EPPO and Pest Risk Analysis

EPPO and Pest Risk Analysis

One of EPPO’s main priorities is to prevent the introduction of dangerous pests (bacteria, fungi, insects, plants, viruses …) from other parts of the world, and to limit their spread within the region should they be introduced. In recent years, trade networks have expanded and diversified, increasing the risks of introducing pests to new geographical areas. Measures adopted by countries to protect their territories from these introductions should be technically justified and an International Standard for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPM) on Pest Risk Analysis (ISPM no. 11) has been developed in the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) framework. Since the 1990s, the following developments have taken place:
- EPPO has been involved in developing schemes for Pest Risk Analysis (read more) and
- A Panel on PRA development has been created (read more).
More recently a system has been established to perform PRA at the EPPO level (read more) and Expert Working Groups (EWGs) are convened to conduct PRAs on specific pests. The PRA decision support scheme and PRAs prepared within the EPPO framework, guidance on tools and sources of information as well as useful links for PRA can be retrieved here.

EPPO Standards and templates for PRA

In order to help assessors in performing PRA, templates can download here:

template for PRA (in English only)
template for PRA report (in English only)

PRAs conducted in the EPPO framework

You can find here a list of PRAs which have been carried out by different EPPO Panels. The documents (full or summary PRAs, reports of PRA and PRM, draft datasheets) are only addressed to the NPPOs of EPPO member countries.

Links to national PRAs from EPPO member countries

France (Ministère de l'Agriculture et de la Pêche - Liste des analyses de risque phytosanitaire)
The Netherlands (Plantenziektenkundige Dienst)
United Kingdom (DEFRA – Consultation on Pest Risk Management)

Useful databases and links for performing PRAs

General information

CABI Crop Protection Compendium – gives a detailed overview of the biology, impacts, geographical distribution, etc. of the species

Global Invasive Species database – provides exhaustive information on biology, impacts, distribution, etc. for the worst pests and invasive species

Plant Protection Database (CAB abstracts).

The nature Conservancy website (for plants) – description, management of temperate invasive plants and weeds.

Taxonomy

EPPT: The EPPO Plant Protection Thesaurus (EPPT - version 4.0) covers organisms important in agriculture and crop protection: crops, pests (including pathogens and weeds), natural enemies, organisms used in ecotoxicological studies…

GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility)

MycoBank - taxonomy, nomenclature for fungi

Index Fungorum - taxonomy of fungi

List of prokaryotic names with standing in nomenclature (1998-2007) by JP Euzéby

Species 2000

Tropicos (for plants) – detailed nomenclature and references, herbarium records

United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural research Service, GRIN Taxonomy for Plants

Geographical distribution and phytosanitary status

EPPO PQR (geographical distribution and host plants of regulated pests)

North European and Baltic network on Invasive Alien Species (NOBANIS). It gives geographic distribution and pest statuses

For plants
A Global Compendium of Weeds – collates invasive and weed lists from around the world.

Australia’s Virtual herbarium website – provides recorded locations of plant specimens held within Australia’s national and state herbaria.

EFloras.org - Links to online floras from various world regions.

NatureServe Explorer

USDA PLANTS Database – gives the status and geographical distribution for invasive plants and weeds in the USA

Distribution maps for forest tree species

The European Forest Genetic Resources Programme (EUFORGEN) is a collaborative mechanism among European countries to promote conservation and sustainable use of forest genetic resources.

Trade and production data

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations FAOSTAT – provides production, export and import quantities on commodities for many countries.

European Commission – Eurostat

AIPH, Union Fleur (2005) International Statistics Flowers and Plants. Volume 53. edited by Florian Heinrichs. 133 pp. This annual report on trade of fresh flower bulbs, treated cut flowers, foliage and ornamental plants does not give details for genus of traded plants.

Comment: Information on trade is difficult to find. Data from FAOSTAT, EUROSTAT or AIPH are not detailed enough for a proper evaluation of the amount of trade to be made. These data bases are using information generated by the Customs. Information specific to genus is rarely available (specific data could not be found for wood of populus or eucalyptus when these databases where searched when performing the PRA on Megaplatypus mutatus). Usually for plants for plating the information is not detailed at all. Units used in customs are usually weight which does not give information for plants for planting. Such data are surely available for individual NPPOS but getting very specific information on the EPPO scale proves very difficult. Information from FAOSTAT on production is also not detailed enough for certain crops.