Horticultural growing media (GM) are increasingly expected to provide reliable biological functions, yet microbial inoculants and native microbiota often perform inconsistently. We argue that this variability arises because GM are currently mainly formulated through physical and chemical criteria, while microbial ecology remains insufficiently integrated. In this perspective, GM are reframed as engineered, partially self-organizing microbial ecosystems shaped by resource quality, stoichiometric balance, physicochemical filtering and microbial community assembly. We propose an ecology-driven framework for interpreting decomposition, nutrient dynamics, disease suppression and inoculant performance in GM. This perspective outlines priorities for predictive GM design, including biologically relevant descriptors, explicit system boundaries, cross-GM validation, temporal sampling and integration with monitoring tools.

The European Commission requested the EFSA Panel on Plant Health to prepare and deliver risk assessments for commodities listed in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/2019 as 'High risk plants, plant products and other objects'. This Scientific Opinion covers plant health risks posed by rooted plants in pots of Hamamelis mollis imported from the United Kingdom (UK). The assessment was performed considering the available scientific information, including the technical information provided by the UK. All pests associated with the commodities were evaluated against specific criteria. Two EU regulated pests (Phytophthora ramorum non-EU isolates and Scirtothrips dorsalis), present in the UK and potentially associated with the commodity, were considered as relevant for this Opinion. No pests non-regulated in the EU were identified to be selected for further evaluation.

As global freshwater scarcity intensifies, treated wastewater (TWW) is an increasingly important alternative water source for irrigation. However, its use may alter rhizosphere microbial dynamics directly by introducing exogenous microorganisms or indirectly, by modifying soil physico-chemical properties that affect rhizosphere microbial activities and populations. Despite extensive research on TWW irrigation focusing separately on soil physico-chemical properties or rhizosphere microbial communities, integrated field-based evidence linking the two remains limited, particularly for different TWW sources, application under real drought conditions, and in temperate climates. This study investigated the impact of TWW irrigation on soil physico-chemical properties and rhizosphere microbial community diversity in a field experiment conducted in Belgium (2019-2022). Cauliflower and spinach were selected as representative vegetables in the study area, with spinach grown in 2022 used to assess the effects of four years of TWW irrigation on crop performance. Four irrigation treatments were compared under rainout shelters: irrigation with collected rainwater, TWW from households, TWW from a vegetable processing industry, and TWW from a potato processing industry. A rainfed treatment was also included in the trial setup. TWW irrigation significantly increased soil electrical conductivity of a saturated paste and sodium adsorption ratio, particularly with TWW from vegetable and potato processing industries. Other soil properties remained largely unaffected. Microbial analysis revealed substantial shifts in bacterial and fungal communities. Nutrient-cycling bacterial families such as Rhizobiaceae increased, potentially enhancing nutrient decomposition. However, TWW-elevated salinity reduced the relative abundance of beneficial nutrient-cycling microbial groups, including Nocardioidaceae. Some potentially pathogenic fungi, such as Olpidiaceae, increased, while the beneficial bacterial Chitinophagaceae family decreased. Additionally, fungal communities were more stable under salinity pressure than bacterial communities. Warmer temperatures inside the rainout shelter further influenced microbial shifts, increasing bacterial and fungal relative abundance compared to cooler rainfed plots. These findings underscore the complexity of soil-microbe interactions under TWW irrigation, highlighting nutrient benefits but also salinity-related risks and microbial imbalances.

The European Commission requested the EFSA Panel on Plant Health (PLH) to prepare and deliver risk assessments for commodities listed in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/2019 as 'High risk plants, plant products and other objects'. This Scientific Opinion covers plant health risks posed by rooted plants in pots of Robinia pseudoacacia 'Frisia' imported from the United Kingdom (UK). The assessment was performed considering the available scientific information, including the technical information provided by the UK. All pests potentially associated with the commodity were evaluated against specific criteria. Two EU-regulated pests (Bemisia tabaci and Phytophthora ramorum non-EU isolates), present in the UK and potentially associated with the commodity, were considered as relevant for this Opinion. No non-regulated pests in the European Union were identified to be selected for further evaluation.

Abstract The European Commission requested the EFSA Panel on Plant Health to evaluate the likelihood of pest freedom at entry in the EU, including both regulated and non‐regulated pests, potentially associated with unrooted cuttings of the genera Petunia and Calibrachoa produced under physical isolation in Uganda. The relevance of any pest for this opinion was based on evidence collected according to specific criteria, following the methodology used for high‐risk plants adapted for the specificity of this assessment. Twelve EU‐regulated pests [Bemisia tabaci (non‐European populations), cowpea mild mottle virus (CpMMV, Carlavirus vignae), potato leaf roll virus (PLRV, Polerovirus PLRV), potato spindle tuber viroid (PSTVd, Pospiviroid fusituberis), potato virus S (PVS, Carlavirus sigmasolani, non‐EU isolates), potato virus × (PVX, Potexvirus ecspotati, non‐EU isolates), Ralstonia solanacearum, Ralstonia pseudosolanacearum, Scirtothrips dorsalis, tomato leaf curl Uganda virus (ToLCUV), tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV, Orthotospovirus tomatomaculae) and tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV, Begomovirus coheni)] and one non‐regulated pest (Nipaecoccus viridis) were selected for further evaluation. For the selected pests, the risk mitigation measures implemented in Uganda and described in the technical dossier were evaluated taking into account the factors reducing their efficacy. For these pests, an expert judgement is given on the likelihood of pest freedom taking into consideration the risk mitigation measures acting on the pest. The degree of pest freedom varies between the pests evaluated, with the contact‐transmitted viroid and virus [potato spindle tuber viroid (PSTVd, P. fusituberis) and potato virus × (PVX, P. ecspotati, non‐EU isolates)] being the pests most frequently expected on Petunia and Calibrachoa spp. imported unrooted cuttings. Expert knowledge elicitation indicated, with 95% certainty, that between 9916 and 10,000 per 10,000 Petunia and Calibrachoa spp. unrooted cuttings would be free from these pests.

The European Commission requested the EFSA Panel on Plant Health to prepare and deliver risk assessments for commodities listed in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/2019 as ‘High risk plants, plant products and other objects’. This Scientific Opinion covers plant health risks posed by (a) rooted plants in pots and (b) bare root plants and whips of Lonicera ligustrina var . pileata, L. ligustrina var . yunnanensis and Lonicera periclymenum from the United Kingdom (UK). The assessment was performed considering the available scientific information, including the technical information provided by the UK. All pests potentially associated with the commodities were evaluated against specific criteria. Five EU-quarantine pests [honeysuckle yellow vein virus (HYVV, Begomovirus macrotylomae ), Bemisia tabaci, Meloidogyne fallax, Phytophthora ramorum and Scirtothrips dorsalis ], present in the UK and which could be associated with the commodity, were considered relevant for this Opinion. No pests non-regulated in the EU were identified to be selected for further evaluation.

This document provides the conclusions of the pest survey card that was prepared in the context of the EFSA mandate on plant pest surveillance (M-2020-0114) at the request of the European Commission. The full pest survey card for Botryosphaeria kuwatsukai is published and available online in the EFSA Pest Survey Card gallery at the following link and will be updated whenever new information becomes available: https://efsa.europa.eu/plants/planthealth/monitoring/surveillance/botryosphaeria-kuwatsukai

This document provides the conclusions of the pest survey card that was prepared in the context of the EFSA mandate on plant pest surveillance (M-2020-0114) at the request of the European Commission. The full pest survey card for Saperda candida is published and available online in the EFSA Pest Survey Card gallery at the following link and will be updated whenever new information becomes available: https://efsa.europa.eu/plants/planthealth/monitoring/surveillance/saperda-candida

This document provides the conclusions of the pest survey card that was prepared in the context of the EFSA mandate on plant pest surveillance (M-2020-0114) at the request of the European Commission. The full pest survey card for Anthonomus quadrigibbus is published and available online in the EFSA Pest Survey Card gallery at the following link and will be updated whenever new information becomes available: https://efsa.europa.eu/plants/planthealth/monitoring/surveillance/anthonomus-quadrigibbus

This document provides the conclusions of the pest survey card that was prepared in the context of the EFSA mandate on plant pest surveillance (M-2020-0114) at the request of the European Commission. The full pest survey card for Longidorus diadecturus is published and available online in the EFSA Pest Survey Card gallery at the following link and will be updated whenever new information becomes available: https://efsa.europa.eu/plants/planthealth/monitoring/surveillance/longidorus-diadecturus

This document provides the conclusions of the pest survey card that was prepared in the context of the EFSA mandate on plant pest surveillance (M-2020-0114) at the request of the European Commission. The full pest survey card for Grapholita inopinata , G. packardi and G. prunivora is published and available online in the EFSA Pest Survey Card gallery at the following link and will be updated whenever new information becomes available: https://efsa.europa.eu/plants/planthealth/monitoring/surveillance/grapholita-inopinata-prunivora-packardi

The European Commission requested the EFSA Panel on Plant Health to prepare and deliver risk assessments for commodities listed in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/2019 as 'high risk plants, plant products and other objects'. This Scientific Opinion covers the plant health risks posed by the following commodities: Alnus cordata and A. glutinosa as specimen trees (from 7 to 25 years old) in pots imported into the EU from the UK. A list of pests potentially associated with the commodities was compiled. The relevance of each pest was assessed based on evidence following defined criteria. Three pests were selected for further evaluation: one EU-protected zone quarantine pest (Entoleuca mammata), one EU quarantine pest (Phytophthora ramorum (non-EU isolates)) and one non-quarantine pest (Phytophthora siskiyouensis). For the selected pests, the risk mitigation measures implemented in the UK and specified in the technical dossier were evaluated. For these pests, an expert judgement is given on the likelihood of pest freedom taking into consideration the risk mitigation measures acting on the pest, including uncertainties associated with the assessment. In the assessment of risk, the age of the plants was considered, as larger trees are more likely to be infested mainly due to longer time grown in the field. In addition, large canopies and root systems are more difficult to inspect, thereby making the detection of pests more challenging on large trees. The degree of pest freedom varies between the pests evaluated, with E. mammata being the pest most frequently expected on imported Alnus spp. specimen trees. Expert Knowledge Elicitation indicated, with 95% certainty, that between 9905 and 10,000 per 10,000 Alnus spp. specimen trees would be free from E. mammata.

Abstract The European Commission requested the EFSA Panel on Plant Health to prepare and deliver risk assessments for commodities listed in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/2019 as ‘high‐risk plants, plant products and other objects’. Taking into account the available scientific information, including the technical information provided by the applicant country, this Scientific Opinion covers the plant health risks posed by the following commodities: Alnus cordata, A. glutinosa and A. incana graftwood, bare‐root plants and rooted plants in pots up to 7 years old imported into the EU from the UK. A list of pests potentially associated with the commodities was compiled. The relevance of each pest was assessed based on evidence following defined criteria. Two EU‐quarantine pests (Entoleuca mammata, Phytophthora ramorum (non‐EU isolates)) and one non‐quarantine pest (Phytophthora siskiyouensis) were selected for further evaluation. For the selected pests, the risk mitigation measures implemented in the UK and specified in the technical dossier were evaluated taking into account the factors reducing their efficacy. For these pests, an expert judgement is given on the likelihood of pest freedom taking into consideration the risk mitigation measures acting on the pest, including uncertainties associated with the assessment. The degree of pest freedom varies between the pests evaluated, with E. mammata being the pest most frequently expected on imported Alnus spp. small trees. Expert knowledge elicitation indicated, with 95% certainty, that between 9927 and 10,000 per 10,000 Alnus spp. small trees (bare‐root plants or rooted plants in pots up to 7 years old) would be free from E. mammata.

IntroductionFusarium Head Blight (FHB) is a major fungal disease in wheat caused by Fusarium graminearum, inducing severe yield losses. Biological control agents (BCAs) can be an effective and sustainable approach to mitigate this phytopathogen. In this study, Streptomyces rimosus subsp. rimosus LMG19352 was used as a BCA to mitigate F. graminearum on wheat ears. Moreover, we aimed to assess the impact of BCA inoculation on non-target microorganisms present on the wheat spikes. Therefore, we evaluated shifts in the fungal and bacterial spicosphere microbiome (i) over time from flowering to mid-grain filling stage and (ii) across inoculations with F. graminearum and/or S. rimosus subsp. rimosus LMG19352.MethodsFHB symptoms were determined by multispectral imaging, and Illumina MiSeq was used to amplify 16S V3-V4 rDNA for bacteria and ITS2 for fungi, whereafter a correlation network analysis was performed.ResultsThe biocontrol potential of S. rimosus subsp. rimosus LMG19352 against F. graminearum was confirmed, as FHB symptoms were significantly reduced. Based on the microbial abundances, S. rimosus subsp. rimosus LMG19352 compensated for shifts in the spicosphere microbiome community induced by FHB. These results were supported by a network analysis, revealing a more complex and stable microbiome in the presence of the BCA compared to the infected control.DiscussionTo our knowledge, this study is the first to reveal the potential of a bacterial BCA to temper shifts in the wheat microbiome caused by a phytopathogen, and thereby acting as a promising BCA.

This document provides the conclusions of the pest survey card that was prepared in the context of the EFSA mandate on plant pest surveillance (M-2020-0114) at the request of the European Commission. The full pest survey card for Apiosporina morbosa is published and available online in the EFSA Pest Survey Card gallery at the following link and will be updated whenever new information becomes available: https://efsa.europa.eu/plants/planthealth/monitoring/surveillance/apiosporina-morbosa

The European Commission requested the EFSA Panel on Plant Health to prepare and deliver risk assessments for commodities listed in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/2019 as 'high risk plants, plant products and other objects'. Taking into account the available scientific information, including the technical information provided by the applicant country, this Scientific Opinion covers the plant health risks posed by the following commodities: Berberis thunbergii, bare root plants (up to 3 years old), whips (up to 2 years old) and rooted plants in pots (up to 4 years old) imported into the EU from the UK. A list of pests potentially associated with the commodities was compiled. The relevance of each pest was assessed based on evidence following defined criteria. One EU quarantine pest (Phytophthora ramorum (non-EU isolates)), one protected zone quarantine pest (Bemisia tabaci (European populations)) and one non-quarantine pest (Phytophthora kernoviae) were selected for further evaluation. For the selected pests, the risk mitigation measures implemented in the UK and specified in the technical dossier were evaluated taking into account the factors reducing their efficacy. For these pests, an expert judgement is given on the likelihood of pest freedom taking into consideration the risk mitigation measures acting on the pest, including uncertainties associated with the assessment. The degree of pest freedom varies between the pests evaluated, with P. ramorum being the pest most frequently expected on the evaluated imported commodities. Expert Knowledge Elicitation indicated, with 95% certainty, that between 9975 and 10,000 per 10,000 B. thunbergii rooted plants in pots would be free from P. ramorum.

This document provides the conclusions of the pest survey card that was prepared in the context of the EFSA mandate on plant pest surveillance (M-2020-0114) at the request of the European Commission. The full pest survey card for Carposina sasakii is published and available online in the EFSA Pest Survey Card gallery at the following link and will be updated whenever new information becomes available: https://efsa.europa.eu/plants/planthealth/monitoring/surveillance/carposina-sasakii

IntroductionPlant growth and health are significantly influenced by the composition, activity, and diversity of the rhizosphere microbiome. Developing strategies to modify the rhizosphere microbiome to foster beneficial interactions with plants therefore is a promising avenue for sustainable plant production. One such strategy involves the addition of artificial root exudate compounds. This study evaluates the effects of artificial root exudates on the growth and performance of Chrysanthemum ‘Merlino’ and its rhizosphere microbiome.MethodsHorticultural substrates, both peatand compost-based, were supplemented with two concentrations of artificial root exudates containing fructose, glucose, sucrose, succinic acid, malic acid, arginine, serine, and cysteine. Twelve different treatments were tested in total. Plant physiological parameters, including root development, plant growth, and photosynthetic performance, were monitored to assess plant growth and stress responses. Microbial diversity shifts were analyzed using amplicon metabarcoding of the 16S rRNA gene (bacteria) and ITS region (fungi), alongside assessments of enzyme activity (alkaline phosphatase and urease) and microbial metabolic diversity.ResultsOur findings revealed significant impacts on microbial communities in the rhizosphere. Addition of artificial root exudates caused shifts in the bacterial and fungal community composition in both peatand compost-based substrates. The relative abundance of certain fungi increased in treatments with artificial root exudates, particularly those capable of metabolizing hexose or pentose sugars. That lead to a decrease in overall fungal diversity. Although bacterial diversity was not affected, the addition of artificial root exudates enhanced their metabolic diversity. Moreover, the application of artificial root exudates increased the activities of alkaline phosphatase and urease enzymes. Anticipated positive effects on plant growth were not observed: high concentrations of artificial root exudates (three weekly applications of 250 mg C g−1 substrate) resulted in reduced root development across all four horticultural substrates. Additionally, the highest concentration of artificial root exudates appeared to induce plant stress in peat-based substrates, as evidenced by lower dry mass of the plants and reduced Fv/Fm and PIabs.DiscussionWhile artificial root exudates significantly alter the rhizosphere microbiome, they do not necessarily promote plant growth and may, depending on the composition and concentration, induce stress and inhibit root development in horticultural substrates.

This document provides the conclusions of the pest survey card that was prepared in the context of the EFSA mandate on plant pest surveillance (M-2020-0114) at the request of the European Commission. The full pest survey card for Phyllosticta solitaria is published and available online in the EFSA Pest Survey Card gallery at the following link and will be updated whenever new information becomes available: https://efsa.europa.eu/plants/planthealth/monitoring/surveillance/phyllosticta-solitaria

This document provides the conclusions of the pest survey card that was prepared in the context of the EFSA mandate on plant pest surveillance (M-2020-0114) at the request of the European Commission. The full pest survey card for Apriona cinerea , A. germari and A. rugicollis is published and available online in the EFSA Pest Survey Card gallery at the following link and will be updated whenever new information becomes available: https://efsa.europa.eu/plants/planthealth/monitoring/surveillance/apriona-cinerea-germari-rugicollis