1 **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** 

July 27 , 201 3

**United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service**  **Agency Contact: marc.phi**  **l lips**  **@aphis.usda.gov**2

**I.** 

### Executive Summary: The National Plant Protection Organization (NPPO) of Mexico requeste d market access to export fresh pitaya (

Hylocereus spp.) fruit to the United States from all parts of Mexico . Pitaya have previously been imported from M exico in to the United States only from APHI S recognized fruit fly free areas in Mexico . Mexico propo sed to treat the fruit with a 150 G y APHI S - approved generic irradiation treatment that would mitigate risks from fruit flies . Based on the p revious enterability and the supposition that the fruit would receive an APHI S approved irradiation treatment for fruit flies , APHI S determined that a pest list identifying all quarantine pests in Mexico would be su f ficient information to evaluate pathway risks. This streamlined approach would also meet one of APHI S’ objectives behind the development of a generic ir radiation treatment for most plant pests. APHI S’ s Center for Plant Health Science an d Technolog y (CPHST) developed a pest list for pitaya ( Hylocereus spp. and several other genera and species ) originating from Mexico (USDA, 20 1 0) . CPHST identified eigh t quarantine pests that are likely to follow the pathway for th is commodity . The pest list w as based on published scientific literature an d pest interception records of the United States Department of Agriculture (Pest I D, 20 1 0) . Analy sis of the pest list for pitaya from Mexico indicated that the three fruit flies likely to follow the pathway

would be effectively

neutralized 1 with the irradiation generic dose of 15 0 Gy (USDA, 2006). This risk management document outlines the phy tosanitary measures that APHI S will require for the importation of pitaya from Mexico and documents the evidence used by APHI S to conclude that these measures will effectively prevent the introduction of quarantine pests into the continental United States . **II.** 

### A **nalysis of quarantine**  **pest s**  **and mitigation measures required**  **A. Introduction**  The pest list completed by CPHST identified six quarantine pests that could potentially follow the pathway

of pitaya fruit from Mexico (USDA, 20 1 0) as follows :

1 A pest is considered neutralized when it is kill ed, rendered sterile or its further development into becoming an adult is stopped.3

Anastrepha fraterculus Wi edemann Diptera: Tephritidae Anastrepha ludens (Lo e w) Diptera: Tephritidae Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) Diptera: Tephritidae Dysmicoccus neobrevipes (Beardsley ) Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae Planococcus minor (Maskell) Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae Ma racayia chlorisalis Walker Lepidoptera: Py ralidae Since the development of the P est L ist in 20 1 0, APHI S has had the opportunity to review the status of certain pests associated with imported commodities. Based on that review, in April 2012, APHI S concl uded that one pest listed above , Planococcus minor , no longer met our definition of quarantine pests and therefore will require no regulatory actions to mitigate pest risk (USDA, 2012a, USDA, 2012b). **B. Risk M**  **anagement Measures**  APHI S proposes to allo w 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, e ach consignment of fruit must be inspected jointly

by APHI S and M exico inspectors and accomp anied by a Phy tosanitary C ertificate (PC) issued by the national plant protection organization (NPPO) of M exico certifying that the fruit received the required irradiation treatment with 150 Gy as the minimum absorbed dose . T he PC must also include an A dd itional D eclaration (AD) stating that the consignment was inspected during the pre - clearance activities and found free from qurantine pests
. (d) If irradiation is to be applied upon arrival in the United States, e ach consignment of fruit must be inspected by the NPPO of Mexico prior to departure using a sampling procedure mutually agreed upon by

APHI S and the NPPO of Mexico and accompanied by a PC issued by the NPPO of M exico with an AD stating that the consignment was inspected by M exican inspectors and foun d free from quarantine pests
. (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 irradiatio n as a phy tosanitary treatment, APHI S 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 that4

NPPO must perform before the treatment or departure. In spection of the fruit and freedom from pests not targeted by

irradiation as declared on the PC will ensure that all pests of concern are removed from the pathway . Three of the five pests likely to follow the pathway

are fruit flies . A minimum absorb ed dose of 150 Gy has been determined by

APHI S regulations 7CFR305.9 to be adequate to neutralize all fruit flies . Mealy bugs (Pseudococcidae) are surface pests and it is expected that commercial shipments with standard quality

control , including culling , will remove these pests from the commodity . In spection 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. S ince 1985, inspectors at U.S. ports - of - entry have never intercepted these species o n pitay a from fruit fl y free areas where market access is currently allowed (PestI D, 2010) . The Py ralid moth Maracayia chlorisalis feeds internally in stem s and fruit s , and the pupae occur insid e 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 sy mptoms ( SDR, 2007 ), thereby making it likely

for the fruit to be culled during standard harvest or pos t - 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. S ince 1985, inspectors at U.S. ports - of - entry have never intercepted larvae or pupae of th is genus associated with pitaya ( PestI D, 20 1 0 ). Pitaya are currently enterable into the United States from areas in n orthern Mexico that are free of fruit flies. No L epidoptera have been intercepted in commercial shipments of pitatya from Mexico (Pest I D, 2 01 1 ). 

### I **II . Conclusion**  The phy tosanitary requirements described above include treatment of pitaya fruit from M exico with irradiation using a minimum absorbed dose of 15 0 Gy , commercial shipments and phy tosanitary inspections for pests not targeted by the irradiation treatment. B ased on the evaluation of effectiveness of these measures directed against the pests of concern , APHI S finds that the safeguards of 7 CFR § 319.56 and the additional mitigations described here in will result in the effective remova l of the pests of concern i dentified 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 n orthern 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 (PestI D, 2011). A ll pests other than fruit flies are readily visible on inspection. Therefore an irr adiation treatment of 150 gy for fr u it flies and inspection for other pests are adequate mitigations for the importation of pitaya from Mexico.5



### I **V. Author s**  **:** Walter P. Gould , Ph.D. Senior Risk Manager

– Entomology Jose Hernandez, Ph.D. Senior Risk Mana ger - Plant Patholog y 

### V. **References:** Aiello, A., and M.A. Solis. 2003. Defense mechanisms in Py ralidae and Choreutidae: Fecal stalactites and escape holes, with remarks about cocoons, camoflage and aposematism. J ournal of the L epidopterists’ Society 57: 168 - 175. Barker, G.M. 2002. Molluscs as crop pests. CABI , Wallingford, U.K. 468 pp. PestI D. 20 1 1 . Pest I dentification Database (PestI D). United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Plant Protection and Q uarantine. Accessed Feb. 2011. SDR. 2007. Paquete tecnológico

– Pitahay a (Extension Bulletin). L a Secretaria de Desarollo Rural (SDR), Puebla State, Mexico. 24 pp. http://www.sdr.gob.mx/Contenido/CadenasProductivas/paquetes%20tecnologicos/PI TAHAY A.pdf Stephenson, J.W. 1968. A review of the biology and ecology

of slugs of agricultural importance. Proc. Malacological Soc. L ondon 38: 169 - 178. USDA. 2006. USDA 2006. Treatments for Fruits and Vegetables. January 27, 2006 issue of Federal Register 71(18): 4451 - 4464 . USDA. 20 1 0. Pest L ist for the Importation of Fresh Fruit of Pitaya Fruit, Hylocereus spp. and several other genera and species, from Mexico int o the Continental United States. USDA, APHI S, CPHST, 13 pp. USDA. 2011. Fruits and Vegetables Import Requirements (FAVI R). https://epermits.aphis.usd a.gov/manual/index.cfm?action=cirReportP&PERMI TTED_I D=10 595879 Accessed Feb. 2011. USDA. 2012a. Official Control - The Federally Recognized State Managed Phy tosanitary Program. USDA - APHI S - PPQ Plant Health Programs. http://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/plant_pest_info/frsmp/non - reg - pests.html USDA. 2012b. Removal of Coccus viridis and Planococcus minor. USDA - APHI S - PPQ National I dentification Services. http://ppqersharepoint.we.aphis.gov/national/pspi/nis/Support%20Site%20Files/nispolicies4.h tml