![](media/image1.png){width="1.7520833333333334in"
height="1.2201388888888889in"}

![](media/image2.jpeg){width="1.117361111111111in"
height="1.25in"}**United States Department of Agriculture**

**Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service**

**Plant Protection and Quarantine**

**Risk Management Document**

**Importation of Fresh Guava (*Psidium guajava*) Fruit from Mexico into
the United States**

**treated with 400 gy irradiation**

**Sept. 12, 2008**. Revision 004

**Plant Health Programs (PHP)**

**Commodity Imports Analyses and Operations (CIAO)**

**Contact Person: *David Lamb***

**Introduction**

> The Government of Mexico requested permission to export guava,
> *Psidium guajava* L., fruit into the United States. Guava fruit has
> not been imported from Mexico before, so a pathway-initiated risk
> assessment (PRA) was conducted. A list of guava pests from Mexico was
> prepared based on United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)'s
> Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) records of
> intercepted pests, and scientific literature. The PRA document,
> *Importation of Guava,* Psidium guajava*, from Mexico into the United
> States, A Pathway-Initiated Commodity Risk Analysis* (USDA, 2008)
> identified three fungi, two mites, and 21 insect pests likely to
> follow the pathway on fresh guava fruit from Mexico into the United
> States.
>
> [Fungi:]{.underline}
>
> *Mycovellosiella psidii* Crous (Ascomycetes, Mycosphaerellales)
>
> *Pestalotiopsis psidii* (Pat.) Mordue (Ascomycetes, Xylariales)
>
> *Sphaceloma psidii* Bitanc. & Jenk. (Ascomycetes, Myriangiales)
>
> [Mites:]{.underline}
>
> *Oligonychus biharensis* (Hirst) (ACARI:Tetranychidae)
>
> *Oligonychus psidium* Estébanes & Baker (ACARI:Tetranychidae)
>
> [Insects:]{.underline}
>
> *Aleurodicus dispersus* Russell (HOMOPTERA: Aleyrodidae)
>
> *Aleurodicus maritimus* Hempel (HOMOPTERA: Aleyrodidae)
>
> *Aleurodicus pulvinatus* (Maskell) (HOMOPTERA: Aleyrodidae)
>
> *Anastrepha bahiensis* Lima (DIPTERA:Tephritidae)
>
> *Anastrepha fraterculus* Wiedemann (DIPTERA:Tephritidae)
>
> *Anastrepha ludens* (Loew) (DIPTERA:Tephritidae)
>
> *Anastrepha obliqua* (Macquart) (DIPTERA:Tephritidae)
>
> *Anastrepha serpentina* (Wiedemann) (DIPTERA:Tephritidae)
>
> *Anastrepha striata* Schiner (DIPTERA:Tephritidae)
>
> *Ceratitis capitata* (Wiedemann) (DIPTERA:Tephritidae)
>
> *Coccus viridis* (Green) (HOMOPTERA: Coccidae)
>
> *Conotrachelus dimidiatus* Champion (COLEOPTERA:Curculionidae)
>
> *Conotrachelus psidii* Marshall (COLEOPTERA:Curculionidae)
>
> *Dysmicoccus neobrevipes* Beardsley (HOMOPTERA:Pseudococcidae)
>
> *Gymnandrosoma aurantianum* Lima (LEPIDOPTERA: Tortricidae)
>
> *Maconellicoccus hirsutus (Green)* (HOMOPTERA: Pseudococcidae)
>
> *Nipaecoccus viridis* (Newstead) (HOMOPTERA: Pseudococcidae)
>
> *Phenacoccus psidiarum* Cockerell (HOMOPTERA: Pseudococcidae)
>
> *Planococcus minor* (Maskell) (HOMOPTERA: Pseudococcidae)
>
> *Pseudococcus solenedyos* Gimpel & Miller (HOMOPTERA: Pseudococcidae)
>
> *Tetraleurodes truncatus* Sampson & Drews (HOMOPTERA: Aleyrodidae)
>
> The PRA (USDA, 2008) determined that the risk is **high** for eight
> pests: the Tortricid moth, *Gymnandrosoma aurantianum*, and seven
> fruit flies, *Anastrepha spp.* and *Ceratitis capitata*. The risk was
> determined to be **medium** for both mites *Oligonychus biharensis*
> and *O. psidium*, two weevils in the genus *Conotrachelus,* four
> whiteflies (Aleyrodidae), six mealybugs (Pseudococcidae), and one soft
> scale *Coccus viridis* (Coccidae). The risk was also determined to be
> medium for the three pathogens, *Mycovellosiella psidii*,
> *Pestalotiopsis psidii* and *Sphaceloma psidii*.
>
> Mexico has proposed to treat guavas with an APHIS approved irradiation
> treatment that would mitigate risks from all insect pests except pupae
> and adult Lepidoptera. All of the insects except pupae and adult
> Lepidoptera will be effectively neutralized with the irradiation
> generic dose of 400 Gy (USDA, 2006). Other measures in addition to
> irradiation will be required to mitigate the risk from the mites
> *Oligonychus psidium* and *O. biharensis*. The irradiation treatment
> is expected to cause some mortality of these arthropod pests, but will
> not completely mitigate the risk. Other pests that are likely to
> follow the pathway include the three fungi, *Mycovellosiella psidii,*
> *Pestalotiopsis psidii,* and *Spaceloma psidii*. These three pathogens
> will be subject to inspection for symptoms at the United States
> port-of-entry.
>
> The proposed importation of guava fruit from Mexico, if approved,
> would be regulated by an amendment to the existing fruits and
> vegetables regulations \[7 CFR § 319.56\]. This document outlines the
> phytosanitary measures that APHIS will require if the proposed
> importation of guavas from Mexico is approved and documents the
> evidence used by APHIS to conclude that these measures will
> effectively prevent the introduction of quarantine pests.

**Standard Industry Practices**

Post-harvest treatment of guava fruit in packinghouses in Mexico
consists of a clear water bath, brushing with mechanical brushes,
sorting, and culling defective or damaged fruits (USDA, 2008) and
inmersed in a solution with a broad-spectrum fungicide (SAGARPA, 2008).

**Pest Risk Mitigation Measures**

> APHIS proposes that guava fruit from Mexico may be imported into the
> United States only under the following conditions:
>
> (1). Guavas may be imported into the United States in commercial
> consignments only.
>
> (2). The fruit must be irradiated with a minimum absorbed dose of 400
> Gy and follow requirements of 7CFR parts 305.31 and 319.56.
>
> (3). Each shipment of fruit must be inspected by the Mexican NPPO
> inspectors and be accompanied by a Phytosanitary Certificate (PC)
> issued by the Mexican NPPO certifying that the fruit received the
> required irradiation treatment. The PC must also include an Additional
> Declaration (AD) that states:
>
> \"The fruit in this shipment was treated by irradiation with a minimum
> absorbed dose of 400 Gy and inspected and found free of *Oligonychus
> biharensis*, *Oligonychus psidium,* *Mycovellosiella psidii,
> Pestalotiopsis psidii* and *Sphaceloma psidii*.\"
>
> \(4\) Fruits imported into the United States will also be subject to
> port-of-entry inspection and found free of *Oligonychus biharensis*,
> *Oligonychus psidium,* *Mycovellosiella psidii,* *Pestalotiopsis
> psidii* and *Sphaceloma psidii*.

**Historical Performance of Importing Irradiated Fruits**

> Current regulations 7CFR 305.31 and 7CFR.319.56-4 (b)(3) allow the use
> of irradiation to treat fruit for importation into the United States.
> Beginning in April, 2007, India has shipped mangos to the United
> States irradiated with a minimum dose of 400 Gy targeting arthropod
> pests and with a systems approach for fungal pathogens. Regulation
> 7CFR318.13-4 (f) allows interstate movement of fifteen different
> fruits, including mangos from Hawaii, allowing irradiation using a
> minimum absorbed dose of 150 Gy and 400 Gy for fruit flies, seed
> weevils and other quarantine pests. Fruits and vegetables treated with
> irradiation moved interstate from Hawaii have had no pests of
> quarantine significance intercepted (AQAS-PestID, 2007). On very rare
> occassions when live fruit fly larvae were detected in irradiated
> shipments, they were always found to be moribund and never resulted in
> further development or completing life cycles (Uyeda, 2005).

**Evidence for the Effective Removal of Pests of Concern from the
Pathway**

> The following paragraph summarizes key mitigation measures for the
> importation of guava fruit from Mexico and provides a general
> discussion of their efficacy. The evidence APHIS uses to determine
> that the measures described above effectively remove pests of concern
> from the pathway are also discussed. The FAO (2002) defines "pathway"
> as "any means that allows the entry or spread of a pest."

***Arthropod Pests***

> Twenty one of the twenty six pests likely to follow pathway are
> insects. There are no records of importing irradiated guavas from
> Mexico, but records of interstate movement of mangos from HI into the
> United States treated with 300 Gy irradiation, show no interceptions
> of quarantine pests since 2000 (Uyeda, 2005). Additionally, reports of
> twelve shipments of mangos irradiated with 150 Gy imported from
> Australia into New Zealand since 2004, provide no record of quarantine
> pest interceptions from the irradiated mangos (Edwards, 2005).
> Although the pest complex in Hawaii or Australia is different from
> that described for Mexican guavas, the 150 Gy minimum absorbed dose
> has been determined to be effective against all fruit flies (USDA,
> 2006).
>
> As part of the United States requirements governing the use of
> irradiation as a phytosanitary treatment (7CFR305.31), APHIS and the
> NPPO of Mexico will jointly develop an operational work plan. The work
> plan shall incorporate details of treatment and preclearance
> activities including inspection of articles that APHIS may perform
> before or after the treatment. Inspection of the guava fruit for the
> presence of pests not targeted by irradiation during preclearance
> activities will further ensure that the pests of concern are removed
> from the pathway.
>
> In the Mexican Hass avocado import program, packing house inspection
> has been successfully used to remove several pests from the pathway of
> avocado fruit, including weevils and a fruit boring moth (USDA, 2007;
> AQAS-PestID, 2007). Weevil larvae in guava fruits can be detected by
> ovipositon scars on fruits and the internal feeding damage causes
> abnormal fruit development (Boscán de Martínez & Cásares, 1980, 1981;
> González, 1991; Sánchez Soto, 2000). Larvae of *Conotrachelus* spp.
> cause premature fruit drop in guavas, so that marketable size guavas
> are either not infested, or the damage caused by the larvae is highly
> visible (González, 1991; Levine & Hall, 1977). This means that most
> guavas that are infested will not be harvested. Infestations of
> *Gymnandrosoma aurantianum* will be detected because the larvae bore
> visible holes into the fruit and leave a trail of frass
> (Agrobyte.com.br. 2008). Any infested guavas that reach the packing
> house will be culled or detected by phytosanitary inspections (USDA,
> 2008).
>
> Infestations of mites produce visible damage, or bronzing, on leaves
> and fruit of guavas (Kwee & Chong, 1990). Infestations of mites are
> detectable and will be culled at the packing house or detected by
> phytosanitary inspection at the port-of-entry.

***Fungal Pathogens***

> Three fungi, *Mycovellosiella psidii, Pestalotiopsis psidii* and
> *Sphaceloma psidii*, are rated in the PRA (USDA, 2008) as having a
> medium pest risk potential, and according to Pest Risk Assessment 5.02
> guidelines (USDA, 2000) may require special measures beyond
> port-of-entry inspection.
>
> *Mycovellosiella psidii* was described for the first time from Mexico
> (Crous, 1999) from collections previously identified as species of
> *Cercospora*. The biology of the fungus is not well known. Symptoms on
> fruit are circular lesions, 2-3 mm diam., brown with a raised dark
> brown border (Crous, 1999). *Pestalotiopsis psidii* was reported from
> Asia, Africa, Europe and tropical America (USDA, 2008). *P. psidii*
> symptoms consist of leaf spots and fruit cankers easily recognized by
> the circular, corky lesions (Keith *et al.*, 2006; Lim & Manicom,
> 2003; Mordue, 1976). *Sphaceloma psidii* was describe for the first
> time by Bitancourt and Jenkins on guava from Brazil (1950). *S.
> psidii* symptoms consist of leaf and fruit spots easily recognized
> (Bitancourt & Jenkins, 1950; TCA, 1999).
>
> The only plausible pathway for the pathogens to become established in
> the United States is via discarded fruit or unused portions of the
> fruit or peel. Disease spread can only occur if temperature and
> moisture conditions are favorable for spore germination (USDA, 2008).
> Infected discarded fruit would need to be discarded in or near guava
> orchards or areas with suitable host material at a time when
> susceptible tissue is available and in a stressed conditon. The
> probability of discarded infected fruit being in close proximity to a
> cultivated or wild guava tree with favorable environmental conditions
> for spore germination is low.
>
> *Mycovellosiella psidii* was reported only on *Psidium guajava*
> (Crous, 1999). *Pestalotiopsis psidii* was reported on *Feijoa
> sellowiana*, *Psidium* spp., and *Musa paradisica* (Farr *et al*.,
> n.d.). *S. psidii* was reported on *Psidium* *guava* and *Feijoa
> sellowiana* from Mexico, New Zealand and Brazil (Farr *et al.*, n.d.)
>
> Because of the limited host availability, limited inherent dispersal
> capabilities, and low availability of host material of
> *Mycovellosiella psidii*, *Pestalotiopsis psidii,* and *Sphaceloma
> psidii* mitigation measures beyond inspection/monitoring are not
> warranted (USDA, 2008). Symptoms of these fungi can be detected on
> guava fruit during packing house phytosanitary inspection. The PC with
> an AD is considered sufficient to mitigate the risk of introduction of
> these pathogens. Specifically listing the pests on the AD alerts APHIS
> and Mexican NPPO inspectors to the specific quarantine pests of
> concern.

**Summary**

> The phytosanitary requirements described above include treatment of
> Mexican guava fruit with irradiation using a minimum absorbed dose of
> 400 Gy and preclearance inspections for pests not targeted by the
> irradiation treatment. APHIS finds that the safeguards of 7 CFR §
> 305.31 and 319.56, and the additional mitigations described here will
> result in the effective removal of the pests of concern from the
> pathway identified by the pest risk analysis for the importation of
> fresh guava fruit from Mexico.

**Table 1.** Summary of risk management measures for guava, *Psidium
guajava*, from Mexico.

+---------------------+------------------+-----------------------------+
| **Mitigation        | **Pest**         | **Efficacy**                |
| Measures**          |                  |                             |
+---------------------+------------------+-----------------------------+
| \(1\) Only          | All, but must be | Cultural, chemical, or      |
| commercially        | used in          | mechanical means (e.g.,     |
|                     | conjunction with | field sanitation,           |
| produced guava      | other measures.  | pre-harvest application of  |
| fruit may be        |                  | pesticides, resistant       |
| imported into the   |                  | cultivars) should be used   |
| United States.      |                  | to eliminate pests from     |
|                     |                  | fields or prevent fruit     |
|                     |                  | infestation. Sanitation,    |
|                     |                  | such as removing and        |
|                     |                  | discarding fallen fruit and |
|                     |                  | pesticide applications, as  |
|                     |                  | essential components of     |
|                     |                  | good agricultural           |
|                     |                  | practices, are mainstays of |
|                     |                  | commercial fruit production |
|                     |                  | (e.g., Kirk *et al*.,       |
|                     |                  | 2001).                      |
+---------------------+------------------+-----------------------------+
| \(2\) Irradiation   | All insects      | Satisfies requirements for  |
| at 400 Gy           | except pupae and | appropriate level of        |
|                     | adult            | protection (USDA, 2006).    |
| (T105-a-2).         | Lepidoptera, but |                             |
|                     | must be used in  | Pupae are found under       |
|                     | conjunction with | debris on the ground and    |
|                     | other measures   | not in the fruit            |
|                     | for mites.       | (Agrobyte.com.br. 2008).    |
+---------------------+------------------+-----------------------------+
| \(3\) Phytosanitary | *Oligonychus     | The phytosanitary           |
|                     | biharensis*,     | certificate requires the    |
| Certificate.        | *Oligonychus     | NPPO to inspect the guavas  |
|                     | psidium,*        | for quarantine pests. All   |
|                     | *Mycovellosiella | of these pests have stages  |
|                     | psidii,          | that are visible upon       |
|                     | Pestalotiopsis   | inspection, or cause        |
|                     | psidii* and      | visible damage (Boscán de   |
|                     | *Sphaceloma      | Martínez & Cásares, 1980;   |
|                     | psidii*, but     | Crous, 1999; González,      |
|                     | must be used in  | 1991; Gould & Raga, 2002;   |
|                     | conjunction with | Kwee & Chong, 1990; Lim &   |
|                     | other measures.  | Manicom, 2003).             |
+---------------------+------------------+-----------------------------+
| \(4\) Phytosanitary | All, but must be | Inspection ensures that     |
|                     | used in          | various stages of any pest  |
| inspection at       | conjunction with | that are present will be    |
| United              | other measures.  | detected; this is           |
|                     |                  | particularly effective      |
| States              |                  | against those pests whose   |
| port-of-entry.      |                  | later life stages are       |
|                     |                  | larger and more readily     |
|                     |                  | detected (Borror *et al.*,  |
|                     |                  | 1989).                      |
+---------------------+------------------+-----------------------------+

**Authors**

Walter Gould Ph.D.

Senior Risk Manager

José R. Hernández Ph.D.

Senior Risk Manager

David Lamb

Import Specialist

**References**

Agrobyte.com.br. 2008. Bicho Furão.
<http://www.agrobyte.com.br/bichofurao.htm> Last access Sep. 2008.

AQAS-PestID. 2007. Agricultural Quarantine Activity System Pest
Interception Database. USDA-APHIS-PPQ. Last access Sep. 2007.

Bitancourt A.A. and A.E. Jenkins. 1950. *Sphaceloma Psidii*. Arquivos do
Instituto Biológico, São Paulo 19:105.

Borror, D. J., Triplehorn, C. A. and N. F. Johnson. 1989. Introduction
to the study of insects, 6 ed. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich College
Publishers, TX.

Boscán de Martínez, N. and R. Cásares. 1980. El gorgojo de la guayaba
*Conotrachelus psidii* Marshall (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). I.
Evaluación de daños. Agron. Trop. 30: 77-83.

Boscán de Martínez, N. and R. Cásares. 1981. Distribución en el tiempo
de las fases del gorgojo de la guayaba *Conotrachelus psidii* Marshall
(Coleoptera: Curculionidae) en el campo. Agron. Trop. 31:123-130.

Crous, P.W. 1999. Species of *Mycosphaerella* and related anamorphs
occurring on Myrtaceae (excluding *Eucalyptus*). Mycol. Res.
103:607-621.

Edwards, G. 2005. Personal Communication from G. Edwards of NZ
Department of Agriculture & Fisherries to Karen Ackerman of the United
States Department of Agriculture, Animal & Plant Health Inspection
Service, Plant Protection & Quarantine, Riverdale, MD.

Farr, D.F., Rossman, A.Y., Palm, M.E., & McCray, E.B. n.d. Fungal
Databases, Systematic Mycology and Microbiology Laboratory, ARS, USDA.
Retrieved October 16, 2007, from http://nt.ars-grin.gov/fungaldatabases/

FAO. 2002. International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures:
Guidelines for Pest Risk Analysis. Publication No. 2. Rome: Secretariat
of the International Plant Protection Convention, Food and Agriculture
Organization of the United Nations.

González G., E. 1991. El picudo de la guayaba en la región de
Calvillo-Cañones. INIFAP. SAG. Centro de Investigaciones Forestales y
Agropecuarias de Zacatecas, Campo Experimental los Cañones. Folleto
Miscelaneo No. 6. 22 pp.

Gould, W.P. and A. Raga. 2002. Pests of guava. In Tropical fruit pests
and pollinators, J.E. Peña, J.L. Sharp and M. Wysoki eds. CAB
International. Wallingford UK. pp. 295-313

Keith, L.M., M.E.Velazquez, and F.T. Zee. 2006. Identification and
characterization of *Pestalotiopsis* spp. causing scab disease of guava,
*Psidium guajava*, in Hawaii. Plant Dis. 90:16-23.

Kirk, K., Bessin, R., Hartman, J., O'Leary, J. and Strang, J. 2001.
Total quality assurance: apple production: best management practices.
Kentucky Coop. Ext. Serv. ID-137.

Kwee, L.T. and K.K. Chong. 1990. Guava in Malaysia: Production, pests
and diseases. Tropical Press Sdn. Bhd., Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. 260 pp.

Levine, E. and F.R. Hall. 1977. Effect of feeding and oviposition by the
plum curculio on apple and plum fruit abscission. J. Econ. Entomol.
70:603-607.

Lim, T.-K. and B.Q. Manicom. 2003. Diseaases of guava, pp 275-298. *In*
R.C. Ploetz (ed.). Diseases of Tropical Fruit Crops. Wallingford, U.K.:
CABI Publ.

Mordue, J.E.M. 1976. *Psetalotiospsis psidii*. C.M.I. Descript. Pathog.
Fungi Bact. 515:1-2.

> SAGARPA. 2008. Manejo del clavo (*Pestalotiopsis psidii*) en la
> guayaba. Letter from SAGARPA to IS USDA April 17, 2008.

Sánchez Soto, S. 2000. Nuevos registros de insectos fitófagos para el
estado de Tabasco, México. Fol. Entomol. Mex. 109:113-116.

TCA. 1999. Impactos actuales y potenciales de las enfermedades de los
cultivos perennes de la Amazonia y posibilidades de control para el
desarrollo sostenible de la región. Tratado de Cooperación Amazonia.
Secretaria *Pro tempore*. Caracas. Venezuela. 178 pp.

USDA. 2000. Guidelines for Pathway-Initiated Pest Risk Assessments,
Version 5.02. USDA, APHIS, PPQ;
<http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppq/pra/commodity/cpraguide.pdf> (last
accessed October, 2007).

USDA. 2006. Treatments for Fruits and Vegetables. January 27, 2006 issue
of Federal Register 71(18): 4451-4464.

USDA. 2007. Mexican Hass avocados to be distributed to all 50 states.

<http://www.aphis.usda.gov/publications/plant_health/content/printable_version/ia_hass_avocados.pdf>
Last accessed June 2007.

USDA. 2008. Importation of Guava, *Psidium guajava*, from Mexico into
the United States, a Pathway-Initiated Commodity Risk Analysis*.* United
States Department of Agriculture, Animal & Plant Health Inspection
Service, Plant Protection & Quarantine, Center for Plant Health Science
& Technology, NC. 103 pp.

Uyeda, E. 2005. Personal communication from E. Uyeda, Port Director,
United States Department of Agriculture, Animal & Plant Health
Inspection Service, Plant Protection & Quarantine, Hilo, HI.