Abstract
Pentastiridius leporinus, a polyphagous planthopper, has emerged as a significant vector of the phloem-limited pathogens ARSEPH and PHYPSO, posing a severe threat to agricultural production across Europe. This study explores the complex interactions between P. leporinus, its pathogens, and host plants, focusing on its impact on sugar beet, potato, and recently identified vegetable crops such as carrots and beetroots. The transmission of these pathogens leads to reduced yield and quality, causing substantial economic losses and threatening food security and supply chains. P. leporinus exhibits remarkable adaptability, spreading efficiently over long distances and colonizing diverse crops. Its life cycle, involving nymph development in soil and adult migration to host plants, underpins its reproductive success and rapid geographic expansion. While ARSEPH and PHYPSO reduce crop viability and processing quality, their combined infections exacerbate the damage, introducing secondary pathogens and compounding challenges for farmers. Control measures for P. leporinus remain limited due to the lack of resistant crop varieties, long-term insecticide efficacy, and precise infestation thresholds. Current efforts emphasize a holistic, integrated pest management (IPM) strategy, combining agronomic practices such as early harvesting, crop rotation, and soil cultivation with emerging tools like biocontrol agents, forecasting models, and experimental genetic techniques. Trials with cover nets and tolerant crop varieties show promise in mitigating the pest’s impact, but further research is essential. This work highlights critical knowledge gaps, advocating for interdisciplinary collaboration and increased funding to develop sustainable, environment-friendly solutions. Practical research and immediate action is necessary to mitigate the devastating effects of P. leporinus on agriculture. The authors therefore propose the establishment of an EU task force on plant health emergencies, as foreseen in the amendment of EU plant health legislation. A national initiative is not sufficient to manage the existential threat situation.
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Claims 8
Claim · model-written summary
Pathogen transmission by P. leporinus reduces crop yield and quality.
Verbatim
e0“The transmission of these pathogens leads to reduced yield and quality”
e1“P. leporinus exhibits remarkable adaptability, spreading efficiently over long distances and colonizing diverse crops.”
Claim · model-written summary
P. leporinus spreads over long distances and colonizes diverse crops.
- Taxon
- cropse0
- Interactor
- P. leporinus
Pentastiridius leporinuse0pest - Outcome
- colonizing diverse cropse0
Not reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“P. leporinus exhibits remarkable adaptability, spreading efficiently over long distances and colonizing diverse crops.”
Claim · model-written summary
Combined ARSEPH and PHYPSO infections exacerbate crop damage.
Verbatim
e0“While ARSEPH and PHYPSO reduce crop viability and processing quality, their combined infections exacerbate the damage”
Claim · model-written summary
ARSEPH reduces crop viability and processing quality.
Verbatim
e0“While ARSEPH and PHYPSO reduce crop viability and processing quality”
Claim · model-written summary
PHYPSO reduces crop viability and processing quality.
Verbatim
e0“While ARSEPH and PHYPSO reduce crop viability and processing quality”
Claim · model-written summary
Cover-net trials show promise for mitigating pest impacts on crops.
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“Trials with cover nets and tolerant crop varieties show promise in mitigating the pest’s impact”
Claim · model-written summary
Tolerant crop variety trials show promise for mitigating pest impacts.
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“Trials with cover nets and tolerant crop varieties show promise in mitigating the pest’s impact”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors propose an EU task force on plant health emergencies.
Verbatim
e0“The authors therefore propose the establishment of an EU task force on plant health emergencies”