies, interpret results, and understand interactions between organisms that build the microbiome. We consider that patterns apparent at one scale can collapse into noise when viewed from other scales, indicating that processes shaping tick microbiome have a continuum of variability that has not yet been captured. Based on available reports, this review demonstrates how much the concept of scale is crucial to be considered in tick microbial community studies to improve our knowledge on tick microbe ecology and pathogen/microbiota interactions.

International audience

The importance of mutualistic symbioses is increasingly recognized in plant responses to herbivory as well as in plant-mediated interactions. It is well established that beneficial microbes such as mycorrhizal fungi and plant growth-promoting bacteria can play a role in plant responses to herbivory. Symbionts associated with herbivorous insects are also known to affect the way the herbivore interacts with its food plant by manipulating plantphysiology for the benefits of their herbivore hosts. However the role of insect-associated symbionts has received less attention in a multi-trophic perspective. Here, we will address the effects of symbionts associated with insects at different positions in the community structure. Using as model system a cabbage-based food-web system, we show that insect-associated symbionts induce phenotypic changes in the plant, with consequences for other insect community members. We argue that insect-associated symbionts can play an important role in plant-mediated interactions highlighting a fascinating complexity of terrestrial-ecological networks.

This study focuses on the thermal analysis and comparing a lattice model and an optimized model of open-cell metal foams manufactured thanks to a metal casting process. The topological optimization defines the complex geometry through thermal criteria and a plaster mold reproduces it in 3D printing to be used in casting. The study of the thermal behavior conducted on the two open foam metal structures is performed based on several measurements, as well as numerical simulations. It is observed that the optimized metal foam presented less and non-homogenous local temperature than the lattice model with the gap of about 10 °C between both models. The pore size and porosity significantly affect the heat transfer through the metal foam. The comparison between numerical simulations and experimental results regarding the temperature fields shows a good agreement allowing the validation of the developed three-dimensional model based on the finite element method.

This work aims to establish an ecologically integrated strategy for pest management to assess the impact of water and nitrogen depletion on Aphis pomi infestation in the Apple orchard.The results of the study of the impact on the green Apple aphid show a significant effect on the availability of water and nitrogen on the level of Aphis pomi infestation. Indeed, the normal fertigation regime (T1 = 100%) proved to be more favorable to a prominent development of aphids, in comparison with a 25% water and nitrogen deficit regime (T2 = 75%), that minimize infestation. As for the evolution of wingless aphid and green aphid with wing, the Aphis pomi, at both regimes, the general shape of the evolution of winged curves looks like the one of the wingless ones, with small differences. The number of leaves was higher in the T1 regime than that of T2. Moreover, the study of the orientation effect on the infestation of aphids has shown that the North andthe West sides were more infested than the East and the South ones. A negative effect on Syrphesp and ChrysoperlaCarnea densities was noticed under water and nitrogen depletion.

International audience; In nature, herbivorous insects and plant pathogens are generally abundant when plants are flowering. Thus, plants face a diversity of attackers during their reproductive phase. Plant responses to one attacker can interfere with responses to a second attacker, and phytohor-mones that orchestrate plant reproduction are also involved in resistance to insect and pathogen attack. We quantified phytohormonal responses of flowering plants exposed to single or dual attack and studied resistance mechanisms of plants in the flowering stage. Flowering Brassica nigra were exposed to either a chewing caterpillar, a phloem-feeding aphid or a bacterial pathogen, and plant hormonal responses were compared with dual attack situations. We quantified phytohormones in inflorescences and leaves, and determined the consequences of hormonal changes for components of direct and indirect plant resistance. Caterpillars were the main inducers of jasmonates in inflorescences, and the phytohormonal profile of leaves was not affected by either insect or pathogen attack. Dual attack increased plant resistance to caterpillars, but compromised resistance to aphids. Parasitoid performance was negatively correlated with the performance of their hosts. We conclude that plants prioritize resistance of reproductive tissues over vegetative tissues, and that a chewing herbivore species is the main driver of responses in flowering B. nigra.

International audience; 1. The optimisation theory predicts that insect mothers should oviposit on resources on which they attain the highest exclusive fitness. The development of parasitoid wasps is dependent on limited host resources that are often not much larger than the adult parasitoid.2. In the present study preference and development in three congeneric species of secondary hyperparasitoids attacking cocoons of two congeneric primary parasitoids that differ significantly in size were compared. Gelis agilis (Fabricius) and G. acarorum (L.) are wingless hyperparasitoids that forage in grassy habitats, whereas G. areator (Panzer) is fully winged and forages higher in the canopy of forbs.3. The three species were reared on cocoons containing pupae of a small gregarious endoparasitoid, Cotesia glomerata (L.), and a larger solitary species, C. rubecula (Marshall), both of which develop in the caterpillars of pierid butterflies.4. Adult mass was correlated with initial cocoon mass in all three species, whereas development time was unaffected. Wasps were larger when developing in C. rubecula. However, for a given host mass, wasps were larger when developing on the smaller host, C. glomerata. This suggests that there is a physiological limit to hyperparasitoid size that was exceeded when C. rubecula served as host.5. All three hyperparasitoids strongly preferred to attack cocoons of the larger species, C. rubecula, often avoiding cocoons of C. glomerata entirely. 6. Preference and performance are correlated in the three Gelis species. However, owing to variation in the distribution and thus abundance of their hosts, it is argued that cumulative fitness may be still higher in the smaller host species.

The venom gland is a ubiquitous organ in Hymenoptera. In insect parasitoids, the venom gland has been shown to have multiple functions including regulation of host immune response, host paralysis, host castration and developmental alteration. However, the role played by the venom gland has been mainly studied in parasitoids developing in larval or pupal hosts while little is known for parasitoids developing in insect eggs. We conducted the first extensive characterization of the venom of the endoparasitoid Ooencyrtus telenomicida (Vassiliev), a species that develops in eggs of the stink bug Nezara viridula (L.). In particular we investigated the structure of the venom apparatus, its functional role and conducted a transcriptomic analysis of the venom gland. We found that injection of O. telenomicida venom induces: 1) a melanized-like process in N. viridula host eggs (host-parasitoid interaction), 2) impairment of the larval development of the competitor Trissolcus basalis (Wollaston) (parasitoid-parasitoid interaction). The O. telenomicida venom gland transcriptome reveals a majority of digestive enzymes (peptidases and glycosylases) and oxidoreductases (laccases) among the most expressed genes. The former enzymes are likely to be involved in degradation of the host resources for the specific benefit of the O. telenomicida offspring. In turn, alteration of host resources caused by these enzymes may negatively affect the larval development of the competitor T. basalis. We hypothesize that the melanization process induced by venom injection could be related to the presence of laccases, which are multicopper oxidases that belong to the phenoloxidases group. This work contributed to a better understanding of the venom in insect parasitoids and allowed to identify candidate genes whose functional role can be investigated in future studies.

In legal frameworks worldwide, genetically modified plants (GMPs) are subjected to pre-market environmental risk assessment (ERA) with the aim of identifying potential effects on the environment. In the European Union, the EFSA Guidance Docuinent introduces the rationale that GMPs, as well as their newly produced metabolites, represent the potential stressor to be evaluated during ERA. As a consequence, during several phases of ERA for cultivation purposes, it is considered necessary to use whole plants or plant parts in experimental protocols. The importance of in planta studies as a strategy to address impacts of GMPs tin non-target organislns is demonstrated, to evaluate both effects due to the intended modification in plant phenotype (e.g. expression of Cry proteins) and effects due to unintended modifications in plant phenotype resultihg from the transformation process (e.g. due to somaclonal variations or pleiotropic effects). In planta tests are also necessary for GMPs in which newly expressed metabolites cannot easily be studied in vitro. This paper reviews the scientific literature supporting the choice of in planta studies as a fundamental tool in ERA of GMPs in cultivation dossiers; the evidence indicates they can realistically mimic the ecological relationships occurring in their receiving environments and provide important insights into the biology and sustainable management of GMPs.

This work aims to establish an ecologically integrated pest management strategy to assess the effect of water and nitrogen depletion on Myzus persicae infestation in the peach orchard. The results showed a significant effect of level of water and nitrogen supplies on the green peach aphid infestation in the orchard. Indeed, the fertigation regime T1 (100%) proved to be much more favorable to a prominent development of aphidian populations compared to 25% water and nitrogen restricted regime. Moreover, the infestation degree was lower in the regime T2 (~75%) than that observed in the regime T1. The evolution of wingless and winged green aphid populations was similar in both regimes. The effect of branch orientation on the aphids infestation was significant with those oriented to the North, West and South were more infested than those oriented to the East. Concerning the useful fauna, we noticed the same predators species for all the tested regimes. A negative effect on Stethorus sp and Chrysoperla carnea densities was appeared under water and nitrogen depletion.

The present study aims to determine the effect of harvest date on rice seeds germination. The experiment was carried out at Nkolbisson, a locality within the forest agro-ecological zone characterized by a bimodal rainfall pattern. Four varieties of NERICA: NERICA 3, NERICA 8, NERICA 9 and 13 NERICA widely grown in Cameroon were used and planted in a completely randomized block design. Rice seed was produced according to the standards of its production and were harvested at six different dates: 20, 25, 30, 35, 40 and 45 days after heading. .The harvested seeds were dried at 13% moisture content before rate of the germination test. The results showed that the harvest dates have a significant effect on the latency, the time corresponding to 50% sprouted grains (T50), the number of sprouted grains, number of dead seed and the number of non sprouted grains. There was significant difference between rice varieties evaluated and the different harvesting date. The germination rates 98.88%, 99.44%, 99.75% and 97.00% were obtained respectively for the harvest dates of 30, 35, 40 and 45 days after 50% heading.. The harvest dates 20 and 25 days after 50% heading presented low germination rates. With these early harvesting dates, the mean percentages of dead seeds ranged between 18.25% and 55.25%. Too early harvest had a negative impact on rice seeds germination. To obtain good germination rate, it is recommend to harvest rice at 30 and 40 days after 50% of heading.; La présente étude vise à déterminer l'influence de la date de récolte sur la germination des semences de riz. L'essai conduit dans la zone agro écologique à pluviométrie bimodale précisément à Nkolbisson, a utilisé quatre variétés de riz NERICA: NERICA 3, NERICA 8, NERICA 9, et NERICA 13 largement cultivées au Cameroun. Les semences de ces variétés produites dans un dispositif en blocs complètement randomisés et dans le respect strict des règles techniques de production des semences, ont été récoltées à six dates différentes: 20,25, 30,35, 40, et 45 jours après épiaison. Les graines récoltées et séchées à un taux d'humidité de 13 %ont été évaluées. Les résultats obtenus ont montré que les dates de récolte ont une influence hautement significative sur le temps de latence, le temps correspondant à 50 % de grains germés, le nombre de grains germés, le nombre de graines mortes et le nombre de grains non germés. Une différence significative a également été observée sur les capacités germinatives des variétés. Les taux de germination de 98,88 %, 99,44 %, 99,75 % et 97 % ont été obtenus respectivement pour les dates de 30, 35, 40 et 45 jours après50% épiaison. Par contre, les dates de récolte de 20 et 25 jours après 50 % épiaison ont présenté des taux de germination faibles de 44,75 % et 73,25 % respectivement. Ces dates précoces de récolte ont donné des taux des graines mortes variant entre 18,25% et55,25 %. Pour une bonne germination, il est recommandé de récolter entre 30 et 40 jours après 50 % d'épiaison pour toutes les variétés utilisées.

Understanding the impact of altitude and ecological heterogeneity at a fine scale on the populations of malaria vectors is essential to better understand and anticipate eventual epidemiological changes. It could help to evaluate the spread of alleles conferring resistance to insecticides and also determine any increased entomological risk of transmission in highlands due to global warming. We used microsatellite markers to measure the effect of altitude and distance on the population genetic structure ofAnopheles funestusandAnopheles gambiae s.s. in the Muheza area in the north-eastern part of Tanzania (seven loci for each species). Our analysis reveals strong gene flow between the different populations ofAn. funestusfrom lowland and highland areas, as well as between populations ofAn. gambiaesampled in the lowland area. These results highlight forAn. funestusthe absence of a significant spatial subpopulation structuring at small-scale, despite a steep ecological and altitudinal cline. Our findings are important in the understanding of the possible spread of alleles conferring insecticide resistance through mosquito populations. Such information is essential for vector control programmes to avoid the rapid spread and fixation of resistance in mosquito populations.

Vector-borne pathogens impact public health, animal production, and animal welfare. Research on arthropod vectors such as mosquitoes, ticks, sandflies, and midges which transmit pathogens to humans and economically important animals is crucial for development of new control measures that target transmission by the vector. While insecticides are an important part of this arsenal, appearance of resistance mechanisms is increasingly common. Novel tools for genetic manipulation of vectors, use of Wolbachia endosymbiotic bacteria, and other biological control mechanisms to prevent pathogen transmission have led to promising new intervention strategies, adding to strong interest in vector biology and genetics as well as vector–pathogen interactions. Vector research is therefore at a crucial juncture, and strategic decisions on future research directions and research infrastructure investment should be informed by the research community. A survey initiated by the European Horizon 2020 INFRAVEC-2 consortium set out to canvass priorities in the vector biology research community and to determine key activities that are needed for researchers to efficiently study vectors, vector-pathogen interactions, as well as access the structures and services that allow such activities to be carried out. We summarize the most important findings of the survey which in particular reflect the priorities of researchers in European countries, and which will be of use to stakeholders that include researchers, government, and research organizations., Graphical Abstract

Due to a growing demand of food production worldwide, new strategies are suggested to allow for sustainable production of food with minimal effects on natural resources. A promising alternative to the application of chemical pesticides is the implementation of crops resistant to insect pests. Plants produce compounds that are harmful to a wide range of attackers, including insect pests; thus, exploitation of their natural defense system can be the key for the development of pest‐resistant crops. Interestingly, some plants possess a unique first line of defense that eliminates the enemy before it becomes destructive: egg‐killing. Insect eggs can trigger (1) direct defenses, mostly including plant cell tissue growth or cell death that lead to eggs desiccating, being crushed or falling off the plant or (2) indirect defenses, plant chemical cues recruiting natural enemies that kill the egg or hatching larvae (parasitoids). The consequences of plant responses to eggs are that insect larvae do not hatch or that they are impeded in development, and damage to the plant is reduced. Here, we provide an overview on the ubiquity and evolutionary history of egg‐killing traits within the plant kingdom including crops. Up to now, little is known on the mechanisms and on the genetic basis of egg‐killing traits. Making use of egg‐killing defense traits in crops is a promising new way to sustainably reduce losses of crop yield. We provide suggestions for new breeding strategies to grow egg‐killing crops and improve biological control.

International audience; 1. Several studies have shown that above- and belowground insects can interact by influencing each others growth, development, and survival when they feed on the same host-plant. In natural systems, however, insects can make choices on which plants to oviposit and feed. A field experiment was carried out to determine if root-feeding insects can influence feeding and oviposition preferences and decisions of naturally colonising foliar-feeding insects. 2. Using the wild cruciferous plant Brassica nigra and larvae of the cabbage root fly Delia radicum as the belowground root-feeding insect, naturally colonising populations of foliar-feeding insects were monitored over the course of a summer season. 3. Groups of root-infested and root-uninfested B. nigra plants were placed in a meadow during June, July, and August of 2006 for periods of 3 days. The root-infested and the root-uninfested plants were either dispersed evenly or placed in clusters. Once daily, all leaves of each plant were carefully inspected and insects were removed and collected for identification. 4. The flea beetles Phyllotreta spp. and the aphid Brevicoryne brassicae were significantly more abundant on root-uninfested (control) than on root-infested plants. However, for B. brassicae this was only apparent when the plants were placed in clusters. Host-plant selection by the generalist aphid M. persicae and oviposition preference by the specialist butterfly P. rapae, however, were not significantly influenced by root herbivory. 5. The results of this study show that the presence of root-feeding insects can affect feeding and oviposition preferences of foliar-feeding insects, even under natural conditions where many other interactions occur simultaneously. The results suggest that root-feeding insects play a role in the structuring of aboveground communities of insects, but these effects depend on the insect species as well as on the spatial distribution of the root-feeding insects.

International audience; The flow cytometry technique, based on the enumeration and multi -parametric analysis of suspended particles in a liquid medium, has enabled us to identify an population of viruses and bacteria in the soil and the digestive tract of earthworms. It appears that the p assage of the ground through the digestive tract of oligochaetes annelids would regulate bacterial and viral biomass of the soil as well as soil physico-chemical parameters. The soil microfauna is involved in the decomposition of the organic material and the nutrient bioavailability to plants and soil microorganisms. It also plays an important role in the creation and conservation of the soil structure. Apart fr om their role as "engineers", earthworms through their internal microfauna, participate in the regulation of physical and chemical parameters such as nitrogen mineralization. Earthworms thus participate in the processes of decomposition of organic material improve the bioavailability of minerals, maintain the porosity of the soil and increase the stability of the aggregates. Oligochaetes are expected to play a central role in the implementation of biological regulation in the agro-ecosystems essential to the development of ecological and intensive agriculture. Another reason to be interested in these soil organisms is that they are good candidates for bio-indicators. Indeed, the level of their population is sensitive to cultural practices, chemical products that are spread, quality and quantity of the resource in carbon, which are important characteristics of the sustainability of agricultural systems.

International audience; Induction of plant defences, specifically in response to herbivore attack, can save costs that would otherwise be needed to maintain defences even in the absence of herbivores. However, plants may suffer considerable damage during the time required to mount these defences against an attacker. This could be resolved if plants could respond to early cues, such as egg deposition, that reliably indicate future herbivory. We tested this hypothesis in a field experiment and found that egg deposition by the butterfly Pieris brassicae on black mustard (Brassica nigra) induced a plant response that negatively affected feeding caterpillars. The effect cascaded up to the third and fourth trophic levels (larval parasitoids and hyperparasitoids) by affecting the parasitisation rate and parasitoid performance. Overall, the defences induced by egg deposition had a positive effect on plant seed production and may therefore play an important role in the evolution of plant resis- tance to herbivores.

International audience; Earthworms of the genus Alma nilotica belonging to the family Glossoscolecidae, lodges an abundant fauna of astomatous ciliates in itsdigestive tract. Each species is located in a well-defined portion of the gut and the reasons for this stratification still remain unclear. Inorder to assess the influence of physico-chemicals parameters of the soil on the distribution of one of these astomatous ciliates(Paracoelophrya polymorphus Fokam, 2012) along the digestive tract of Alma nilotica, a study was carried out from April toSeptember 2013 in Bambui on the banks of Fansaah river. The volumic density (VD) of worms (number /dm3 soil) was examined. Atotal of 60 worms were used for the counting of ciliates. The observation of Paracoelophrya polymorphus was done after staining withmethylene blue. Twelve physico-chemicals parameters of the soil from the site of collection of worms were analyzed. The degree ofbinding between the VD of worms, the abundance of ciliates and physico-chemicals parameters was performed for different portions ofthe digestive tract. VD of the earthworms shows a positive and significant correlation with the Cation Exchange Capacity CEC (r =0.771; P < 0, 05) and with Mg (r = 0.886; P < 0, 01). Paracoelophrya polymorphus is located in the foregut and midgut of its host but,its preferential zone is the foregut. In the foregut, a negative and significant correlation was found between available phosphorus (P)and P. polymorphus abundance (r = -0,943; P < 0, 01). In the midgut, a positive and significant correlation was obtained between theCation Exchange capacity (CEC) (r = 0.754; P < 0, 05), magnesium (r = 0.812; P < 0, 05), calcium (r = 0.754; P < 0, 05) and P.polymorphus abundance. These chemical parameters influence directly the density of the earthworms and indirectly the stratificationof P. polymorphus

International audience; 1. In nature, several parasitoid species often exploit the same stages of a common herbivore host species and are able to coexist despite competitive interactions amongst them. Less is known about the direct effects of resource quality on intrinsic interactions between immature parasitoid stages. The present study is based on the hypothesis that variation in the quality or type of plant resources on which the parasitoids indirectly develop may be complementary and thus facilitate niche segregation favouring different parasitoids in intrinsic competition under different dietary regimes.[br/]2. The present study investigated whether two herbivore species, the cabbage butterflies Pieris brassicae and Pieris rapae (Pieridae), and the quality of two important food plants, Brassica oleracea and Brassica nigra (Brassicaceae), affect the outcome of intrinsic competition between their primary larval endoparasitoids, the gregarious Cotesia glomerata (Braconidae) and the solitary Hyposoter ebeninus (Ichneumonidae).[br/]3. Hyposoter ebeninus is generally an intrinsically superior competitor over C. glomerata. However, C. glomerata survived more antagonistic encounters with H. ebeninus when both developed in P. brassicae rather than in P. rapae caterpillars, and while its host was feeding on B. nigra rather than B. oleracea. Moreover, H. ebeninus benefitted from competition by its higher survival in multiparasitised hosts.[br/]4. These results show that both plant and herbivore species mediate the battleground on which competitive interactions between parasitoids are played out and may affect the outcomes of these interactions in ways that enable parasitoids to segregate their niches. This in turn may promote coexistence among parasitoid species that are associated with the same herbivore host.

The current methods to assess the environmental impacts of plant pests differ in their approaches and there is a lack of the standardized procedures necessary to provide accurate and consistent results, demonstrating the complexity of developing a commonly accepted scheme for this purpose. By including both the structural and functional components of the environment threatened by invasive alien species (IAS), in particular plant pests, we propose an environmental risk assessment scheme that addresses this complexity. Structural components are investigated by evaluating the impacts of the plant pest on genetic, species and landscape diversity. Functional components are evaluated by estimating how plant pests modify ecosystem services in order to determine the extent to which an IAS changes the functional traits that influence ecosystem services. A scenario study at a defined spatial and temporal resolution is then used to explore how an IAS, as an exogenous driving force, may trigger modifications in the target environment. The method presented here provides a standardized approach to generate comparable and reproducible results for environmental risk assessment as a component of Pest Risk Analysis. The method enables the assessment of overall environmental risk which integrates the impacts on different components of the environment and their probabilities of occurrence. The application of the proposed scheme is illustrated by evaluating the environmental impacts of the invasive citrus long-horn beetle, Anoplophora chinensis. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

International audience; Males of the two-spotted spider mite Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae) attempt to copulate with mated females unreceptive to copulation. However, only the first copulation results in fertilization when the interval between the first and second copulation is longer than 24 h. Therefore, such male copulation behaviour does not directly contribute to male fitness. A previous study examined indirect effects on male fitness, but no effect was detected. A proximate explanation for males attempting to copulate with mated females may be the inability of males to discriminate between females that have recently copulated and those that had copulated earlier. Thus, here I tested male preference for females that had copulated 30 h ago and those that had copulated 6 h ago under dual choice conditions. Males chose equally both types of females, which supports the proximate explanation of male discrimination inability. In conclusion, this study suggests that males attempt to copulate with mated females because they are unable to perceive female mating history.

Herbivory induces direct resistance responses in plants that negatively affect subsequently colonizing herbivores. Moreover, eggs of herbivorous insects can also activate plant resistance, which in some cases prevents hatching larvae from feeding. Until now, plant-mediated effects of eggs on subsequent herbivory, and the specificity of such responses, have remained poorly understood. We studied the specificity and effects of plant resistance induced by herbivore egg deposition against lepidopteran larvae of species with different dietary breadths, feeding on a wild annual plant, the crucifer Brassica nigra. We examined whether this plant-mediated response affects the growth of caterpillars of a specialist (Pieris brassicae) that feeds on B. nigra leaves and flowers, and a generalist (Mamestra brassicae) that rarely attacks this wild crucifer. We measured growth rates of neonate larvae to the end of their second instar after the larvae had hatched on plants exposed to eggs vs. plants without eggs, under laboratory and semi-field conditions. Moreover, we studied the effects of egg deposition by the two herbivore species on plant height and flowering rate before and after larval hatching. Larvae of both herbivore species that developed on plants previously infested with eggs of the specialist butterfly P. brassicae gained less mass compared with larvae that developed on egg-free plants. Plants exposed to butterfly eggs showed accelerated plant growth and flowering compared to egg-free plants. Egg deposition by the generalist moth M. brassicae, in contrast, had no effect on subsequent performance by either herbivore species, or on plant development. Our results demonstrate that B. nigra plants respond differently to eggs of two herbivore species in terms of plant development and induced resistance to caterpillar attack. For this annual crucifer, the retardation of caterpillar growth in response to deposition of eggs by P. brassicae in combination with enhanced growth and flowering likely result in reproductive assurance, after being exposed to eggs from an herbivore whose larvae rapidly reduce the plant's reproductive potential through florivory.

1. Plant hormones play important roles in regulating plant growth and defence by mediating developmental processes and signalling networks involved in plant responses to a wide range of parasitic and mutualistic biotic interactions. 2. Plants are known to rapidly respond to pathogen and herbivore attack by reconfiguring their metabolism to reduce pathogen/herbivore food acquisition. This involves the production of defensive plant secondary compounds, but also an alteration of the plant primary metabolism to fuel the energetic requirements of the direct defence. 3. Cytokinins are plant hormones that play a key role in plant morphology, plant defence, leaf senescence and source–sink relationships. They are involved in numerous plant–biotic interactions. 4. These phytohormones may have been the target of arthropods and pathogens over the course of the evolutionary arms race between plants and their biotic partners to hijack the plant metabolism, control its physiology and/or morphology and successfully invade the plant. In the case of arthropods, cytokinin-induced phenotypes can be mediated by their bacterial symbionts, giving rise to intricate plant–microbe–insect interactions. 5. Cytokinin-mediated effects strongly impact not only plant growth and defence but also the whole community of insect and pathogen species sharing the same plant by facilitating or preventing plant invasion. This suggests that cytokinins (CKs) are key regulators of the plant growth-defence trade-off and highlights the complexity of the finely balanced responses that plants use while facing both invaders and mutualists.

Animals can store learned information in their brains through a series of distinct memory forms. Short-lasting memory forms can be followed by longer-lasting, consolidated memory forms. However, the factors determining variation in memory consolidation encountered in nature have thus far not been fully elucidated. Here, we show that two parasitic wasp species belonging to different families, Cotesia glomerata (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) and Trichogramma evanescens (Hymenoptera; Trichogrammatidae), similarly adjust the memory form they consolidate to a fitness-determining reward: egg-laying into a host-insect that serves as food for their offspring. Protein synthesis-dependent long-term memory (LTM) was consolidated after single-trial conditioning with a high-value host. However, single-trial conditioning with a low-value host induced consolidation of a shorter-lasting memory form. For Cotesia glomerata, we subsequently identified this shorter-lasting memory form as anesthesia-resistant memory (ARM) because it was not sensitive to protein synthesis inhibitors or anesthesia. Associative conditioning using a single reward of different value thus induced a physiologically different mechanism of memory formation in this species. We conclude that the memory form that is consolidated does not only change in response to relatively large differences in conditioning, such as the number and type of conditioning trials, but is also sensitive to more subtle differences, such as reward value. Reward-dependent consolidation of exclusive ARM or LTM provides excellent opportunities for within-species comparison of mechanisms underlying memory consolidation. [KEYWORDS: long-term-memory trichogramma wasps cotesia-glomerata protein-synthesis natural variation apis-mellifera learning rate c-rubecula drosophila quality]

International audience

1. Female parasitoids have evolved various foraging strategies in order to find suitable hosts. Egg parasitoids have been shown to exploit plant cues induced by the deposition of host eggs. 2. The tiny wasp Trichogramma brassicae uses oviposition-induced cues from Brussels sprouts to locate eggs of the cabbage white butterflies Pieris brassicae and Pieris rapae that differ in their egg-laying behaviour. These plant cues are elicited by male-derived anti-aphrodisiac pheromones in the accessory reproductive gland (ARG) secretions of mated female butterflies. However, the closely related generalist species Trichogramma evanescens does not respond to Brussels sprout cues induced by the deposition of P. brassicae egg clutches. 3. Here we showed in two-choice bioassays that T. evanescens wasps respond to Brussels sprout cues induced by (i) the deposition of single eggs by P. rapae, and (ii) the application of ARG secretions from either mated P. rapae females, or from virgin female butterflies in combination with P. rapae's anti-aphrodisiac compound indole. The wasps only associatively learned to respond to Brussels sprout cues after applying indole alone by linking those cues with the presence of P. rapae eggs. 4. Our results indicate that Trichogramma wasps more commonly exploit oviposition-induced plant cues to locate their host eggs. Generalist wasps show less specificity in their response than specialists and employ associative learning

Many insects possess a sexual communication system that is vulnerable to chemical espionage by parasitic wasps. We recently discovered that a hitch-hiking (H) egg parasitoid exploits the antiaphrodisiac pheromone benzyl cyanide (BC) of the Large Cabbage White butterfly Pieris brassicae . This pheromone is passed from male butterflies to females during mating to render them less attractive to conspecific males. When the tiny parasitic wasp Trichogramma brassicae detects the antiaphrodisiac, it rides on a mated female butterfly to a host plant and then parasitizes her freshly laid eggs. The present study demonstrates that a closely related generalist wasp, Trichogramma evanescens , exploits BC in a similar way, but only after learning. Interestingly, the wasp learns to associate an H response to the odors of a mated female P. brassicae butterfly with reinforcement by parasitizing freshly laid butterfly eggs. Behavioral assays, before which we specifically inhibited long-term memory (LTM) formation with a translation inhibitor, reveal that the wasp has formed protein synthesis-dependent LTM at 24 h after learning. To our knowledge, the combination of associatively learning to exploit the sexual communication system of a host and the formation of protein synthesis-dependent LTM after a single learning event has not been documented before. We expect it to be widespread in nature, because it is highly adaptive in many species of egg parasitoids. Our finding of the exploitation of an antiaphrodisiac by multiple species of parasitic wasps suggests its use by Pieris butterflies to be under strong selective pressure.

The European Commission requested the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) to provide a scientific opinion on the report “Mortality verification of pinewood nematode from high temperature treatment of shavings” provided by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).The pinewood nematode, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus (Steiner and Buhrer) Nickle, is listed in Community plant health legislation and protective measures include a requirement that wood shavings of coniferous wood (except that of Thuja L.) originating in the United States (US) must be heat treated to achieve a minimum core temperature of 56 °C for at least 30 minutes.The USDA, through the United Kingdom (UK) Authorities, requested the recognition of an alternative treatment by the European Community. The request was supported by a report of an experiment entitled "Mortality verification of pinewood nematode from high temperature treatment of shavings" and additional explanatory information. This report (and additional explanatory information) presents a treatment process whereby wood shavings are exposed to high temperatures (398 °C) for a short time (3 minutes). The report was submitted to EFSA’s Scientific Panel on Plant Health for evaluation with regard to the reliability and effectiveness of the proposed treatment method, as an alternative to the current heat treatment requirement. A scientific opinion was requested to assist risk managers in considering the technical justification for derogation from the current treatment requirement for wood shavings of coniferous wood listed in Annex IV, Part A, Section 1, point 1.2 of the Council Directive 2000/29/EC[2].The Panel examined the report and supporting information in detail and based its conclusions on the following:* An analysis of the cited references, and the extent to which they support the statements made in the introduction and discussion sections of the USDA report;* Evaluation of the materials, methods and results presented in the report and* A statistical analysis performed by the Panel to test the hypothesis of a mortality estimate after the heat treatment lower than 100%.No comparison is made of the effectiveness and reliability of the proposed treatment method in relation to the current treatment requirement.The scope of this opinion is restricted to one species of Pinus “white pine” (Pinus strobus) as no wider species testing of other coniferous wood has been undertaken. Although the Panel is requested to consider the proposed treatment as an alternative to the current requirement for coniferous wood shavings, this extrapolation of the findings of the report cannot be made since no species other than white pine have been tested.According to the Panel, the references cited do not provide adequate evidence to support the effectiveness of the high temperature treatment proposed, are in some cases incorrectly interpreted and do not sufficiently validate the premise behind the treatment as stated in the USDA report. In particular, the relationship between lethal temperature and duration of exposure was not accurately established and no conclusion can, therefore, be derived about the appropriateness of the proposed temperature/time combination.The Panel considers that the accuracy of the results is difficult to assess due to missing data in the report for the control samples. The report claims that the treatment results in 100% mortality, but a statistical analysis is not included in the report to specify the statistical level of confidence supporting these results. The Panel performed a statistical analysis of the data provided in the USDA report and cannot exclude that the mortality estimate is lower than 99.85%.Uncertainties relating to the experimental design are identified by the Panel. These include:* The effect of the high temperature treatment alone, independent of the shredding process cannot be derived from this experiment.* After the shredding process, shavings are expelled onto a mesh conveyer, which allows dust and particles to fall before the material enters the dryer. The possibility of B. xylophilus contamination from untreated waste material is not discussed.* Only one temperature-time combination has been tested. Therefore the safety margins and reliability of routine operational application of the proposed high temperature treatment cannot be derived from this experiment. This is noted as particularly important in relation to the short exposure time of 3 minutes proposed.* A temperature of 115 °C is recorded at the end of the high temperature treatment. Thus, a continuous exposure to 398 °C for 3 minutes cannot be confirmed from the experiment described.The Panel considers that several elements of the experiment were also not adequately described:* The temperature of the wood shavings in the experiment is unknown. Further information on temperature measurement and placement of thermal sensors would enable more accurate evaluation of the temperature exposure over time.* A number of factors that may influence the results of the experiment are unknown. These include: the volume of the wood shavings relative to the air volume inside the dryer, the homogeneity of the distribution of the shavings in the dryer and wood moisture levels at the start of the treatment.* No information is provided to confirm the identity and the frequency of occurrence of the most resistant life stages of B. xylophilus in the treated samples. The storage conditions of the control samples are unknown, which may affect the natural mortality over time.The Panel agrees that there is potential for development of an alternative treatment protocol based on exposure of wood shavings to high temperatures for a short duration. The Panel however, does not consider that the evidence presented in this report demonstrates the effectiveness and reliability of the proposed temperature/time regime as an alternative to the heat treatment requirement for coniferous wood shavings set out in Annex IV Part A Section I Point 1.2. of Council Directive 2000/29/EC.

The European Food Safety Authority requested the Panel on Plant Health to produce a guidance document on the evaluation of documents prepared by EU Member States or third parties to justify requests for phytosanitary measures to be considered under Council Directive 2000/29/EC[3]. The Panel reviewed the 36 opinions published in the period 2006-2008, and in particular considered the evaluation process for 30 pest risk analysis documents prepared by France on organisms considered harmful for the overseas Departments of Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Martinique and Reunion. It also considered the International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPMs) and the evaluation process is presented with reference to the elements of ISPM No. 11: Pest risk analysis for quarantine pests including analysis of environmental risks and living modified organisms[4]. This guidance confirms the criteria used by the Panel in evaluating whether the evidence presented in the submitted documents supports the conclusion that an organism may pose a risk to plant health and therefore be considered as a harmful organism. The following elements are used as the basis of the conclusions reached by the Panel: •the potential for consequences to cultivated and managed plants and environmental consequences following the introduction of the organism to a specified area •the likelihood of establishment and spread •the likelihood of entry by analysis of the potential pathways presented •the uncertainties which may influence the conclusions reached. If requested, the Panel may also identify and evaluate the effectiveness of potential risk management options a) in reducing the risk of entry and b) in reducing the magnitude of the potential consequences following the introduction of an organism considered to pose a risk to plant health in the European Community.

During mating in many butterfly species, males transfer spermatophores that contain anti-aphrodisiacs to females that repel conspecific males. For example, males of the large cabbage white, Pieris brassicae (Lepidoptera: Pieridae), transfer the anti-aphrodisiac, benzyl cyanide (BC) to females. Accessory reproductive gland (ARG) secretion of a mated female P. brassicae that is deposited with an egg clutch contains traces of BC, inducing Brussels sprouts plants (Brassica oleracea var. gemmifera) to arrest certain Trichogramma egg parasitoids. Here, we assessed whether deposition of one egg at a time by the closely related small cabbage white, Pieris rapae, induced B. oleracea var. gemmifera to arrest Trichogramma wasps, and whether this plant synomone is triggered by substances originating from male P. rapae seminal fluid. We showed that plants induced by singly laid eggs of P. rapae arrest T. brassicae wasps three days after butterfly egg deposition. Elicitor activity was present in ARG secretion of mated female butterflies, whereas the secretion of virgin females was inactive. Pieris rapae used a mixture of methyl salicylate (MeSA) and indole as an anti-aphrodisiac. We detected traces of both anti-aphrodisiacal compounds in the ARG secretion of mated female P. rapae, whereas indole was lacking in the secretion of virgin female P. rapae. When applied onto the leaf, indole induced changes in the foliar chemistry that arrested T. brassicae wasps. This study shows that compounds of male seminal fluid incur possible fitness costs for Pieris butterflies by indirectly promoting egg parasitoid attack.

Following a request from the European Commission, the Panel on Plant Health was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on a pest risk analysis for Thaumetopoea processionea L. prepared by the UK. The Panel was also asked to consider in its opinion the plant health risk of T. processionea to the whole EU territory.The oak processionary moth, Thaumetopoea processionea, is established in Europe and feeds primarily on deciduous oak (Quercus) species. The insect has one generation per year and overwinters as eggs laid on branches of oak trees. After emergence, the larvae feed gregariously and from the 5th instar form a communal silken nest on the tree from which they typically migrate in procession to feed. Feeding may result in partial or complete tree defoliation. From the third instar, the larvae produce urticating hairs which may cause allergic reactions in humans and animals.The Panel examined in detail the UK document to determine whether the evidence presented in the document supports the conclusions reached for the assessment area of the UK, including Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands.To consider the risks posed to the whole area of the European Community, the Panel analysed additional information obtained from a review of the literature and from consultation with experts in the EU. The Panel conducted a preliminary climatic analysis to explore the establishment in the whole EU area, based on temperature accumulation.Based on the above, the Panel reaches the following conclusions:1.With regard to the evaluation of the UK document:•the Panel agrees that the probability for entry on the plants for planting pathway is moderate to high. It further agrees that the probability of entry of T. processionea on the oak roundwood pathway is low;•the Panel agrees that the probability of establishment of T. processionea in the southern area of the UK is high given the presence of breeding populations in London and Jersey, the widespread distribution of oak trees and the favourable climatic conditions in the southern part of the assessment area;•in the UK document evidence is not presented to support the statement that the impact of the oak processionary moth on oak trees is major. Pest management measures applied in areas where the pest is established relate primarily to human health effects and thus are not considered to be a reliable indicator of the magnitude of plant health impact of T. processionea;•the Panel concludes from an evaluation of the risk assessment provided for the assessment area of the UK and review of additional information, that T. processionea may enter, establish and spread in the UK and has the potential to cause negative effects on the health of Quercus spp. although there is a high level of uncertainty relating to the magnitude of the effects on wood yield and quality which are directly attributed to T. processionea;•for the plants for planting pathway, visual inspection, pest surveillance and the establishment of pest free areas or places of production are proposed as risk management options in the UK document. The Panel agrees that uncertainties relating to adult dispersal and the absence of tested surveillance methods may influence the effectiveness and practical implementation of the management options proposed. Further analysis on natural dispersal by flight would assist in evaluation of entry pathways and risk management measures, including those taken in the area of the UK where the pest is present and under official control;•the Panel agrees that the management options proposed for the roundwood pathway can reduce the risk of introduction i.e. removal of bark, restriction of time of year of felling and export of roundwood. There are uncertainties regarding the effectiveness of visual inspection for the presence of nests and the practicality of bark removal for oaks.2.With regard to the risk assessment conducted for the whole EU territory:•T. processionea occurs in many Member States of the EU territory, but the Panel found no reports to suggest that the pest is established in Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta or Sweden;•the presence of the pest in many areas of the EU territory provides opportunity for natural dispersal of T. processionea into adjacent areas where it is not currently established. Natural dispersal of adults may be restricted by geographic barriers (e.g. sea, mountains);•the results from the exploratory analysis conducted by the Panel indicate that spring and summer temperatures are suitable for larval and pupal development in parts of all EU member states where the pest is currently absent. Overwintering survival is not considered to be a key factor in defining the northern limits to the distribution. Limited availability of host plants (Quercus spp.) and low summer temperatures are likely to restrict the potential area of establishment to southern areas of the most northern EU member states;•reports of the plant health impact of T. processionea range from low to high. Due to the high level of variation in the level of plant health impact in the pest’s current area of distribution, more detailed analysis is required to assess the consequences of further spread in areas where it is not currently established in the EU;•the Panel considers that the degree of uncertainty is high. The main uncertainties relate to:■differences in the magnitude of the pest effects reported from different areas of the EU where the pest is established,■the plant health impact directly attributed to T. processionea alone and in combination with other stress factors contributing to tree mortality,■factors affecting the health status and susceptibility of Quercus spp. to defoliation by T. processionea,■the current distribution of T. processionea in the EU territory and lack of biological data needed to estimate the potential expansion of the range of T. processionea,■natural dispersal capabilities of T. processionea females and effectiveness of surveillance methods.Phytosanitary measures are unlikely to prevent natural dispersal of the pest. Phytosanitary measures aimed at plants for planting could, however, reduce the probability of introduction of the pest into areas of the EU territory where the pest is currently absent, or present but under official control. Therefore, the Panel concludes that T. processionea may be considered as a harmful organism and hence is potentially eligible for addition to the list of harmful organisms in Council Directive 2000/29/EC

Following a request from the European Commission, the Panel on Plant Health was asked to provide a scientific opinion on the report “Evaluation of Strawberry Nursery Plant Cold Treatments on Survival of the Whitefly, Bemisia tabaci” submitted to the European Commission by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) as technical justification for a derogation from requirements listed in Annex IV, Part A, Section 1, point 46 of the Council Directive 2000/29/EC[2].The Panel reviewed the report to indicate methodological issues of concern and evaluated the effectiveness of the treatment proposed for the elimination of B. tabaci whiteflies from consignments to be shipped to the EU. In addition, the Panel clarified which viruses listed in the Annexes of Council Directive 2000/29/EC can be transmitted by strawberry plants and by B. tabaci.The Panel concludes that due to the poor quality of the report submitted and to serious shortcomings in the experimental design the report does not demonstrate the effectiveness of the cold treatment proposed. Although there is potential for the development of a cold treatment protocol for the elimination of B. tabaci from strawberry plant consignments, reliable mortality estimates for the proposed cold treatment of 28 degrees Fahrenheit (-2.2 degrees Celsius) for 2 weeks cannot be derived from this study.No B.tabaci-transmitted viruses are currently known to infect strawberry and no viruses of Fragaria spp. listed in Directive 2000/29/EC are known to be transmitted by B. tabaci. However, adult whiteflies of B. tabaci on strawberry consignments can carry plant viruses irrespective of whether strawberry is a host plant for these viruses and thus represent a pathway for the introduction of non-European viruses. There is also some uncertainty concerning the extent to which known or unknown B. tabaci-transmitted viruses could infect strawberry. Two whitefly-transmitted viruses have been recently confirmed as associated with strawberry pallidosis disease occurring in the US: Beet pseudo-yellows virus (BPYV) and Strawberry pallidosis associated virus (Spiv) but are only known to be transmitted by the greenhouse whitefly Trialeurodes vaporariorum and not by B. tabaci.Strawberry plants for planting are vegetatively propagated and are thus subject to infection by viruses. Irrespective of the presence of B. tabaci, strawberry transplants from US may represent a pathway for the introduction of any non-European viruses (and other potentially harmful organisms) of Fragaria. This applies for example to SPaV, which is not reported as present in the EU and, if introduced, could be further spread by its vector, the glasshouse whitefly T. vaporariorum, which is widely established in the EU.

Following a request from the European Commission, the Panel on Plant Health was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on 30 pest risk assessments made by France on organisms which are considered by France as harmful in four French overseas departments, i.e. French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique and Réunion. In particular, the Panel was asked whether these organisms can be considered as harmful organisms for the endangered area of the above departments, in the meaning of the definition mentioned in Article 2.1.(e) of Directive 2000/29/EC and thus potentially eligible for addition to the list of harmful organisms in Directive 2000/29/EC.This document presents the opinion of the Panel on Plant Health on the simplified[1] pest risk assessment conducted by France on Prays endocarpa with French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique and Réunion considered as endangered area.Prays endocarpa Meyrick (Insecta: Lepidoptera: Yponomeutidae), the citrus rind borer or citrus pock caterpillar, is usually found on Citrus, but has also been reported to attack other Rutaceae, including the bael tree Aegle marmelos. The larva feeds on the rind of different citrusfruit, causing gall-like swellings (pocks). Larval development is completed within these galls and the larvae never enter the endocarp. This species is distributed in parts of the Indian subcontinent, South-East Asia and the Pacific.The Panel examined in detail the risk assessment provided, and considered the accuracy and quality of the information provided and methods applied for pest risk assessment purposes. The review was based on the principles of the International Standard on Phytosanitary Measures ISPM No. 11[2]: Pest risk analysis for quarantine pests including analysis of environmental risks and living modified organisms (2004) by the International Plant Protection Convention (FAO, 2007).The Panel concludes that:* Many statements in this simplified risk assessment are neither substantiated by references nor supported by verifiable data. This applies to, amongst others, i) the possible introduction pathways, ii) the climatic similarities between the PRA area[3] and the area where the pest is currently distributed, iii) the size of the area under cultivation with susceptible hosts and the economic importance of these hosts in the PRA area, iv) current or potential control strategies, and v) the potential impact in the PRA area.* Information given in the pest risk assessment on the related species Prays endolemma, reported from the Philippines, is irrelevant for the pest risk assessment on P. endocarpa. It is recommended that this species be treated in a separate pest risk assessment.* The Panel considers the probability of entry to be very low, given the lack of trade in citrus fruit between the area of current distribution of P. endocarpa and the PRA area. Moreover, symptoms of infested fruit are very conspicuous and contaminated batches of citrus fruits could easily be detected prior to export. For the same reason, it is unlikely that passengers would carry infested citrus fruit the long distances from countries where P. endocarpa occurs into the PRA area.* The Panel agrees that the probability of establishment is very high, should the pest gain entry in the PRA area, given the presence of suitable host plants (citrus) and the fact that the pest is currently distributed in areas with similar climatic conditions to those in the PRA area.* The conclusion of the pest risk assessment that economic impacts would be "moderate to high" cannot be supported by the information given in the French document or that available in the literature. There is only sparse evidence of the harmfulness of P. endocarpa to citrus crops in its area of current distribution. In the majority of its current range, the organism is considered a minor pest of citrus and evidence of economic damage is confined to a limited number of reports in Indonesia. Varieties of citrus may differ in their susceptibility to the pest, but the pest risk assessment does not provide any information on cultivars of the different citrus crops grown in the PRA area.The degree of uncertainty is high, given the lack of data provided in the assessment and available in the scientific literature on the biology and impact of the organism.The Panel, based on the information provided in the document and on additional literature consulted, concludes that P. endocarpa is not appropriate for evaluation of pest risk management options for the French overseas departments of French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique and Réunion and is thus not potentially eligible for addition to the list of harmful organisms in Directive 2000/29/EC

Following a request from the European Commission, the Panel on Plant Health was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on 30 pest risk assessments made by France on organisms, which are considered by France as harmful in four French overseas departments of French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique and Réunion. In particular, the Panel was asked whether these organisms can be considered as harmful organisms for the endangered area of the above departments, in the meaning of the definition mentioned in Article 2.1.(e) of Directive 2000/29/EC and thus potentially eligible for addition to the list of harmful organisms in Directive 2000/29/EC.This document presents the opinion of the Panel on Plant Health on the simplified[1] pest risk assessment conducted by France on“Ralstonia sp.bacterium responsible for banana blood disease” with French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique and Réunion considered as endangered area.Ralstonia sp. responsible for banana blood disease – also called blood disease bacterium (BDB) – is the causal agent in Indonesia of a lethal disease of dessert banana (Musa spp.), plantain (Musa spp.) and cooking banana, known as blood disease of banana.The Panel examined in detail the risk assessment provided, and considered the accuracy and quality of the information and methods applied for pest risk assessment purposes. The review was based on the principles and terminology of the International Standard on Phytosanitary Measures ISPM No. 11[2]: Pest risk analysis for quarantine pests including analysis of environmental risks and living modified organisms (2004) by the International Plant Protection Convention (FAO, 2007).The Panel observes that:*The pest risk assessment provides a very limited amount of information supported by scientific data to justify the conclusions reached. The probabilities of entry, establishment and spread and the potential impacts of BDB in the PRA area[3] should have been assessed separately for each department, due to the differing importance of banana crops in each of the departments. Furthermore, the new situation in the PRA area, in case the current phytosanitary regulations governing the imports of banana plant material are lifted, should have been taken into account in the document.*The entry pathways should have been considered and assessed in the document in terms of importance and risk,*French Guiana, which is part of the PRA area in the document, is not mentioned in the assessor’s general conclusion.The Panel concludes that:*The identity of the pathogen can be defined as “Ralstonia sp. agent of banana blood disease”, also called blood disease bacterium (BDB). Although the taxonomical position of the pathogen is not yet assigned by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Plant Pathogenic Bacteria, BDB can be identified by cultural and molecular methods*The entry of BDB into the French overseas departments through natural dispersal is not likely due to their great distance from the areas of the pathogen’s present distribution.*Under thecurrent regulations, the probability of entry of BDB on Musa (and ornamental Heliconia if proven a natural host) plant propagation material (other than vitroplants), banana fruit and soil would be low for French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique and Réunion due to the import restrictions.*Should the current regulations governing the imports of banana plant material be lifted, the probability of entry of BDB on Musa (and ornamental Heliconia if proven a natural host) plant propagation material (other than vitroplants), banana fruit and soil would be moderate.*The probability of BDB entering the PRA area on vitroplants would be very low, as such production systems are characterised by high sanitation practices that ensure pathogen-free propagation material, provided that mother plants are carefully screened prior to collection of material for in vitro multiplication.*The probability of establishment and spread, should BDB gain entry into the PRA area, would be high, given that most of the endangered area has a climate similar to that of the pathogen’s present distribution, and that Musa host plants are present in the PRA area.*Within commercial plantations of bananas the disease effects could be mitigated by existing practices of de-budding and bagging of male flowers. However, additional routine sanitation measures would be necessary at extra costs. With the possibility of continuous re-infestation from the environment, the production costs would be structurally increased. The additional control costs may reduce the competitiveness of the banana industry in Guadeloupe and Martinique. As a result, employment may be reduced causing negative social impacts. There is uncertainty regarding the level of the cost increase.*Plantain and other cooking bananas are an important staple food and a large fraction is household-produced. Since the disease is likely not to be readily controllable in smallholdings and family gardens, high yield losses and a potential disruption of subsistence production and consumption patterns would occur. This may also cause negative social impacts. There is uncertainty regarding the availability and the costs of substitution foods, should the yield of cooking banana and plantain be substantially reduced. Similar effects are envisaged for Guiana, where the banana crop is an element of shifting cultivation.*Uncertainties of a moderate degree are related to the (i) host range of BDB, in particular the clarification of the status of Heliconia as a natural host (ii) the flower characteristics (bract dehiscence, sugar content of male flowers) of the banana cultivars grown in the French overseas departments, that may influence the spread by insects of BDB, (iii) the ability of the BDB to spread in the environment from fruit waste, (iv) the level of cost increase due to routine sanitation practices in commercial banana plantations, in case of BDB introduction, (v) the availability and the costs of substitution foods, should the yield of cooking banana and plantain be substantially reduced by the BDB introduction, (vi) the potential environmental impact (e.g. soil erosion, changes in biodiversity, etc) of the BDB in the PRA areaThe Panel, based on the information provided in the document and on additional literature consulted, concludes that BDB is appropriate for evaluation of pest risk management options for the endangered areas of Guadeloupe, Martinique and Réunion as stated in the conclusion of the document, and the panel reaches the same conclusion for French Guiana. Therefore, the panel concludes that BDB is potentially eligible for addition to the list of harmful organisms in Directive 2000/29/EC for all French overseas departments

Following a request from the European Commission, the Panel on Plant Health was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on 30 pest risk assessments made by France on organisms which are considered by France as harmful in four French overseas departments, i.e. French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique and Réunion. In particular, the Panel was asked whether these organisms can be considered as harmful organisms for the endangered area of the above departments, in the meaning of the definition mentioned in Article 2.1.(e) of Directive 2000/29/EC and thus potentially eligible for addition to the list of harmful organisms in Directive 2000/29/EC.This document presents the opinion of the Panel on Plant Health on the full[1] the pest risk assessment conducted by France on Panonychus citri with French Guiana and Martinique considered as endangered areas.The citrus red mite Panonychus citri (McGregor) is a species distributed in all regions of the world. It primarily feeds on the upper surface of mature leaves, fruit and young branches, and may cause heavy leaf drop, twig dieback and fruit drop. P. citri has a wide host range including all species of citrus, apple, pear, peach, plum, carambola, papaya, loquat and grapevines. Citrus is the major host, and although P. citri is polyphagous, the above effects have only been recorded on the major host (CABI, 2007). P. citri has a short generation time: up to 16 generations may occur within one year, with the majority of these (10-11) in spring/summer (Jeppson et al., 1975). It relies on wind for long-distance dispersal (Jeppson et al., 1975). Natural enemies are important for the biocontrol of P. citri wherever it occurs. Existing control programs (IPM, application of petroleum spray oil) may control P. citri but effective biocontrol strategies exist (New South Wales, Australia, Smith et al., 1997).The Panel examined in detail the risk assessment provided, and considered the accuracy and quality of the information provided and methods applied for pest risk assessment purposes. The review was based on the principles of the International Standard on Phytosanitary Measures ISPM No. 11[2]: Pest risk analysis for quarantine pests including analysis of environmental risks and living modified organisms (2004) by the International Plant Protection Convention (FAO, 2007b).The pest risk assessment concludes that the risk of introduction into French Guiana and Martinique is moderate for the citrus fruits pathway, high for the citrus plants for planting (whole plants and budwood for grafting). The risk of establishment is very high, and the potential economic impact is moderate.The Panel judges that the probability of the pest to enter the PRA area[3] is higher than moderate because:* Normal pre-packing procedures should eliminate the pest from the fruit but not all imported citrus fruit undergoes this treatment,* The pest may occur in the calyx and not be detected during inspection,* The current restrictions limit the probability of entry through the citrus plant pathway (including propagation material), but* Other host plants, including ornamentals, can carry the pest, and* The passenger pathway, although unknown, can seriously increase the probability of entryFurther, the Panel agrees that P. citri has a high probability of establishment, due to its polyphagous nature, the presence of suitable environmental conditions, widely dispersed host plants in the PRA area, and the high dispersal ability of the pest. Once established, the pest can spread rapidly.The Panel disagrees with the rating of economic consequences in the pest risk assessment. There is only limited evidence of the harmfulness of P. citri to citrus crops in its area of current distribution and no evidence of harm to other host plants. Further, effective management methods exist to control the pest (pesticides and biological control methods).Additionally, citrus fruits are not grown extensively for commercial purposes in the PRA area, therefore the economic consequences of the presence of the pest, as also pointed out in the pest risk assessment, are not expected to be serious.Uncertainty exists about the absence of the pest from the PRA area, quality and reliability of treatment of fruit transported from areas where the pest is present, and the efficacy of existing biological control agents in the PRA area. These, however, are not expected to influence the overall conclusion.The Panel disagrees with the conclusion of the French document, and does not consider P. citri as appropriate for pest risk management. Therefore, the Panel concludes that P. citri is not potentially eligible for addition to the list of harmful organisms of Directive 2000/29 EC

Following a request from the European Commission, the Panel on Plant Health was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on 30 pest risk assessments made by France on organisms which are considered by France as harmful in four French overseas departments, i.e. French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique and Réunion. In particular, the Panel was asked whether these organisms can be considered as harmful organisms for the endangered area of the above departments, in the meaning of the definition mentioned in Article 2.1.(e) of Directive 2000/29/EC and thus potentially eligible for addition to the list of harmful organisms in Directive 2000/29/EC.This document presents the opinion of the Panel on Plant Health on the simplified[2] pest risk assessment conducted by France on Xanthomonas campestris pv. musacearumwith French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique and Réunion considered as endangered area.The bacterium Xanthomonas campestris pv. musacearum is the causal agent of an emerging disease of bananas, called Xanthomonas wilt. The disease, which results in wilting and eventually in death of plants, already causes serious phytosanitary problems in some Eastern African countries.The Panel examined in detail the risk assessment provided, and considered the accuracy and quality of the information provided and methods applied for pest risk assessment purposes. The review was based on the principles of the International Standard on Phytosanitary Measures ISPM No. 11[3]: Pest risk analysis for quarantine pests including analysis of environmental risks and living modified organisms (2004) by the International Plant Protection Convention (FAO, 2007c).The Panel concludes that the following information were not sufficiently taken into consideration nor adequately documented in the pest risk assessment prepared by France:*specificities related to the geographic location of each of the four French overseas departments,*potential pathways of entry,*climatic similarities between the PRA area[4] and the areas where the bacterium is present,*area of land cultivated with banana and the distribution of banana plantations and/or private gardens in each of the French overseas departments,*banana cultivars grown in the PRA area and the characteristics concerning their flower phenology,*economic importance of banana crop for each of the French overseas departments,*banana cropping system in the PRA area including present or future control strategies, and*potential impacts (economic, social, environmental) in the PRA area.The Panel recognizes that X. campestris pv. musacearum is a recently emerging bacterium of banana and, therefore, most of the information regarding the taxonomy and host range of the bacterium and the epidemiology and impacts of the disease has been published subsequent to the date the document was compiled (July 2003). However, greater inference could have been made from information available on Ralstonia solanacearum race 2 (Moko disease), which appears to have a similar epidemiology and management strategies.The Panel notes that French Guiana, which is part of the PRA area in the document, is not mentioned in the assessor’s general conclusion.The Panel concludes that:*Under current regulations banning the import of banana host plant material, the entry of the pathogen into French Guiana, Guadeloupe and Martinique would be unlikely, whilst its probability would be higher for Réunion through uncontrolled/illegal trade and passengers transportation of banana and enset plant material, due to its geographic relative proximity to East Africa, where the pathogen is present and widespread.*If the current regulations were rescinded, the Panel considers that the market globalization would increase the probability of entry of the bacterium through trade of banana and enset vegetative propagation material and fruit originating from contaminated areas.*The widespread presence of the disease in East Africa increases the probability of entry of the bacterium into Réunion through local trade and tourism. Risk seems to be lower for the other three French overseas departments, which are located far from Africa. Due to the geographical distance, the probability of X. campestris pv. musacearum entering into the four French overseas departments via vectors, such as nectar- and/or fruit-feeding insects, birds or bats, is estimated as low.*The probability of entry of the bacterium into the French overseas departments by trade on commodities other than Ensete spp. and Musa spp. would be low, considering that the only other hosts (i.e. Canna orchoides, C. indica and maize) were reported under artificial inoculations.*In agreement with the document, should the bacterium enter the PRA area, the probability of establishment and spread would be high for all French overseas departments.*Within commercial plantations of dessert bananas the disease effects would be high in the absence of any control strategy, but they would be mitigated by the existing practices of bagging and de-budding. Sanitation and eradication would be necessary at extra costs and these costs might reduce the competitiveness of the banana industry in Guadeloupe and Martinique. As a result, employment might be reduced causing negative social impacts.*Plantain and cooking banana are an important staple food and a large fraction is household-produced. Since the disease is not readily controllable in smallholdings and family gardens, high yield losses and a potential disruption of subsistence production and consumption patterns would occur. This may also cause negative social impacts. There is uncertainty regarding the availability and the costs of substitution foods, should the yield of cooking banana and plantain be substantially reduced. Similar effects are envisaged for French Guiana, where the banana crop is an element of shifting cultivation.*The degree of uncertainty concerning the host range of the bacterium, its survival in soil and plant debris, its airborne vectors, the control strategies and the economic impact cannot be considered as low, as estimated in the document. The Panel considers those uncertainties as moderate due to the limited information available on the bacterium and on the disease, both in the document and in the literature.The Panel, based on the information provided in the document and on additional literature consulted, concludes that X. campestris pv. musacearum is appropriate for evaluation of pest risk management options for the endangered areas of Guadeloupe, Martinique and Réunion, as stated in the conclusion of the document, and the Panel reaches the same conclusion for French Guiana. Therefore, the panel concludes that X. campestris pv. musacearum is potentially eligible for addition to the list of harmful organisms in Directive 2000/29/EC for all French overseas departments.