Two legal acts withdrawing the western corn rootworm from the list of regulated harmful organisms with quarantine status in the EU and repealing the related emergency measures to prevent the spread within the EU were published on 7th February 2014 in the Official Journal.
The western corn rootworm (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera Le Conte) is a non-native insect pest of maize, endemic in North America and first detected in Europe in 1992. The specific control measures put in place in 2003 could not prevent its spread within the EU as this pest is now established in 13 EU Member States, who represent a large part of the EU maize cultivation area.
According to an impact assessment carried out by the Commission, it is neither feasible to pursue an eradication of this pest from the EU, nor to prevent its further spread into the areas which are currently free. Therefore, on request of the agricultural sector, the regulation of the western corn rootworm as a quarantine pest was considered no longer appropriate. Experience gained with this pest shows that maize production can coexist with the western corn rootworm, since there are effective and sustainable methods for the control of this pest. Among these, crop rotation should be considered the preferred method not only because it is the most effective but also because of its many additional agronomical and environmental benefits.
A Commission Recommendation on measures to control this pest in a sustainable way in areas where it is present in the EU was also adopted on 7th February 2014. It suggests that:
“Sustainable biological, physical and other non-chemical methods should be preferred to chemical methods, if the former provide satisfactory pest control. Therefore, control of Diabrotica by the professional users should be achieved or supported by the following actions:
(a) crop rotation;
(b) use of biocontrol agents;
(c) adaptation of maize sowing date to avoid that germination coincides with larval hatching;
(d) cleansing of agricultural machinery and removal of volunteer maize plants and other hygiene measures.
Crop rotation should be preferred in view of its high effectiveness to control Diabrotica and its environmental and longer term agronomical benefits.”biob
For more information: http://ec.europa.eu/food/plant/organisms/index_en.htm
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