EPPO Code
Full nameEuropean and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization Code
OrganisationEuropean and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization
ExampleCARPPO
Websitegd.eppo.int

An EPPO code, formerly known as a Bayer code, is an encoded identifier that is used by the European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization (EPPO), in a system designed to uniquely identify organisms – namely plants, pests and pathogens – that are important to agriculture and crop protection. EPPO codes are a core component of a database of names, both scientific and vernacular. Although originally started by the Bayer Corporation, the official list of codes is now maintained by EPPO.

EPPO code database

All codes and their associated names are included in a database (EPPO Global Database). In total, there are over 93,500 species listed in the EPPO database, including:[1]

Plants are identified by a five-letter code, other organisms by a six-letter one. In many cases the codes are mnemonic abbreviations of the scientific name of the organism, derived from the first three or four letters of the genus and the first two letters of the species.[2] For example, corn, or maize (Zea mays), was assigned the code "ZEAMA"; the code for potato late blight (Phytophthora infestans) is "PHYTIN". The unique and constant code for each organism provides a shorthand method of recording species. The EPPO code avoids many of the problems caused by revisions to scientific names and taxonomy which often result in different synonyms being in use for the same species. When the taxonomy changes, the EPPO code stays the same.[2] The EPPO system is used by governmental organizations, conservation agencies, and researchers.[3][4]

Example

Taxonomic Rank Example taxon EPPO Code
Kingdom Animalia 1ANIMK
 Phylum Arthropoda 1ARTHP
 Subphylum Hexapoda 1HEXAQ
 Class Insecta 1INSEC
 Order Hemiptera 1HEMIO
 Suborder Sternorrhyncha 1STERR
 Family Aleyrodidae 1ALEYF
 Genus Bemisia 1BEMIG
 Species Bemisia tabaci BEMITA

References

  1. ^ "EPPO Codes: building blocks for information systems" (PDF). European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
  2. ^ a b "EPPO Codes". www.eppo.int. EPPO.
  3. ^ Francis, A; Warwick, S I (July 2009). "The Biology of Canadian Weeds. 142. Camelina alyssum (Mill.) Thell.; C. microcarpa Andrz. ex DC.; C. sativa (L.) Crantz". Canadian Journal of Plant Science. 89 (4): 791–810. doi:10.4141/CJPS08185.
  4. ^ Mair, Wesley; Lopez-Ruiz, Francisco; Stammler, Gerd; Clark, William; Burnett, Fiona; Hollomon, Derek; Ishii, Hideo; Thind, Tarlochan S; Brown, James KM; Fraaije, Bart; Cools, Hans; Shaw, Michael; Fillinger, Sabine; Walker, Anne-Sophie; Mellado, Emilia; Schnabel, Guido; Mehl, Andreas; Oliver, Richard P (August 2016). "Proposal for a unified nomenclature for target-site mutations associated with resistance to fungicides". Pest Management Science. 72 (8): 1449–1459. doi:10.1002/ps.4301. PMC 5094580. PMID 27148866.