Harmonisation of Codes for ePhyto: Maximizing Efficiency and Accuracy

1. Rebecca Lee, PhD NAPPO Technical Director ePhyto Steering Committee member ePhyto Code Lists Slides courtesy of Nico Horn, 2012, except where otherwise indicated.

2. Harmonisation of Contents: Codes • Why codes? Fullest use of electronic system possible • Avoids mismatches by typing errors • Unambiguous spelling of names, etc. • Language independent • Makes digital checks possible • More efficient • Flexibility to update

3. Four Subgroups of Codes Scientific names Treatments Additional declarations Product description

4. Principles • Use existing lists as much as possible • Preferrably these lists should be available on the internet and regularly updated • Only create new lists where really necessary

5. Scientific NamesWorking Procedure • Formulate criteria for lists • Collect possible candidates • Short list three candidates • Select the preferred candidate • Formulate recommendation

6. Recommendation for Scientific Names The EPPO list of plants and plant pests is the best candidate available at the moment to be used in ePhyto as list of pest and plant names including codes for them. • Codes are easily accessible • They can be freely accessed: http://eppo.org/DATABASES/eppt/eppt.htm • Or: Cheap subscription for electronic version of all names and codes (similar to ISO country code list) • Takes into account synonyms, old names, pathovars and multi-lingual common names • Additions to the list can be proposed and will be processed • However, additions should be considered only if involved in trade (allows for prioritization of additions)

9. EPPO codes: A few general principles • For cultivated and wild species (including weeds) • 5 letters = 3 (genus) + 2 (species) • S O L T U • Solanum tuberosum: SOLTU • An unspecified species of Solanum: SOLSS • Genus Solanum: 1SOLG • Solanaceae Family: 1SOLF • Polemoniales Order: 1POMO • Dicotyledons Group: 1DICS • Magnoliophyta Division : 1MAGP • Plant Kingdom: 1PLAK Courtesy: EPPO, 2012

10. EPPO codes: A few general principles (cont.) • For plant pests and pathogens: • 6 letters = 4 (genus) + 2 (species) • B E M I T A • The species Bemisia tabaci: BEMITA • An unspecified species of the genus Bemisia: BEMISP • Genus Bemisia: 1BEMIG • Aleyrodidae Family: 1ALEYF • Sternorrhyncha Suborder: 1STERS • Hemiptera Order: 1HEMIO • Insecta Class: 1INSEC • Animal Kingdom: 1ANIMK Courtesy: EPPO, 2012

11. EPPO codes: a few general principles (cont.) 1 biological entity = 1 unique code • Change of preferred scientific name: • Gnorimoschema absoluta = Tuta absoluta • => The code GNORAB remains the same • Newly described species: • Phytophthora pinifolia => PHYTPF is newly created • New subspecies: additional codes • Xylella fastidiosa = XYLEFA • Xylellafastidiosa subsp. multiplex => XYLEFM • Xylella fastidiosa subsp. pauca => XYLEFP • Xylellafastidiosa subsp. sandyi => XYLEFS Courtesy: EPPO, 2012

12. Specialform on the web to request new codes Courtesy: EPPO, 2012

13. Treatments ListWorking procedure • Elements of treatment: • date (standard format used) • treatment type • active ingredient • duration * • temperature * • concentration* • No new code list required (UNECE recommendations) • Focus on treatment type and active ingredient • Different lists available were considered • One list stood out for active ingredient • For treatment type, no useful list available • Therefore, for treatment type, a list was created

14. http://ephyto.ippc.int/

15. Recommendation for Treatment Types For ePhyto it is useful to code the active ingredients and the treatment types. For the active ingredients the CODEX list is proposed (http://www.codexalimentarius.net/pestres/data/pesticides/index.html ) For the type of treatments a table was created and proposed

16. Treatment Types Heat treatment HT Fumigation FUM Seed coating SC Kiln-drying KD Chemical pressure impregnation CPI Devitalization DV Debarking DB Dry heat DH Moist heat MH Vapour heat VH Dipped Di Cold Disinfestation CD Cold treatment CT Dusted Du Flood sprayed FS Fungicide Fu Could also be divided by: Heat treatment Cold treatment Chemical Irradiation Other - And then subdivide at a 2d level Still under discussion based on member comments

17. Additional Declarations Working Procedure • One possibility was to collect all ADs used worldwide and code them • Conclusion was to restrict coding to standard ADs as in appendix 2 of ISPM12 • This will help standardisation, is language-independent, covers the whole range, achievable for the WG • Standard ADs analysed: some need pest names, area names and some are actually two in one • Standard ADs were tabled and codes were added

18. Recommendation for Additional Declarations For ePhyto, it would be very useful to code additional declarations. Impossible to code all additional declarations, therefore free text should always be an option. The codes represent standard wording of ADs but can be used irrespective of language and the intention of the AD is more important than the exact wording.

19. Code is language independent – this is what we aspire to, based on ISPM 12, seeking more standardization.

20. Product Description Working Procedure • Elements of product description: botanical name, intended use, packaging, weight and volume and additional description • Focus on intended use and additional description • Custom codes/ HS are preferred but worldwide not sufficiently descriptive for phytosanitary use • No useful list available worldwide • Table with elements created and codes assigned • Free text still needed, e.g. for HS code, further description

21. Recommendation for Product Description Product description coding to be formed from a minimum of 4 elements: - Product (the botanical name where available, WG 2A) – “Intended Use” – Packaging (UNECE codes) – Country of origin (ISO codes). The combination of the code elements to be formed by each NPPO to meet the particular needs of the intended ePhyto The inclusion of a free text field to enable additional information to be included where applicable or necessary.

22. Product Description

23. Additional Recommendations • For duration, temperature, concentration (treatment) • For weight, volume (product description) • For locations (point of entry, address consignee) Use UNECE recommendations Already available, also used by Customs

24. Concluding Remarks • The reports of all four WGs are available on the IPPC website • Development of codes is an on-going process • What is available now is a good starting point

25. Questions???