Ekspresowa Analiza Zagrożenia Agrofagiem: Epitrix cucumeris (Harris, 1851)

Epitrix cucmeris is a well-known pest of potato (and to a lesser extent of other crops and ornamentals of the solanaceous family) in North America and the regions where it has been infested. The damage caused by it is limited in nature. The beetles gnaw tissue from leaf blades and the larvae feed on roots, but rarely damage potato tubers, which are of interest to growers and consumers. This insect, however, is one of several species of the genus that are pests of potatoes, among others, and it is virtually impossible to distinguish between them in the field. If the species is imported into the PRA area, it is likely that its importance will be similar to that in its current range. The pest probably has limited dispersal abilities, as evidenced by its occurrence in continental Europe only in certain regions of Portugal, from where it has not spread to other potato-growing regions for more than a decade, and Spain. Inoculation of new areas is most likely to occur only by transport of infected plants, tubers or adjacent soil. The pest's numbers (if it appears in the PRA area) can probably be reduced with insecticides used, for example, to control the potato beetle or ground or rapeseed flea beetle. All of these insects are closely related, and it is likely that E. cucumeris will have similar sensitivity to crop protection products as those mentioned above.PL; pl; PDF; kwarantanna@iorpib.poznan.p