Aleurocanthus spiniferus It is a species of whitefly native to Southeast Asia that is currently also distributed in Africa, Australia and the Pacific Islands.
Between 2008 and 2020, A. spiniferus It has been detected in Europe, specifically in Albania, Montenegro, Italy, Croatia and Greece.
It is a very polyphagous pest that primarily affects citrus fruits, but can also attack ornamental and forest species and other crops of great economic importance in our country, such as pear trees, grapevines and persimmons.
On a recent trip to Italy (Bari), we observed the presence of this pest in table grape plantations, affecting the crop. In addition to damaging the plant's sap extraction, the pest secretes copious amounts of honeydew on leaves and bunches, where fungi known as "sour fungus" develop, in turn reducing the plant's photosynthetic capacity and respiration.
Just a couple of months ago, its presence was also confirmed in France, where it has been found in 19 municipalities in the Occitanie region. It has been found on various plant species, including different varieties of citrus fruits, grapevines, medlars, ivy, roses, pomegranates, and flowering pear trees. In all cases, only a few leaves were infested. France is working hard to eradicate it.
Its presence in Italy and France puts us at high risk for the pest to reappear in our country at any time. The Ministry of Agriculture, together with the regional governments, has established a Contingency Plan to implement preventive measures to detect its presence and establish action criteria for rapid eradication before it becomes widespread.
Producers can help by monitoring their plantations and reporting any abnormalities or damage that may be related to the pest to the relevant authorities.
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