**United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service**  **Plant Protection and Quarantine**



# Importation of Fresh Strawberry, **Fragaria spp.,**  **Fruit with**  **Calyx and Short Stalk from Egypt into** 

**the Continental United States .**  **Risk Management Document**

**November 29, 2011**

**Plant Health Programs (PHP) Regulations, Permits and Manuals (RPM)** November 29, 2011 2



## Introduction The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) , Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHI S) conducted a pest risk assessment in response to a request by Egy pt ’s Ministry of Agriculture , Central Administration f or Plant Quarantine (CAPQ), also referred to as Egy

pt ’s National Plant Protection Org anization (NPPO) , to allow imports of fresh, field

- grown strawberry ( Fragaria spp.) fruit with calyces and short stalks from Egy pt into the continental United States ( USDA , 201 1 ). Three pests of quarantine significance were identified as likely to be introduced into the continental United States via the fresh strawberry

fruit. This document evaluates and describes the appropriate pest risk management measures for these quarantine pests. The movement of fruits and vegetables from foreign countries into the United States is regulated in Title 7, Code of Federal Regulations ( 7 CFR § 319.56, 201 1 ). Currently , the entry of fresh strawberry

fruit from Egy

pt is not authorized under these regulations.
T he pest risk assessment ( USDA, 2011 ) estimated the risk associated with the unmitigated importation of fresh strawberry fruit from Egy

pt and identified the following three quarantine pests of concern for strawberry fruit from Egy

pt : Chrysodeixis chalcites (Esper) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Eutetranychus orientalis (Klein) (Acari: Tetran yc hidae) Spodoptera littoralis (Boisduval) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) All pests were identified as having a **High** risk potential. The volume of strawberries to be shipped from Egy pt to the United States is estimated to be 2 4 t ons ( USDA, 2011) , and shipment to the United States would be during the months of November through April. Egy pt intends to export the strawberry fruit with flower cal yc es and short stalks. L eaving the cal yxon the fruit helps decrease perishability ( USDA, 2011)

. 

## Standard industry practices In Egy pt, strawberries are produced under plasticulture and plastic tunnels; crops are located at the governorates of Ismailia, Kal youbia, Nobarya, and Sharkia (CAPQ, 2006). Drip irrigation and soil mulching are used (CAPQ, 2006). Strawberries are planted at the end of the ye ar; the major varieties are Sweet Charlie, Earl y bright, Festival, Rosalinda, Camarosa, and Gaviota ( CAPQ, 2006). Commercial cultivars produce individual fruits weighing as much as 30

- 50g, although 10

- 20g is ty pical (CABI, 2007). Strawberry

production in Egy

pt includes the use of disease

- free planting stock and biological and cultural control practices as solarization, crop rotation, avoidance of excess nitrogen, leaf removal, dead organic matter removal, weed control, good airNovember 29, 2011 3

circulation, temperature control, avoidance of free water on plants, and pro per soil drainage (CAPQ, 2006). Some of the chemical compounds used in Egy pt are Abamectin, Etoxazole, and Mibelmertin (acaricides); micronized sulphur and/or cu prous compounds, potassium thiosulfate , and calcium chloride (fungicides) (CAPQ, 2006). Only ch emicals approved b y the Egyptian Ministry of Agriculture can be used for fumigation , including soil (CAPQ, 2006)

. The strawberry fruit for export to the continental United States would undergo the following harvest and post

- harvest practices, as described b y CAPQ (CAPQ, 200 6 ):

 At harvest, the fruit are collected in “punnets ” and undergo an initial grading in the field.
 In less than two hours, the harvested fruit is brought into the packinghouse, weighed and forced air cooled to (1

- 2 o C), and stored.
 The fruit are then transported in refrigerated trucks to the airport and are air shipped to their destination. The fruit w ould be shipped from Egy pt to the United States on 12 to 14

- hour, non

- stop flights

. 

## Risk Managem **ent Measures** 
APHI S propose s that fresh strawberry fruit grown in Egy

pt may be imported into the continental United States only under the following conditions: A) Each consignment of strawberry fruit must be accompanied by a P hy tosanitary C ertificate (PC) issued by Egy pt ’s NPPO stating that the strawberries were grown in Egy pt and bearing the following Additional Declaration (AD) : “ The strawberry fruit in this consignment were inspected and found free of Chrysodeixis chalcites , Eutetranychus orientalis , and Spodoptera lit toralis

. ” B) Strawberry

fruit must be imported as commercial consignments onl y. C) Port of entry

inspection in accordance with 7 CFR 319.56

- 3

. 

## Rationale for Risk Management Measures According to the USDA guidelines for pathway initiated pest risk assessments ( USDA, 2000 ), specific ph yt osanitary measures, supplemental to port

- of

- entry inspection, are strongl y recommended for pests given a ‘High’ pest risk potential. According to PPQ regulations and import decision history documents ( APHIS, 2009; USDA, 2011) ), PPQ has long permitted the entry of strawberry

fruit for consumption from man y countries (e.g., I srael, Jordan, Turkey , Spain, France, Austria, etc.) where the above pests of concern occur ( Bolland et al. , 1998; CABI, 2007; CABI/EPPO, 1997; Fauna Europaea Web Service, 2009; Zhang, 1994 ) , as earl y as the 1940’s or 50’s forNovember 29, 2011 4

some countries

. Despite this import history , th e quarantine pests of concern have been intercepted onl y once at U.S. ports of entry in commercial strawberry fruit ( PestID, 20 1 0 )

. T he quarantine pests ( USDA, 2011 ) occur primarily externall y on their hosts and the presence o f sy

mptoms can be readil y detected with visual inspection. The larvae of the noctuid insect Chrysodeixis chalcites can grow up to 34 to 38 mm in length, and the pupae are 20 mm long ( CABI, 2007 ). The eggs, larvae, and pupae occur externally on fruit and leaves of their hosts and are visible to the naked eye ( CABI, 2007 ) ; sy mptoms of larval feeding include leaf rolling, defoliation, skeletonized leaves, webbing, and frass ( CABI, 2007; Hill, 1983 ). At the prepupal stage, the larva makes a cocoon in which it pupates ( CABI, 2007 ) , which should be eas y to detect during inspection

. The larvae of the noctuid , Spodoptera littoralis grow up to 40 to 50 mm in length ( CABI, 2007; PPQ, 2002 ). Pupation occur s in the soil ( CABI, 2007 ), so they would not be associated with fruit and associated cal yx es. The larvae mainly feed externally

on the leaves of its hosts, creating obvious s ymptoms (large holes of irregular shape, leaf shredding, sk eletonization, and frass) ( Avidov & Harpaz, 1969; CABI, 2007; PPQ, 2002 ). The larvae may

bore into the fruit of some hosts, but this feeding behavior makes the fruit unmarketa

ble ( Avidov & Harpaz, 1969; CABI, 2007 )

. Eutetranychus orientalis is primarily a leaf feeder ( Avidov & Harpaz, 1969; CABI, 2007; Hill, 1987; PPQ, 2002 ). It also attacks fruit if infestation levels are high (Avidov & Harpaz, 1969 ). On both leaves and fruit, damage by this mite results in obvious sy mptoms: chlorotic appearance on leaves and fruit, pale y ellow str eaks, lesions, abnormal colors, webbing, honeydew, and soot y mold ( Avidov & Harpaz, 1969; CABI, 2007; Hill, 1987; PPQ, 2002; van den Berg et al. , 2001 )

. Additionally , g ood agricultural practices can effectively suppress or eliminate pests from fields or prevent infestation. Successful control programs ty pically include monitoring, cultural, biological , and chemical components. As described above, all these components are used as part of Egy

pt ’s IPM practices for the production of export strawberries

. Based on the above evidence and onl y one interception of pests of concern (PestID, 20 1 0) as well as the ir obvious sy mptoms, the appropriate level of phy tosanitary securit y will be attained b y requ iring a Phy tosanitary Certificate issued by Egy pt ’s NPPO with an Additional Declaration stating that the consignment ha s been inspected and found free of the listed quarantine pests. 

## Summary The pest risk assessment for strawberry fruit with cal yces and short stalks from Egy pt only addressed the pest risk associated with the commodity being imported into theNovember 29, 2011 5

continental United States. As such, importation and movement into areas outside the continental United States woul d be prohibited by permit conditions. The requirement of a P hytosanitary C ertificate from Egy pt ’s NPPO will document that the importation is a product of Egy pt , an d the Additional Declaration provides phy t osanitary securit y b y requiring Egy pt ’s NPPO to conduct inspections for the quarantine pests of concern

. These inspections double the number of inspections each strawberry

consignment receives b y requiring ph yt osanitary inspections in addition to the normal packing house quality inspections. Importations of strawberries from Egy pt will also be subject to inspection at the port of entry in the continental United States. Depending on the interception levels of the pests of concern, a reevaluation of the risk management measures needed to attain the appropriate level of ph yt osanitary security may

occur . 

## Author **:** Devaiah A. Muruvanda, Ph.D. Entomologist/Senior Risk Manager, USDA, APHI S, PPQ, Regulations, Permits & Manuals


## References:

APHI S. 2009. Fruits and Vegetables Import Requirements (FAVIR) Database. United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). https://epermits.aphis.usda.gov/manual/index.cfm?ACTION=pubHome. (Archived at PERAL ). Avidov, Z., and I. Harpaz. 1969. Plant pests of I srael. Israel Universities Press, Jerusalem. 549 pp. Bolland, H. R., J. Gutierrez, and C. H. W. Flechtmann. 1998. World catalogue of the spider mite family

(Acari: Tetranychidae). Brill, Boston. 392 pp. CABI/EPPO. 1997. Quarantine pests for Europe, second edition: data sheets on quarantine pests for the European Union and for the European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization. CAB International (CABI) and the European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization (EPPO), Oxon, UK. 1425 pp.

CABI. 200 7 . Crop Protection Compendium, 2006 Edition. CAB International, Wallingford, UK.November 29, 2011 6

CAPQ. 2006. Strawberry

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pt into the United States, Including Alaska. A Qualitative, Pathway

Initiated Risk Assessment. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Ce nter for Plant Health Science and Technology , Plant Epidemiology and Risk Ana ly sis Laboratory , Raleigh, NC. 48 pp. USDA. 2000. Guidelines for Pathway

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- citrus subtropical crops in South Africa. Institute for Tropical and Subtr opical Crops, Nelspruit, South Africa. 525 pp. Zhang, B. C. 1994. Index of economicall y important L epidoptera. CAB International, Wallingford, U.K. 599 pp.