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United States Department of Agriculture

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

Plant Protection and Quarantine

Importation of Fresh Fruit of Pitaya, Hylocereus spp.,

from Mexico into the Continental United States

Risk Management Document

September 20, 2010

Ver. 2

United States Department of Agriculture

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

Agency Contact: marc.phillips@aphis.usda.gov
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I. Executive Summary:

The National Plant Protection Organization (NPPO) of Mexico requested market access to export 

fresh pitaya (Hylocereus spp.) fruit to the United States from all parts of Mexico. Pitaya have 

previously been imported from Mexico into the United States only from APHIS recognized fruit 

fly free areas in Mexico. Mexico proposed to treat the fruit with a 150 Gy APHIS-approved 

generic irradiation treatment that would mitigate risks from fruit flies. 

Based on the previous enterability and the supposition that the fruit would receive an APHIS 

approved irradiation treatment for fruit flies, APHIS determined that a pest list identifying all 

quarantine pests in Mexico would be sufficient information to evaluate pathway risks. This 

streamlined approach would also meet one of APHIS’ objectives behind the development of a 

generic irradiation treatment for most plant pests. 

APHIS’s Center for Plant Health Science and Technology (CPHST) developed a pest list for 

pitaya (Hylocereus spp. and several other genera and species) originating from Mexico (USDA, 

2010). CPHST identified eight quarantine pests that are likely to follow the pathway for this

commodity. The pest list was based on published scientific literature and pest interception 

records of the United States Department of Agriculture (Pest ID, 2010). 

Analysis of the pest list for pitaya from Mexico indicated that the three fruit flies likely to follow 

the pathway would be effectively neutralized1 with the irradiation generic dose of 150 Gy 

(USDA, 2006). 

This risk management document outlines the phytosanitary measures that APHIS will require for 

the importation of pitaya from Mexico and documents the evidence used by APHIS to conclude 

that these measures will effectively prevent the introduction of quarantine pests into the 

continental United States. 

II. Analysis of quarantine pests and mitigation measures required

A. Introduction

The pest list completed by CPHST identified eight quarantine pests that could potentially follow 

the pathway of pitaya fruit from Mexico (USDA, 2010). These include seven insect pests and 

one mollusc as follows:

Table 1. Quarantine pests likely to follow the pathway of fresh pitaya fruit imported from 

Mexico into the continental United States.

 1 A pest is considered neutralized when it is killed, rendered sterile or its further development into becoming an adult 

is stopped.
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Pest Taxonomy

 Insects

Anastrepha fraterculus Wiedemann Diptera: Tephritidae

Anastrepha ludens (Loew) Diptera: Tephritidae

Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) Diptera:Tephritidae

Dysmicoccus neobrevipes (Beardsley) Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae

Euschistus servus (Say) Hemiptera: Pentatomidae

Maracayia chlorisalis Walker Lepidoptera: Pyralidae

Planococcus minor (Maskell) Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae

 Molluscs

Milax sp. Stylommatophora: Limacidae

B. Risk Management Measures 

APHIS proposes to allow the importation of the fresh pitaya fruit from Mexico into the 

continental United States under the following conditions: 

(a) The fruit must be commercially produced and be part of a commercial consignment as 

defined in CFR Section 319.56-2. 

(b) The fruit must be irradiated with a minimum absorbed dose of 150 Gy and follow the

requirements of 7CFR parts 305 and 319.

(c) If irradiation is applied outside the United States, each consignment of fruit must be 

inspected jointly by APHIS and Mexico inspectors and accompanied by a Phytosanitary 

Certificate (PC) issued by the national plant protection organization (NPPO) of Mexico

certifying that the fruit received the required irradiation treatment with 150 Gy as the 

minimum absorbed dose. The PC must also include an Additional Declaration (AD) stating 

that the consignment was inspected during the pre-clearance activities and found free from

Milax sp., Dysmicoccus neobrevipes, Euschistus servus, Maracayia chlorisalis and

Planococcus minor.

(d) If irradiation is to be applied upon arrival in the United States, each consignment of fruit 

must be inspected by the NPPO of Mexico prior to departure using a sampling procedure 

mutually agreed upon by APHIS and the NPPO of Mexico and accompanied by a PC issued 

by the NPPO of Mexico with an AD stating that the consignment was inspected by Mexican

inspectors and found free from Milax sp., Dysmicoccus neobrevipes, Euschistus servus, 

Maracayia chlorisalis and Planococcus minor.

(e) Each consignment is subject to inspection at the U.S. ports-of-entry. 

C. Evidence for the Effective Removal of Pests of Concern from the Pathway

As part of the U.S. requirements (7CFR305.9) governing the use of irradiation as a phytosanitary 

treatment, APHIS and the NPPO of Mexico must jointly develop an operational work plan 

(OWP). The work plan shall include details of activities, including inspection of articles that 

NPPO must perform before the treatment or departure. Inspection of the fruit and freedom from 
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pests not targeted by irradiation as declared on the PC will ensure that all pests of concern are 

removed from the pathway.

(i) Insect Pests:

Three of the eight pests likely to follow the pathway are fruit flies. A minimum absorbed dose of 

150 Gy has been determined by APHIS regulations 7CFR305.9 to be adequate to neutralize all 

fruit flies. 

Mealybugs (Pseudococcidae) and stinkbugs (Pentatomidae) are surface pests. It is expected that 

commercial shipments with standard quality control, including culling, will remove most of these 

pests from the commodity. Inspection of the commodity by the NPPO, with certification that the 

commodity is free from the specified quarantine pests of concern, will provide adequate 

mitigation for these pests. Since 1985, inspectors at U.S. ports-of-entry have never intercepted 

these species on pitaya from fruit fly free areas where market access is currently allowed (PestID, 

2010).

The Pyralid moth Maracayia chlorisalis feeds internally in stems and fruits, and the pupae occur 

inside the fruit or peduncle/stem of the host plants (SDR, 2007). They have been found to be

associated with premature fruit drop and/or obvious damage and symptoms (SDR, 2007), thereby 

making it likely for the fruit to be culled during standard harvest or post-harvest handling and 

processing. Aiello and Solis (2003) observed that larvae leave visible exit holes, masses of white 

silk and frass which are highly conspicuous. Since 1985, inspectors at U.S. ports-of-entry have 

never intercepted larvae or pupae of this genus associated with pitaya (PestID, 2010). Pitaya are

currently enterable into the United States from areas in northern Mexico that are free of fruit 

flies. No Lepidoptera have been intercepted in commercial shipments of pitatya from Mexico 

(Pest ID, 2011).

 (ii) Molluscs:

Milax sp. are slugs in the family Limacidae. Slugs lay their eggs in the soil and are generalist 

feeders on many types of plants. Signs of infestation are feeding damage to the leaves and fruit. 

Slugs are usually nocturnal feeders and are seldom found on the plants during the day. The slugs 

may shelter under plant parts touching the soil. High humidity is required to support populations 

of slugs; hot dry climates limit their populations (Stephenson, 1968; Barker, 2002). 

APHIS has determined that Milax sp. is a quarantine pest that follows the pitaya fruit import 

pathway (USDA, 2010). However, most infested fruit will likely be culled because trained 

harvesters, packinghouse personnel, and plant quarantine inspectors can easily detect the large 

slug on fruits. Therefore, packinghouse measures such as culling of the infested fruit coupled 

with predeparture inspections by the NPPO, an additional declaration on a phytosanitary 

certificate stating the consignment to be free from the pest, and allowing only the commercially 

produced consignments are considered adequate to mitigate the pest risk.
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III. Conclusion

The phytosanitary requirements described above include treatment of pitaya fruit from Mexico

with irradiation using a minimum absorbed dose of 150 Gy, commercial shipments and 

phytosanitary inspections for pests not targeted by the irradiation treatment. Based on the 

evaluation of effectiveness of these measures directed against the pests of concern, APHIS finds 

that the safeguards of 7 CFR § 319.56 and the additional mitigations described herein will result 

in the effective removal of the pests of concern identified by the pest list for the importation of 

fresh pitaya from Mexico into the continental United States. Pitaya are currently enterable into 

the United States from areas in northern Mexico that are recognized free of fruit flies (USDA, 

2011). Only one pest, Aecidium sp. (rust fungus), has been intercepted in commercial shipments 

of pitatya from these fruit fly free areas (PestID, 2011). All pests other than fruit flies are readily 

visible on inspection. Therefore an irradiation treatment of 150 gy for fruit flies and inspection 

for other pests are adequate mitigations for the importation of pitaya from Mexico.

IV. Authors:

Walter P. Gould, Ph.D.

Senior Risk Manager – Entomology

Jose Hernandez, Ph.D.

Senior Risk Manager - Plant Pathology

V. References: 

Aiello, A., and M.A. Solis. 2003. Defense mechanisms in Pyralidae and Choreutidae: Fecal 

stalactites and escape holes, with remarks about cocoons, camoflage and aposematism. 

Journal of the Lepidopterists’ Society 57: 168-175. 

Barker, G.M. 2002. Molluscs as crop pests. CABI, Wallingford, U.K. 468 pp.

PestID. 2011. Pest Identification Database (PestID). United States Department of Agriculture, 

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Plant Protection and Quarantine. Accessed 

Feb. 2011.

SDR. 2007. Paquete tecnológico – Pitahaya (Extension Bulletin). La Secretaria de Desarollo 

Rural (SDR), Puebla State, Mexico. 24 pp. 

http://www.sdr.gob.mx/Contenido/CadenasProductivas/paquetes%20tecnologicos/PITAHAY

A.pdf

Stephenson, J.W. 1968. A review of the biology and ecology of slugs of agricultural 

importance. Proc. Malacological Soc. London 38: 169-178.

USDA. 2006. USDA 2006. Treatments for Fruits and Vegetables. January 27, 2006 issue of 

Federal Register 71(18): 4451-4464.
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USDA. 2010. Pest List for the Importation of Fresh Fruit of Pitaya Fruit, Hylocereus spp. and 

several other genera and species, from Mexico into the Continental United States. USDA, 

APHIS, CPHST, 13 pp.

USDA. 2011. Fruits and Vegetables Import Requirements (FAVIR). 

https://epermits.aphis.usda.gov/manual/index.cfm?action=cirReportP&PERMITTED_ID=10

595879 Accessed Feb. 2011.