Pest categorisation of Lepidosaphes pistaciae

Following the commodity risk assessment of Prunus persica and P. dulcis plants for planting from Türkiye, in which Lepidosaphes pistaciae (Hemiptera: Diaspididae), the pistachio oyster scale or yellow pistachio scale, was identified as a pest of possible concern, the EFSA Panel on Plant Health performed a pest categorisation for the territory of the European Union (EU). L. pistaciae is reported as a polyphagous pest which, however, mainly affects plants of the genus Pistacia. Originating from Asia, it is widely distributed in pistachio producing countries of Central, South and West Asia. Within the EU, the pest has been reported from Cyprus and Greece. However, its precise distribution within Cyprus and Greece is unknown. It completes two generations per year and overwinters as a fully developed adult female. The eggs are hidden under the female's body and hatch around April. First-instar nymphs, crawlers, move on host plants for a short period of time before becoming permanently settled and initiating feeding, mainly on leaves but also on branches and fruits. Young females appear in early June and mature ones in late June. Plants for planting and fruits provide potential pathways for entry into the EU. Climate suitability suggests that it could further establish in large parts of the EU. In Iran, L. pistaciae is considered a devastating pest for cultivated pistachio. L. pistaciae was detected in Greece over 30 years ago with small population densities and without any records of damage. It was also found in Cyprus in 1967 and nowadays is not considered a major pest. Its ability to cause an impact in the EU is uncertain considering the lack of evidence on impact in Cyprus and Greece. Phytosanitary measures are available to reduce the likelihood of entry. While the fulfilment of the criterion on having an economic or environmental impact in the EU is associated with a key uncertainty, all the other criteria assessed by EFSA for consideration as a potential quarantine pest are met

Pest categorisation of Morganella longispina

Following the commodity risk assessment of Acer palmatum plants grafted on Acer davidii from China, in which Morganella longispina (Hemiptera: Diaspididae) was identified as a pest of possible concern, the European Commission requested the EFSA Panel on Plant Health to conduct a pest categorisation of M. longispina for the territory of the European Union (EU). The origin of the scale insect M. longispina is uncertain, with either South America or eastern Asia suggested as the native range. The geographic distribution of the species includes many countries of the continents of Africa, North and South America, Asia and Oceania. M. longispina is polyphagous, feeding on plants assigned to 86 genera in 42 families. Important crops of the EU that may be affected by this insect are avocado, citrus, fig, peach, plum, olive and walnut. It is a viviparous insect with several generations per year in Algeria. Host availability and climate suitability indicate that the southern EU countries would support the establishment of M. longispina. The introduction of this pest would likely have an economic impact on several crops in the EU as it can cause significant damage to host plants. Uncertainty exists, however, about the magnitude of yield and quality losses due to the insect, and this is a key uncertainty. M. longispina is not listed in Annex II of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2072. Phytosanitary measures are available to reduce the likelihood of entry, establishment and spread of the pest into the EU. All criteria assessed by EFSA for consideration as a potential quarantine pest are met

Commodity risk assessment of debarked conifer wood chips fumigated with sulfuryl fluoride from the US

The European Commission requested the EFSA Panel on Plant Health to deliver a risk assessment on the likelihood of pest freedom from regulated EU quarantine pests, with emphasis on Bursaphelenchus xylophilus and its vectors Monochamus spp. of debarked conifer wood chips fumigated with sulfuryl fluoride as proposed by the United States (US) and as outlined in ISPM 28 - PT23 of sulfuryl fluoride (SF) fumigation treatment for nematodes and insects in debarked wood. The assessment considered the different phases in the wood chips' production, with special emphasis on the SF treatment. In addition to B. xylophilus and its vectors Monochamus spp., 22 EU quarantine pests and protected zone quarantine pests, some of which are regulated as groups of pests by the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2072, are present in the US and are potentially associated with the commodity. For these pests an expert judgement is given on the likelihood of pest freedom taking into consideration the available scientific information and technical information provided by the US, including uncertainties associated with the assessment. The likelihood of pest freedom varies among the pests evaluated, with B. xylophilus being the pest most frequently expected on the commodity. The Expert Knowledge Elicitation (EKE) indicated with 95% certainty that between 9491 and 10,000 m3 of debarked conifer wood chips treated with SF per 10,000 m3 will be free from B. xylophilus, and that between 9987 and 10,000 m3 of wood chips per 10,000 m3 will be free from Monochamus spp. Technical elements which are critical for a successful treatment and for minimising the presence of Union quarantine pests on the commodity are identified and described in the opinion. In particular, it is important to note that SF treatments are generally less effective in eliminating fungi than insects, the required parameters of the fumigation should be met at all points of the pile of wood chips and the time of storage of wood chips before treatment should be kept as short as possible because B. xylophilus can easily reproduce and spread throughout the pile under conducive conditions

Commodity risk assessment of Betula pendula and Betula pubescens plants from the UK

: The European Commission requested the EFSA Panel on Plant Health to prepare and deliver risk assessments for commodities listed in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/2019 as 'High risk plants, plant products and other objects'. This Scientific Opinion covers plant health risks posed by plants of Betula pendula and B. pubescens imported from the United Kingdom (UK) taking into account the available scientific information, including the technical information provided by the UK. The commodities were grouped in the risk assessment as (a) bundles of 10-20 graftwood/budwood (up to 1-year-old), (b) bare root plants which include bundles of 25 or 50 seedlings or transplants (1-2 years-old), bundles of 5, 10 or 15 whips (1-2 years-old) and single bare root plants (1-7 years-old), (c) plants in pots which include bundles of 5 and 10 cell-grown plants (1-2 years-old) and rooted plants in pots (1-7 years-old), and (d) large specimen trees up to 15-years-old. All pests associated with the commodities were evaluated against specific criteria for their relevance for this opinion. Two EU quarantine pests i.e. Meloidogyne fallax and Phytophthora ramorum (non-EU isolates) and two protected zone quarantine pests i.e. Entoleuca mammata and Thaumetopoea processionea fulfilled all relevant criteria and were selected for further evaluation. For the selected pests, the risk mitigation measures described in the technical dossier from the UK were evaluated considering the possible limiting factors. For these pests an expert judgement is given on the likelihood of pest freedom taking into consideration the risk mitigation measures acting on the pest, including uncertainties associated with the assessment. In the assessment of risk, the age of the plants was considered, as larger trees are more likely to be infested mainly due to longer time grown in the field. In addition, larger canopies and root systems are more difficult to inspect, thereby making the detection of pests more challenging on large trees. The likelihood of pest freedom varies among the pests evaluated, with M. fallax being the pest most frequently expected on the imported plants. The Expert Knowledge Elicitation (EKE) indicated with 95% certainty that between 9735 and 10,000 per 10,000 large specimen trees will be free from M. fallax

Commodity risk assessment of Alnus cordata, Alnus glutinosa and Alnus incana plants from the UK

The European Commission requested the EFSA Panel on Plant Health to prepare and deliver risk assessments for commodities listed in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/2019 as ‘high-risk plants, plant products and other objects’. Taking into account the available scientific information, including the technical information provided by the applicant country, this Scientific Opinion covers the plant health risks posed by the following commodities: Alnus cordata, A. glutinosa and A. incana graftwood, bare-root plants and rooted plants in pots up to 7 years old imported into the EU from the UK. A list of pests potentially associated with the commodities was compiled. The relevance of each pest was assessed based on evidence following defined criteria. Two EU-quarantine pests (Entoleuca mammata, Phytophthora ramorum (non-EU isolates)) and one non-quarantine pest (Phytophthora siskiyouensis) were selected for further evaluation. For the selected pests, the risk mitigation measures implemented in the UK and specified in the technical dossier were evaluated taking into account the factors reducing their efficacy. For these pests, an expert judgement is given on the likelihood of pest freedom taking into consideration the risk mitigation measures acting on the pest, including uncertainties associated with the assessment. The degree of pest freedom varies between the pests evaluated, with E. mammata being the pest most frequently expected on imported Alnus spp. small trees. Expert knowledge elicitation indicated, with 95% certainty, that between 9927 and 10,000 per 10,000 Alnus spp. small trees (bare-root plants or rooted plants in pots up to 7 years old) would be free from E. mammata

Commodity risk assessment of Petunia spp. and Calibrachoa spp. unrooted cuttings from Costa Rica

: The European Commission requested the EFSA Panel on Plant Health to evaluate the probability of entry of pests (likelihood of pest freedom at entry), including both regulated and non-regulated pests, associated with unrooted cuttings of the genera Petunia and Calibrachoa produced under physical isolation in Costa Rica. The relevance of any pest for this opinion was based on evidence collected according to specific criteria, following the methodology used for high-risk plants adapted for the specificity of this assessment. Twenty-two EU regulated pests (beet curly top virus, Bemisia tabaci, Chloridea virescens, Eotetranychus lewisi, Epitrix cucumeris, Epitrix tuberis, euphorbia mosaic virus, Helicoverpa zea, Liriomyza huidobrensis, Liriomyza sativae, Liriomyza trifolii, pepper golden mosaic virus, potato spindle tuber viroid, Ralstonia pseudosolanacearum, Ralstonia solanacearum, Spodoptera ornithogalli, squash leaf curl virus, Thrips palmi, tomato golden mosaic virus, tomato leaf curl Sinaloa virus, tomato spotted wilt virus, tomato yellow leaf curl virus) and one pest that is not regulated in the EU (Aleurodicus dispersus) fulfilled all relevant criteria and were selected for further evaluation. For these pests, the risk mitigation measures proposed in the technical dossier from Costa Rica were evaluated taking into account possible factors limiting their efficacies. Additionally, an expert judgement is given on the likelihood of pest freedom taking into consideration the risk mitigation measures acting on the pest, including uncertainties associated with the assessment. The estimated degree of pest freedom varies among the pests evaluated, with tomato spotted wilt virus being the pest most frequently expected on the imported cuttings. The expert knowledge elicitation indicated, with 95% certainty that between 9927 and 10,000 bags containing unrooted cuttings of Petunia spp. and Calibrachoa spp. per 10,000 would be free of tomato spotted wilt virus

Legislacja dotycząca fideikomisów familijnych (ordynacji rodowych) w II Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej

The article describes the creation and content of legal regulations in the Second Polish Republic regarding a special institution, which were family fideicommissa (entails), called in Poland ordynacje rodowe – indivisible estates in the hands of aristocratic families, excluded from the general principles of inheritance, with restrictions in the field of, i.a., disposition and charging. The author proves that the legislation in this respect was influenced by the then agrarian policy and attempts to regulate the land reform. Family laws were perceived in particular as a relic of feudalism contrary to the constitutional order and a policy aimed at basing the agricultural structure on middle and small property and thus raising the social and economic status of the poor masses of Polish peasants. The author describes political postulates in this regard, successive legal acts created by the legislature and the accompanying parliamentary discussions.</jats:p