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Ribeiro TP, Martins-de-Sa D, Macedo LLP, Lourenço-Tessutti IT, Ruffo GC, Sousa JPA, Rósario Santana JMD, Oliveira-Neto OB, Moura SM, Silva MCM, Morgante CV, Oliveira NG, Basso MF, Grossi-de-Sa MF. Cotton plants overexpressing the Bacillus thuringiensis Cry23Aa and Cry37Aa binary-like toxins exhibit high resistance to the cotton boll weevil (Anthonomus grandis). PLANT SCIENCE : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL PLANT BIOLOGY 2024; 344:112079. [PMID: 38588981 DOI: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2024.112079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2024] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024]
Abstract
The cotton boll weevil (CBW, Anthonomus grandis) stands as one of the most significant threats to cotton crops (Gossypium hirsutum). Despite substantial efforts, the development of a commercially viable transgenic cotton event for effective open-field control of CBW has remained elusive. This study describes a detailed characterization of the insecticidal toxins Cry23Aa and Cry37Aa against CBW. Our findings reveal that CBW larvae fed on artificial diets supplemented exclusively with Cry23Aa decreased larval survival by roughly by 69%, while supplementation with Cry37Aa alone displayed no statistical difference compared to the control. However, the combined provision of both toxins in the artificial diet led to mortality rates approaching 100% among CBW larvae (LC50 equal to 0.26 PPM). Additionally, we engineered transgenic cotton plants by introducing cry23Aa and cry37Aa genes under control of the flower bud-specific pGhFS4 and pGhFS1 promoters, respectively. Seven transgenic cotton events expressing high levels of Cry23Aa and Cry37Aa toxins in flower buds were selected for greenhouse bioassays, and the mortality rate of CBW larvae feeding on their T0 and T1 generations ranged from 75% to 100%. Our in silico analyses unveiled that Cry23Aa displays all the hallmark characteristics of β-pore-forming toxins (β-PFTs) that bind to sugar moieties in glycoproteins. Intriguingly, we also discovered a distinctive zinc-binding site within Cry23Aa, which appears to be involved in protein-protein interactions. Finally, we discuss the major structural features of Cry23Aa that likely play a role in the toxin's mechanism of action. In view of the low LC50 for CBW larvae and the significant accumulation of these toxins in the flower buds of both T0 and T1 plants, we anticipate that through successive generations of these transgenic lines, cotton plants engineered to overexpress cry23Aa and cry37Aa hold promise for effectively managing CBW infestations in cotton crops.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thuanne Pires Ribeiro
- Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, Brasília, DF 70770-917, Brazil; National Institute of Science and Technology, INCT PlantStress Biotech, Embrapa, Brasília, DF 70770-917, Brazil
| | - Diogo Martins-de-Sa
- Department of Cellular Biology, University of Brasília, Brasília, DF 70910-900, Brazil; Genesilico Biotech, Brasília, DF 71503-508, Brazil
| | - Leonardo Lima Pepino Macedo
- Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, Brasília, DF 70770-917, Brazil; National Institute of Science and Technology, INCT PlantStress Biotech, Embrapa, Brasília, DF 70770-917, Brazil
| | - Isabela Tristan Lourenço-Tessutti
- Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, Brasília, DF 70770-917, Brazil; National Institute of Science and Technology, INCT PlantStress Biotech, Embrapa, Brasília, DF 70770-917, Brazil
| | - Gustavo Caseca Ruffo
- Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, Brasília, DF 70770-917, Brazil; National Institute of Science and Technology, INCT PlantStress Biotech, Embrapa, Brasília, DF 70770-917, Brazil; Graduate Program in Genomic Science and Biotechnology, Catholic University of Brasília, Brasília, DF 71966-700, Brazil
| | - João Pedro Abreu Sousa
- Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, Brasília, DF 70770-917, Brazil; National Institute of Science and Technology, INCT PlantStress Biotech, Embrapa, Brasília, DF 70770-917, Brazil; Graduate Program in Genomic Science and Biotechnology, Catholic University of Brasília, Brasília, DF 71966-700, Brazil
| | - Julia Moura do Rósario Santana
- Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, Brasília, DF 70770-917, Brazil; National Institute of Science and Technology, INCT PlantStress Biotech, Embrapa, Brasília, DF 70770-917, Brazil; Graduate Program in Genomic Science and Biotechnology, Catholic University of Brasília, Brasília, DF 71966-700, Brazil
| | - Osmundo Brilhante Oliveira-Neto
- Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, Brasília, DF 70770-917, Brazil; National Institute of Science and Technology, INCT PlantStress Biotech, Embrapa, Brasília, DF 70770-917, Brazil; Euroamerican University Center, Unieuro, Brasília, DF 70790-160, Brazil
| | - Stéfanie Menezes Moura
- Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, Brasília, DF 70770-917, Brazil; National Institute of Science and Technology, INCT PlantStress Biotech, Embrapa, Brasília, DF 70770-917, Brazil
| | - Maria Cristina Mattar Silva
- Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, Brasília, DF 70770-917, Brazil; National Institute of Science and Technology, INCT PlantStress Biotech, Embrapa, Brasília, DF 70770-917, Brazil
| | - Carolina Vianna Morgante
- Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, Brasília, DF 70770-917, Brazil; National Institute of Science and Technology, INCT PlantStress Biotech, Embrapa, Brasília, DF 70770-917, Brazil; Embrapa Semi-Arid, Pretrolina, PE 56302-970, Brazil
| | - Nelson Geraldo Oliveira
- Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, Brasília, DF 70770-917, Brazil; National Institute of Science and Technology, INCT PlantStress Biotech, Embrapa, Brasília, DF 70770-917, Brazil
| | - Marcos Fernando Basso
- Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, Brasília, DF 70770-917, Brazil; National Institute of Science and Technology, INCT PlantStress Biotech, Embrapa, Brasília, DF 70770-917, Brazil
| | - Maria Fatima Grossi-de-Sa
- Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, Brasília, DF 70770-917, Brazil; National Institute of Science and Technology, INCT PlantStress Biotech, Embrapa, Brasília, DF 70770-917, Brazil; Graduate Program in Genomic Science and Biotechnology, Catholic University of Brasília, Brasília, DF 71966-700, Brazil; Graduate Program in Biotechnology, Catholic University Dom Bosco, Campo Grande, MS 79117-900, Brazil.
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Cunha JCS, Rivera Vega LJ, Torres JB, Suh CPC, Sword GA. Fungal seed treatments of cotton affect boll weevil development. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2024; 80:1566-1576. [PMID: 37966378 DOI: 10.1002/ps.7890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Revised: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Nonpathogenic fungi associated with plants can enhance plant defenses against stress factors, including herbivory. This study assessed whether cotton plants grown from seeds treated with different fungi affected boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis grandis Boheman, development and reproduction along with plant tolerance. We used whole plants grown from seeds treated with different fungi (Chaetomium globosum TAMU520 and TAMU559, Phialemonium inflatum TAMU490, and Beauveria bassiana) versus non-treated controls to test insect growth, reproduction, and plant tolerance assays in a greenhouse. RESULTS Regarding boll weevil reproduction, fewer larvae hatched and fewer adults emerged from fungal-treated plants. In addition, the developmental time from oviposition to adult emergence was delayed in the plants treated with all fungi. For plant tolerance, B. bassiana-treated plants attacked by boll weevils shed fewer squares than nonfungal-treated plants. CONCLUSION Fungal treatments can affect boll weevil performance and reproduction on cotton plants, with potentially negative effects on population growth. Collectively, these results support the potential for cottonseed treatments with fungi as a novel tool for boll weevil management in the field. © 2023 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janaina C S Cunha
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
| | - Loren J Rivera Vega
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
| | - Jorge B Torres
- Departamento de Agronomia-Entomologia, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil
| | - Charles P C Suh
- Insect Control and Cotton Disease Research Unit, USDA-ARS, College Station, Texas, USA
| | - Gregory A Sword
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
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Santos PJ, Dias AM, Campos KL, Araújo ACA, Oliveira AAS, Suinaga FA, Torres JB, Bastos CS. Planting Date of Cotton in the Brazilian Cerrado Drives Boll Weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) Infestation. INSECTS 2023; 14:599. [PMID: 37504605 PMCID: PMC10380757 DOI: 10.3390/insects14070599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Revised: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 07/01/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Although the boll weevil (BW), Anthonomus grandis grandis (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) has been attributed to the significant losses caused to cotton yield in the Americas, the categorization as a quarentenary pest in places where it is still not occurring has increased its relevance worldwide. In areas where it is widespread, pest suppression relies on many broad-spectrum insecticide applications. However, other control tactics are sought. Considering that early-flowering cultivars escape from boll weevil infestation, we investigated if three different planting dates (November, December, and January) could alter the plant life cycle, allowing the plants to escape from boll weevil infestation. Field trials were run in two seasons (2014/2015 and 2017/2018), and variables (days required to reach each flowering stage, fruiting plant structures-undamaged and damaged by the BW, and totals-number of boll weevils on plants and that had emerged from fallen structures on the ground) were assessed over 29 and 33 weeks, respectively. Based on the number of days required to initiate and terminate the flowering stage, the time to reach the economic threshold (ET), the number of undamaged, damaged, and the total reproductive structures, we concluded that planting dates in December for the Central Cerrado of Brazil should be preferred over the other two tested dates. Cultivations run at this planting date, anticipating the flowering period initiation and termination, reduced infested flowering structures, and delayed the decision making to control the pest, when compared to the other two planting dates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrícia J Santos
- Faculdade de Agronomia e Medicina Veterinária (FAV), Campus Darcy Ribeiro, Universidade de Brasília (UnB), ICC-Sul, Asa Norte, Brasília 70910-900, Distrito Federal, Brazil
| | - Antônio M Dias
- Faculdade de Agronomia e Medicina Veterinária (FAV), Campus Darcy Ribeiro, Universidade de Brasília (UnB), ICC-Sul, Asa Norte, Brasília 70910-900, Distrito Federal, Brazil
| | - Karolayne L Campos
- DEPA-Entomologia, Universidade Federal Rural do Pernambuco (UFRPE), Rua Dom Manoel Medeiros s/n, Dois Irmão, Recife 52171-900, Pernambuco, Brazil
| | - Ana C A Araújo
- Faculdade de Agronomia e Medicina Veterinária (FAV), Campus Darcy Ribeiro, Universidade de Brasília (UnB), ICC-Sul, Asa Norte, Brasília 70910-900, Distrito Federal, Brazil
| | - Andréa A S Oliveira
- Departamento de Entomologia, Campus Universitário, Universidade Federal de Viçosa (UFV), s/n, Viçosa 36570-000, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Fábio A Suinaga
- Embrapa Hortaliças (CNPH), Rodovia BR 060 Km 9-Samambaia Norte, Brasília 70351-970, Distrito Federal, Brazil
| | - Jorge B Torres
- DEPA-Entomologia, Universidade Federal Rural do Pernambuco (UFRPE), Rua Dom Manoel Medeiros s/n, Dois Irmão, Recife 52171-900, Pernambuco, Brazil
| | - Cristina S Bastos
- Faculdade de Agronomia e Medicina Veterinária (FAV), Campus Darcy Ribeiro, Universidade de Brasília (UnB), ICC-Sul, Asa Norte, Brasília 70910-900, Distrito Federal, Brazil
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da Silva LA, Basso MF, Ribeiro BM. A novel picorna-like virus identified in the cotton boll weevil Anthonomus grandis (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). Arch Virol 2023; 168:29. [PMID: 36598610 DOI: 10.1007/s00705-022-05672-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
The cotton boll weevil (CBW; Anthonomus grandis; Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is considered the major insect pest of cotton, causing considerable losses in yield and fiber quality. An increase in the boll weevil population due to increasingly inefficient chemical control measures is of great concernamong cotton producers. The absence of conventional or transgenic cultivars with minimal resistance to CBW has stimulated the search for new molecular and biological tools for efficient control of this insect pest. In this study, we used a metagenomic approach based on RNA deep sequencing to investigate the presence of viruses and coding viral RNA in apparently healthy native adult CBW insects collected from cotton crops in Mato Grosso state, Brazil. Using an Illumina HiSeq 2000 paired-end platform, 138,798 virus-related reads were obtained, and a consensus sequence of a putative new virus, 10,632 nucleotides in length, was assembled. The sequences of the 5' and 3' untranslated regions (UTRs) were determined by rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE), followed by Nanopore sequencing. The complete genome sequence included a 5'-UTR (1,158 nucleotides), a 3'-UTR (561 nucleotides), and a single ORF of 8,913 nucleotides encoding a large polyprotein. Sequence analysis of the putative polyprotein showed several regions with high sequence similarity to structural and non-structural proteins of viruses of the family Iflaviridae. Pairwise alignments of polyprotein amino acid sequences showed the highest sequence identity (32.13%) to a partial polyprotein sequence of a putative iflavirus (QKN89051.1) found in samples from wild zoo birds in China. Phylogenetic analysis based on full polyprotein sequences of different iflaviruses indicated that this new picorna-like virus is most closely related to iflaviruses found in lepidopteran insects, and it was therefore tentatively named "Anthonomus grandis iflavirus 1" (AgIV-1). This is, to our knowledge, the first complete viral genome sequence found in CBW, and it could provide a basis for further studies about the infectivity and transmission of this virus and its possible association with symptoms or acute disease. AgIV-1 could potentially be used to develop biological or molecular tools, such as a viral vector to carry interfering RNA molecules for CBW control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonardo Assis da Silva
- Laboratory of Baculovirus, Cell Biology Department, University of Brasília (UnB), Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro, Brasília, DF, CEP 70910-900, Brazil
| | - Marcos Fernando Basso
- BIOMOL/BIOTEC Laboratory, Mato Grosso Cotton Institute (IMAmt), Rondonópolis, MT, 78740-970, Brazil
| | - Bergmann Morais Ribeiro
- Laboratory of Baculovirus, Cell Biology Department, University of Brasília (UnB), Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro, Brasília, DF, CEP 70910-900, Brazil.
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Faustino RF, Silva CAD, Zanuncio JC, Pereira JR, Pereira AIA. Mortality of the cotton boll weevil in drip and sprinkler irrigated cotton crops. BRAZ J BIOL 2021; 83:e248154. [PMID: 34586191 DOI: 10.1590/1519-6984.248154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The cotton boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis grandis Boheman (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), is a key cotton crop pest in Brazil. Adverse climatic factors, such as high temperatures and low soil moisture, dehydrate oviposited cotton squares (bud flowers) on the ground and cause high mortality of its offspring within these plant structures. The objective of this research was to evaluate the mortality of the cotton boll weevil in drip and sprinkler irrigated cotton crops. The experimental design was in randomized blocks with two treatments: drip (T1) and sprinkler (T2, control) irrigated cotton crops with sixteen replications. Each parcel had one emergence cage, installed between two cotton rows per irrigation system, with 37 cotton squares with opened oviposition punctures and yellowish bracts, to capture adult cotton boll weevils. The average number of boll weevils that emerged from the cotton squares and the causes of mortality at different development stages were determined per treatment. Third-generation life tables of the boll weevil were prepared using the natural mortality data in drip and sprinkler irrigation treatments and plus actual, apparent and indispensable mortality rates and the lethality of each mortality cause. We conclude that the application of water directly to the root zone of the plants in a targeted manner, using the drip irrigation system, can cause high mortality of the cotton boll weevil immature stages inside cotton squares fallen on the ground. This is because the cotton squares fallen on the drier and hotter soil between the rows of drip-irrigated cotton dehydrates causing the boll weevils to die. This is important because it can reduce its population density of the pest and, consequently, the number of applications of chemical insecticides for its control. Thus, contributing to increase the viability of cotton production, mainly in areas of the Brazilian semiarid region where the cotton is cultivated in organic system.
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Affiliation(s)
- R F Faustino
- Universidade Estadual da Paraíba - UEPB, Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Agrárias, Campina Grande, PB, Brasil
| | - C A D Silva
- Universidade Estadual da Paraíba - UEPB, Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Agrárias, Campina Grande, PB, Brasil.,Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária, Laboratório de Entomologia, Centro Nacional de Pesquisa de Algodão, Campina Grande, PB, Brasil
| | - J C Zanuncio
- Universidade Federal de Viçosa - UFV, Departamento de Entomologia/BIOAGRO, Viçosa, MG, Brasil
| | - J R Pereira
- Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária, Centro Nacional de Pesquisa de Algodão, Departamento de Irrigação, Campina Grande, PB, Brasil
| | - A I A Pereira
- Instituto Federal Goiano - IFG, Campus Urutaí, Urutaí, GO, Brasil
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Arruda LS, Rolim GG, Barros EM, Pereira FF, Torres JB. Colonization and Spatial Distribution of Boll Weevil in Commercial Cotton Fields. NEOTROPICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2020; 49:901-915. [PMID: 32909154 DOI: 10.1007/s13744-020-00813-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2020] [Accepted: 08/18/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The departure and arrival of boll weevil in cotton fields have fostered major control decisions against this pest over time. Field colonization and distribution of boll weevil were evaluated using cotton fields from 93.7 to 154 ha each, located in Serra da Petrovina and Campo Verde, both in the Cerrado biome of Mato Grosso State, Brazil, as a function of cotton field bordering vegetation and crop phenology. The monitoring of adult weevils was carried out using traps containing sex and aggregation pheromone. The traps were set up considering the four coordinates of the field, bordering vegetation, and distances from the field margin. Six traps were set in each direction with three representing the field margin (0 m, 60 m, and 120 m from the borderline) and the other three set up equidistant from the center of the field (> 200 m). Traps were evaluated weekly beginning 10 days after plant emergence (DAE) throughout the cotton phenology until harvesting. Boll weevils were caught in the first evaluation 10 DAE, irrespective of the vegetation bordering the cotton field and distance of trap from field margin. The average weevils per trap was relatively low throughout the crop development but increased significantly through the maturation and harvesting periods. Furthermore, the bordering vegetation was not the only determinant factor for boll weevil colonization and distribution throughout the cotton field. Based on these data, boll weevil exhibited early colonization, already occurring beyond the border of the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- L S Arruda
- Depto de Agronomia-Entomologia, Univ Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brasil
| | - G G Rolim
- Instituto Mato-Grossense do Algodão, Cuiabá, MT, Brasil
| | - E M Barros
- Instituto Goiano de Agricultura, Montividiu, GO, Brasil
| | - F F Pereira
- Faculdade de Ciências Biológicas e Ambientais, Univ Federal da Grande Dourados, Dourados, MS, Brasil
| | - J B Torres
- Depto de Agronomia-Entomologia, Univ Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brasil.
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Ribeiro TP, Basso MF, Carvalho MHD, Macedo LLPD, Silva DMLD, Lourenço-Tessutti IT, Oliveira-Neto OBD, Campos-Pinto ERD, Lucena WA, Silva MCMD, Tripode BMD, Abreu-Jardim TPF, Miranda JE, Alves-Ferreira M, Morgante CV, Grossi-de-Sa MF. Stability and tissue-specific Cry10Aa overexpression improves cotton resistance to the cotton boll weevil. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biori.2019.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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Jeger M, Bragard C, Caffier D, Candresse T, Chatzivassiliou E, Dehnen-Schmutz K, Gilioli G, Gregoire JC, Jaques Miret JA, Navarro MN, Niere B, Parnell S, Potting R, Rafoss T, Rossi V, Urek G, Van Bruggen A, Van der Werf W, West J, Winter S, Gardi C, Bergeretti F, MacLeod A. Pest categorisation of Anthonomus grandis. EFSA J 2017; 15:e05074. [PMID: 32625370 PMCID: PMC7010136 DOI: 10.2903/j.efsa.2017.5074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The European Commission requested EFSA to conduct a pest categorisation of Anthonomus grandis (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), an oligophagous pest weevil feeding on Malvaceae, including Gossypium spp., Hampea spp., Cienfuegosia spp. and Hibiscus pernambucensis. Marginal reproduction has also been observed on the ornamental Hibiscus syriacus. A. grandis is a taxonomic entity with reliable methods available for identification. It is regulated in the EU by Council Directive 2000/29/EC where it is listed in Annex IIB as a harmful organism whose introduction into EU Protected Zones (PZ) (Greece and the Spanish Communities of Andalusia, Catalonia, Extremadura, Murcia and Valencia) is regulated. A. grandis is native to tropical regions of Mesoamerica and has spread to other cotton‐growing areas in the Americas, from the USA to Argentina, causing significant damage to this crop. An eradication programme is in progress in the USA and has been successful in 16 previously infested states. In the EU, phytosanitary measures are in place in order to limit entry via traded commodities. Cotton seeds and fruit, as well as unginned cotton are currently regulated for the PZ but remain a potential pathway. Furthermore, ornamental Malvaceae (e.g. Hibiscus spp.) originating in infested areas may provide additional pathways. The EFSA Plant Health Panel concludes that A. grandis could establish and spread in the cotton‐growing areas of southern EU. Considering the criteria within the remit of EFSA to assess the status as a potential Union quarantine pest (QP), as a potential protected zone quarantine pest (PZQP), or as a potential regulated non‐quarantine pest (RNQP), A. grandis satisfies with no uncertainties the criteria to be regarded as a Union QP. However, it does not meet the criterion of occurrence in the EU territory (for PZQP) plus that of plants for planting being the principal means of spread (for RNQP).
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