United States Department of Agriculture

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

Plant Protection and Quarantine

Importation of Fresh Tomato (Solanum 

lycopersicum L.) Fruit with Stems from the 

Republic of Korea into the United States

Risk Management Document

July 28, 2010

Plant Health Programs (PHP)

Regulations, Permits and Manuals (RPM)

Contact Person: Philip B. Grove
Risk Management Document: Fresh Tomato Fruit with Stems from Korea into the U.S.

December 9, 2009 2

Contents:

1. Introduction ........................................................................... 3

2. Quarantine Pests of Concern for Tomatoes from Korea ....................... 3

3. Risk Management Measures ......................................................... 4

4. Rationale for Risk Management Measures ....................................... 6

5. Summary................................................................................ 7

6. References .............................................................................. 8
Risk Management Document: Fresh Tomato Fruit with Stems from Korea into the U.S.

December 9, 2009 3

1. Introduction

This document describes the risk management measures for the importation of fresh 

tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L., Synonym: Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) fruit with

parts of stem from the Republic of Korea into the United States. The volume of tomatoes 

to be shipped from the Republic of Korea to the United States is estimated at one 20’x40’ 

maritime container per year. (USDA, 2007)

United States Code of Federal Regulations (7 CFR 319.56) authorize importation of fruits 

and vegetables from foreign countries into the United States. Currently, tomatoes from 

the Republic of Korea are not authorized by these regulations.

The United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection 

Service (USDA, APHIS) conducted a pest risk assessment in response to a request by the 

Republic of Korea, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, National Plant Quarantine 

Service (NPQS) for authorization to export fresh tomatoes with stems to the United 

States (USDA, 2007). Eight pests of quarantine significance were identified, which 

could reasonably be expected to follow the pathway on tomatoes imported into the 

United States from the Republic of Korea. This document evaluates the appropriate pest 

risk management measures for these quarantine pests.

2. Quarantine Pests of Concern for Tomatoes from Korea

The list of quarantine pests of tomato from Korea was prepared based on:

(1) Documents submitted by the Republic of Korea,

(2) United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Animal and Plant Health 

Inspection Service (APHIS) records of intercepted pests, and 

(3) Scientific literature.

The risk assessment, Importation of Fresh Tomato Fruit with Stems (Solanum 

lycopersicum L.) (Synonym: Lycopersicon esculentum P. Mill.) from the Republic of 

Korea into the United States, A Pathway-Initiated Assessment (USDA, 2006), represents 

a baseline risk associated with the unmitigated importation of fresh tomato with stems 

from Korea.

The Pest Risk Assessment (USDA, 2007) identified the following eight pests as having a 

potential to follow the pathway:
Risk Management Document: Fresh Tomato Fruit with Stems from Korea into the U.S.

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Pests with high pest risk potential:

Bactrocera depressa (Shiraki) (Diptera: Tephritidae)

Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Helicoverpa assulta (Guenée) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Mamestra brassicae (L.) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Ostrinia furnacalis (Guenée) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)

Pests with medium pest risk potential:

Scirtothrips dorsalis Hood (Thysanoptera: Thripidae)

Thrips palmi Karny (Thysanoptera: Thripidae)

Pests with low pest risk potential:

Ralstonia solanacearum race 3, biovar 2 (Smith) Yabuuchi (Burkholderiales: 

Ralstoniaceae)

3. Risk Management Measures

APHIS proposes that tomatoes with stems from Korea may be imported into the United 

States only under the following conditions:

(A) The tomatoes must be grown in Korea in pest exclusionary structures (PES), for 

example, greenhouses or screenhouses, that are registered and approved by APHIS 

and the Korean National Plant Quarantine Service (NPQS) (also referred to as the 

Korean National Plant Protection Organization, or Korean NPPO).

(B) The PES must be equipped with double self-closing doors, and any vents or openings 

in the PES (other than the double closing doors) must be covered with 1.6 mm or 

less screening in order to prevent the entry of quarantine pests into the PES.

(C) The registered PES must be inspected monthly throughout the growing season by 

 NPQS to ensure that the screens are intact, and to ensure phytosanitary and 

 trapping procedures are employed to exclude plant pests and diseases. 

(D) Traps containing appropriate lures must be used inside and outside of the PES to 

detect Bactrocera depressa.

(1) Inside a registered PES: 

McPhail traps with approved protein bait must be placed within registered PES at 

a density of at least two traps per PES. Trapping must begin at least two months 

prior to the start of the export season and continue until the end of harvest. The 

traps must be serviced once per week.
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December 9, 2009 5

Capture of a single B. depressa will result in the immediate cancellation of 

exports from that PES until the source of the infestation is determined, the 

infestation has been eradicated, and measures are taken to preclude any future 

infestation.

(2) Outside a registered PES: 

McPhail traps with approved protein bait must also be placed in a buffer area, 

which is 500 meters wide around the registered production site, at a density of one

trap per 10 hectares. During the months of March through November at least one 

trap needs to be in the buffer area near each PES. Trapping must begin at least

two months prior to the start of export and continue until the end of harvest. The 

traps must be serviced once per week.

Capture of three B. depressa within two kilometers of each other and within 30 

days will result in the delay or suspension of exports from all registered PES 

within two kilometers of the finds until APHIS and NPQS are satisfied of the 

remedial actions taken to mitigate the pest risks.

(E) The manager of the PES must maintain records of trap placement, trap servicing, 

and fruit fly captures for at least one year, and must report on the trapping program 

and provide copies of the records to NPQS each month. NPQS must make the records 

available to APHIS upon request.

(F) After harvest, tomatoes must be safeguarded by an insect-proof mesh, screen, or 

 plastic tarpaulin while in transit from the production site to the packing house and 

 while awaiting packing.

(G) Tomatoes must be packed within 24 hours of harvest in a pest exclusionary 

 packing house. 

(H) When the packing house is packing tomatoes for export to the United States, it

 must accept tomatoes only from registered PES.

(I) Tomatoes must be packed in insect-proof cartons or containers, or covered with

 insect-proof mesh or plastic tarpaulin, for transit to the United States. These 

safeguards must remain intact until the arrival of the tomatoes in the United 

States, otherwise the consignment may be refused entry to the United States.

(J) A random sample of fruit per lot, as determined by NPQS, must be inspected for 

external pests and the fruit must be cut to reveal internal pests; each sample 

should be of a sufficient size in order to detect pest infestations. During the 

grading process, any damaged, diseased, or infested fruit should be removed and 

separated from the commodity destined for export. 
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December 9, 2009 6

(K) Each consignment of tomatoes must be accompanied by a Phytosanitary

 Certificate (PC) of inspection issued by NPQS bearing the following Additional 

 Declaration (AD): “Tomatoes in this consignment were grown in pest

 exclusionary structures in accordance with 7 CFR 319.56- and were inspected and 

found free from Bactrocera depressa, Helicoverpa armigera, Helicoverpa

assulta, Mamestra brassicae, Ostrinia furnacalis, Scirtothrips dorsalis, and 

Thrips palmi

(L) Tomatoes must be imported as commercial consignments only.

4. Rationale for Risk Management Measures

The mitigation measures described in this document are necessary to achieve 

phytosanitary security for Korean tomatoes and are consistent with those for Korean 

peppers currently allowed entry into the United States under 7 CFR §319.56-42. 

Bactrocera depressa, the pumpkin fruit fly, is found in Korea, China, Japan, and Taiwan 

(Carroll et al. 2002). This fruit fly is a major threat to agricultural resources especially to 

curcurbitaceous and solanaceous plants (Mun et al. 2003; Kwon 1985). The adults of this 

fruit fly have a wingspan of 8-9.5 mm (Kwon 1985). The screen size of 1.6 mm 

surrounding the PES is sufficient for the exclusion of fruit flies, including Bactrocera 

depressa, and medium to large Lepidoptera species, including Helicoverpa armigera, 

Helicoverpa assulta, Mamestra brassicae, and Ostrinia furnacalis, whose wingspan 

exceeds 3.5 mm (CABI 2006). Using a screen size of 0.6 mm excludes most pests though 

some of the smallest pests may not be excluded. However, smaller screen sizes create 

additional problems in PES, such as increased heat and fungal problems as a result of 

reduced air flow (Ghidiu and Roberts, 2002; Ferguson and Murphy, 2000)..

Use of pest exclusionary structures equipped with double self-closing doors, and covering 

of vents or openings in the PES (other than the double closing doors) with 1.6 mm or less 

screening in order to prevent the entry of quarantine pests is consistent with the 

requirements for importation of tomatoes from other countries under 7 CFR §319.56-28. 

McPhail traps with approved protein bait must be used to monitor for B. depressa

(pumpkin fruit fly). This is also consistent with the current regulation for watermelon, 

squash, cucumber and oriental melon from Korea (7 CFR§319.56-36) which also lists B. 

depressa as a major pest. Unlike other species of Bactrocera, B. depressa is not known to 

respond to methyl-eugenol or cuelure (USDA 2007). Protein baits and spiroketal may be 

used as attractants (USDA 2007). 

Both Scirtothrips dorsalis and Thrips palmi have been reported as pests of concern for 

tomato with the insect damage mainly confined to the plant parts other than fruits. S.

dorsalis has been reported to be a major pest on tomato plants in India (CABI 2006). On 

chili peppers (Capsicum frutescens), S. dorsalis may occur in such large numbers that 

young leaves shrivel and curl (‘leaf curl disease’) with leaves and buds eventually

abscising (CABI 2006). Feeding results in tissue browning and continuous lines or 
Risk Management Document: Fresh Tomato Fruit with Stems from Korea into the U.S.

December 9, 2009 7

scratch marks in the epidermis of leaves (CABI 2006). T. palmi is a polyphagous pest, 

especially of Cucurbitaceae and Solanaceae, and is considered a serious pest of 

vegetables in western Japan (CABI 2006). T. palmi prefers to feed on plant leaves with 

less than one percent of thrips attacking flowers and fruits (CABI 2006). Heavily 

infested plants are characterized by a silvered or bronzed appearance of the leaves, 

stunted leaves and terminal shoots, and fruit is scarred and deformed (CABI 2006).

A search of records on tomato imports since 2001 revealed no record of interception of

either T. palmi or S. dorsalis (US Pest ID 2007) thereby suggesting tomato fruits to be a 

poor host for these two pests.

Since these medium risk pests (Scirtothrips dorsalis and Thrips palmi) are external 

feeders and adults can be detected during port-of-entry inspection (USDA, 2006), the 

appropriate level of phytosanitary security will be attained by requiring a Phytosanitary

Certificate issued by the NPPO with an Additional Declaration stating that the fruit has 

been inspected and found free of the listed quarantine pests. 

Requiring an Additional Declaration (AD) specifically listing the pests of concern 

identified in the pest risk assessment (USDA 2007) effectively requires the Korean NPPO 

to inspect the tomatoes for these pests. Furthermore, the AD raises the awareness of U.S. 

inspectors to the pests of concern with this commodity.

5. Summary

The mitigations detailed above emphasize the use of pest exclusionary structures and 

pest-free commodities. There are several mitigations aimed at ensuring that the pest-free 

status is maintained throughout the production process and along the transportation 

pathway. A series of inspections also are incorporated to assure quality control and 

phytosanitary rigor.

Based on their respective biological characteristics, methods of dispersal, ability to be 

detected, and evaluation of effectiveness of the phytosanitary measures directed against 

them, APHIS finds that the safeguards of 7 CFR § 319.56 and the mitigations described 

here will result in the effective removal of the pests of concern identified by the risk 

assessment for the importation of fresh tomato fruits from Korea (USDA 2007).

Author

Julie F. Orr, Plant Health Safeguard Specialist, USDA, APHIS, PPQ

Reviewers

Devaiah A. Muruvanda, Ph.D., Senior Risk Manager, USDA, APHIS, PPQ, Commodity

Import Analysis and Operations
Risk Management Document: Fresh Tomato Fruit with Stems from Korea into the U.S.

December 9, 2009 8

Alex Belano, Import Specialist, USDA, APHIS, PPQ, Commodity Import Analysis and 

Operations.

Inder P.S. Gadh, Ph.D., Senior Risk Manager, USDA, APHIS, PPQ, Commodity Import 

Analysis and Operations

José R. Hernández Ph.D. Risk Manager, USDA, APHIS, PPQ, Commodity Import 

Analysis and Operations

Walter Gould, Ph.D., Senior Risk Manager, USDA, APHIS, PPQ, Commodity Import 

Analysis and Operations

Shaharra J. Usnick, Ph.D., Senior Risk Manager, USDA, APHIS, PPQ, Commodity

Import Analysis and Operations

6. References

CABI. 2006. Crop Protection Compendium, 2006 Edition. CAB International, 

Wallingford, UK.

Carrol, L.E.; White, I. M.: Friedberg, A.;Norrbom, A. L.; Dallwitz, M.J.; Thompson, 

F.C.,2002: Pest Fruit Flies of the World: Descriptions, Illustrations, 

Identification, and Information Retrieval, 8th version, 

http://www.sel.barc.usda.gov/Diptera/tephiti/pests/adult.

Ferguson, G. and Murphy, G. 2000. Screening of Greenhouses for Insect Exclusion. 

Factsheet 00-021. Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food. Government of 

Ontario, Canada. www.gov.on.ca/OMAFRA/english/crops/facts/00-021.htm. 

Last accessed August 21, 2005.

Ghidiu, G.M. and Roberts, W.J. 2002. Greenhouse Screening for Insect Control, 

Factsheet FS640. The State University of New Jersey, Rutgers Cooperative 

Extension. 

Kwon, Y. J. 1985. Classification of the fruitfly-pests from Korea. Insecta Koreana (Series 

5), 1985, 49-112.

Mun, Jeomhee, Andrew J. Bohonak and George K. Roderick. 2003. Population Structure 

of the pumpkin fruit fly Bactrocera depressa (Tephritidae) in Korea and Japan: 

Pliocene allopatry or recent invasion? Molecular Ecology. 12. 2941-2951

USDA. 2007. Importation of Fresh Tomato Fruit with Stems (Solanum lycopersicum L.) 

(Synonym: Lycomperison esculentum P. Mill.) from the Republic of Korea into 

the United States – A Pathway-Initiated Risk Assessment. October 2007. United 

States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, 

Plant Protection and Quarantine, Center for Plant Health Science and Technology, 

Plant Epidemiology and Risk Analysis Laboratory. Raleigh, NC. 93 pp.

US. Pest ID Database, 2007: United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant 

Health Inspection Service, Plant Protection and Quarantine, Riverdale, MD.