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



## I **nterstate Movement of**  **Mature Green ‘Sharwil’ Avocado, Persea americana**  **Mill. from**  **Haw aii**  **into the Continental**

**United States**

**Risk Managem ent Document** 

**June 22**  **, 20**  **1 2** 

**Plant Health Programs (PHP) Regulations, Permits and Manuals**  **( RPM** **) Contact Person:**  **David Lam b** 3

**Introduction** T he United States Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA
- APHIS) has received a request from the Hawaii Department of Agriculture (HDOA) to allow interstate movement of mature green ‘Sharwil’ avocado fruit into the contine ntal United States. Since importation of mature green ‘Sharwil’ avocado Hawaii is currently not authorized by United States regulations 7CFR § 318.13 , a pathway

- initiated pest risk assessment (PRA) was prepared b y APHIS ’ s Plant Protection and Quarantine (P PQ) to identify the unmitigated pest risks associated with importation of mature green ‘Sharwil’ avocado fruit from Hawaii (USDA, 20 11 ). The risk assessment identified the following quarantine pests as having a high unmitigated risk potential: Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) (Diptera: Tephritidae) The risk assessment identified the following quarantine pests as having a medium unmitigated risk potential: Ceroplastes rubens Maskell ( Hemiptera : Coccidae) Coccus viridis (Green) (Hemiptera : Coccidae) Cryptoblabes gnidiella Millière (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) Dysmicoccus neobrevipes Beardsley (Hemiptera : Pseudococcidae) Epiphyas postvittana (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) Maconellicoccus hirsutus (Green) (Hemiptera : Pseudococcidae) Nipaecoccus viridis (Newstead) (Hemiptera : Pseudococcidae) Paracoccus marginatus Williams and Granara de Willink (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) Planococcus minor (Maskell) (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) Pseudococcus cryptus Hempel (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) Since development of PRA in 2008, PPQ had the opportunity to review the status of certain pests associated with imported commodities. Based on that review, in April 2012, PPQ concluded that two pests listed above, Coccus viridis and Planococcus minor, no longer met our definition of quarantine pests and therefore required no regulatory actions (USDA, 2012a, USDA, 2012b). APHI S
- PPQ pest risk assessment guidelines (USDA, 2000) suggest that , for quarantine pests given an overall high risk potential rating , specific phy tosanitary measures beyond standard port

of

- entry inspection are highl y recommended to mitigate pest risk. This document outlines the phy tosanitary measures that APHI S will require if the proposed interstate movement of ‘Sharwil’ avocados from Hawaii is approved. The proposed movement of fresh ‘ Sharwil ’ avocado fruit from Hawaii , if approved, would be regulated by

amendment to existing fruit and vegetable domestic movement regulations (7 CFR §31 8
. 13 )
. Pest risk management is the process of identifying way s to react to a perceived risk, e valuating the efficacy

of these actions, and identifyingthe most appropriate options (IPPC, 2004 )
. This document outlines phy tosanitary measures and provides evidence of their efficacy in4

preventing the introduction of quarantine pests. The appropriate level of protection may be achieved through the application of a single phyt osanitary measure, such as establishment of pest - free areas , pest free place of production or a quarantine treatment, or a co mbination of measures in a s ys tems approach . The risk management measures proposed for ‘ Sharwil ’ avocados are combined into a sy stems approach. **AP HIS PPQ**  **O versight and**  **C ompliance**  **A greement**  APHI S will develop a compliance agreement that details the activities that the growers will carry out to meet the requirements of the s ys tems approach. APHIS will be directly involved with the monitoring and auditing implementation of the sy stems approach. APHI S will ensure that each grower has a fruit fly trapping and control program and follows all requirements of this sy stems approach. The growers must maintain all forms and documents related to program activities in places of production for at least 1 year and, as requested, provide them to APHI S for review. **Risk Management Measures** All measures listed below must be included for fruit shipped to the mainland. The movement of fresh ‘ Sharwil ’ avocado fruit from Hawaii will be done using a sy stems approach including the following risk management measures : 1. **Orchard certification and Sharwil variety only.**  ‘ Sharwil ’ avocados must be grown in approved places of production (orchards) that are registered with APHIS. APHI S will approve all places of production and ensure they meet the requirements of the sy stems approach , including variety verification and tree canopy separation . APHIS will visit and inspect the places of production monthly, starting two months (60 day s) before harvest and continu ing until the end of the shipping season. 2. **Trapping for**  **Bactrocera dorsalis .**  Growers must receive training on fruit fly trapping (University of H awaii or APHI S) and conduct f ruit fly trapping in the orchards for Bactrocera dorsalis ( oriental fruit fly) with McPhail or multilure ty pe traps at a rate of one trap per 10 hectare s (one trap per 24 acres ) with a minimum of 2 traps per place of production
. Trapping must be conducted beginning one month prior to harvest and continue through the end of the harvest period. Traps must be serviced on a weekl y basis and number of trapped fruit flies recorded. Trap records must be maintained for at least one year and provided to APHI S upon request. 3. **Orchard Control for**  **Bactrocera dorsalis** . Control of fruit flies in the orchards using b ait spray s will be required as long as oriental fruit flies are trapped above 0.4 ftd (fruit flies per trap per day)
. Controls must be repeated at 10

- day intervals until the fruit fly population drop s below 0.4 ftd or harvesting is completed. There is n o set upper limit for the number of fruit flies trapped for shipping as long as orchard control continues
. 4. **O rchard sanitation program.**  Culls must be removed from the harvest area of the orchard the day before each harvest. 5. **Harvested at mature green stage with stems attached** 
. ‘ Sharwil ’ avocados must be harvested onl y at the mature green stage with stems attached. Avo cados must be hard ripe fruit. Fruit must not indent with moderate finger p re ssure and no part of the fruit sh all be soft
.5

6. **Post harvest safeguards, including screened facilities** 
. The packinghouse must be registered with APHIS. W ithin 12 hours of harvest ‘ Sharwil ’ avocados must be moved into a pest - exclusionary

packinghouse. All openings to the outside of the packinghouse must be covered by

screening with openings of not more than 1.5 mm or by some other barrier that prevents pests from entering. During the time the packinghouse is in use for shipping ‘ Sharwil ’ avocados to the continental United States, the packinghouse may only accept f ruit from registered, approved places of production. APHI S will audit packinghouse operations to verify that the packinghouses are complying with the requirements of the sy stems approach. If APHIS finds that a place of production or packinghouse is not c omplying with the requirements of the sy stems approach, no fruit from the place of production or packinghouse will be eligible for movement to the continental United States until APHI S conducts an investigation and appropriate remedial actions have been implemented
. Fruit to be shipped to the continental United States must be packed for shipment in insect

- proof cartons or containers (which can be sealed at the packinghouse against the entry of pests), or covered with insect

- proof mesh or a plastic tarpaulin for transport to the continental United States. These safeguards must remain intact unti l arrival in the United States. 7. **Culling to remove da**  **maged fruit and surface pests** . Any fruit with stems detached must be removed before or during packing. Any overripe, soft, damaged or deformed fruit and fruits with surface pests must be culled. 8. **Sampling.** A biometric sample of ‘Sharwil’ avocado fruit must be inspected by APHI S following any post - harvest processing. A biometric sample will be visually inspected for quarantine pests, and a portion of the fruit will be cut open to detect internal pests , including Bactrocera dorsalis
. Fruit may also be s ubject to inspection at port of arrival. If quarantine pests other than fruit flies are found , the entire lot of fruit will be prohibited from movement into the continental United States unless it is treated with an approved quarantine treatment monitored by

APHIS. If a single larva of any fruit fly is found in a shipment from a place of production (either b y the APHI S in Hawaii or at the continental United States port of entry), the entire lot of fruit will be prohibited from export, and the place of production producing that fruit will be suspended from the interstate shipment program until APHI S conducts an investigation and appropriate remedial actions have been implemented
. 9. **Traceback** . Box markings identifying each orchard will be required so that consignments can be traced back to orchards or places of production
. 10. **Limited distribution only to 32**  **1 northern**  **- tier states and the District of Columbia.**  Box markings will also be required to indicate limited distribution. 11. **Limited harvest period only during winter months of November**  **1 to March 3**  **1**
. Consignments may

only be harvested and shipped during this time period. **Efficacy of**  **Risk Management Measures** A sy stems approach made up of multiple mitigations can provide an alternative to single

measure mitigation , such as a standalone quarantine treatment , to meet the appropriate level of

1 Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Ham pshire, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming6

phy tosanitary protection, or can be developed to provide phy tosanitary protection in situations in which no single measure is available (IPPC, 2002)
. For example, Hass avocados from Mexico have been produced and exported to the United States under a s ys tems approach fo r Stenoma catenifer , seed and stem weevils , and fruit flies for over eight years with no interceptions of quarantine pests ( AQAS , 20 11 ). The Mexican avocado program included a field program to maintain pest free and low pest prevalence areas. The sy stems appro a ch combine s field inspection for pests with cutting of samples at the packing house, and sampling b y Customs and Border Protection at the first port of entry to the United States. Over a period of nine years from 1998 to 2007 m ore than 27,000 avoc ados were sampled with no fruit fly larvae found (USDA, 2007).

‘ Sharwil ’ avocado is a poor host to oriental fruit fly ( Bactrocera dorsalis ) ; several studies have shown that under normal conditions ‘ Shar wil ’ avocado does not become infested with oriental fruit flies. Armstrong et al. (1983) showed that Hawaiian ‘Sharwil’ avocados at mature green stage with pedicel attached to the tree are not naturally infested with Mediterranean fruit, melon fly , and oriental fruit fly . They also reported the inability of gravid femal es to oviposit in mature green ‘ Sharwil ’ fruits under field and laboratory forced

- infestation situations. However, Armstrong et al. (1983) also observed that fruits (two out of 189) punctured with a pin yielded infestations by

oriental and Me diterranean fruit flies under caged conditions. Oi and Mau (1989) found no infestations of fruit flies in mature green ‘Sharwil’ avocados in the field in Hawaii . However, they

reported oriental and Mediterranean fruit fl y infestations in harvested mature green fruits exposed to flies in cage tests. Oi and Mau (1989) concluded that , while the probability

of fruit fly

infestations in mature green ‘Sharwil’ was unlikel y under natural field conditions, the nature of resistance that this variety possess es does not ensure that infestation could not occur; thus, concluding that ‘Sharwil’ avocados are poor hosts of oriental and Mediterranean fruit flies. Further studies b y Armstrong (1991) concluded ‘Sharwil’ avocado is not a host for Mediterranean fruit f ly , melon fl y, or oriental fruit fl y infestations when the fruit is attached to the tree, or when fruits were harvested with stem (pedicel) attached and moved into a packinghouse facility

within 12 h ours after harvest, culled to remove damaged fruits, and packed in fly

- proof boxes. Armstrong also reported the inability of solanaceous fruit fly , Bactrocera latifrons (Hendel) , to infest ‘Sharwil’ avocados. Based on this research APHI S allowed ‘Sharwil’ avocado to be shipped from Hawaii to the mainland un der a s ys tems approach beginning in September 1990 ( Liquido et al., 1995 )
. In February 1992 oriental fruit fly

larvae were found in fruit that was qualifi ed for interstate shipment from Hawaii under the s ys tems approach, and APHI S suspended the program ba sed on these larval finds (L iquido et al., 1995). More research on ‘Sharwil’ avocado host status to fruit flies has been conducted. L iquido et al. (1995) surveyed for field infestation of fruit flies in mature green ‘Sharwil’ avocados in 1992 and 1993 in response to a request from APHI S to determine the level of fruit fly infestations in ‘Sharwil’ avocados in Kona. Survey s were done in March

- August 1992 and in September 1992

– May 1993, with 5,004 samples, 4,888 of which were mature green fruits with p edicel firml y attached on the tree at the time of sampling. Out of 1,047 fruit samples collected between 2

- 10 March 1992, four mature green fruits with pedicel firmly attached to the tree during sampling were infested with oriental fruit flies; only one of these infested fruit had no morphological7

aberration. During the 1992 field survey , the area was experiencing a severe drought, and the only infested samples were found in what were considered late

- season fruits. All fruit samples during the September 1992

– May 1993 census had no fruit fly infestation. No Medflies or other species of fruit flies were found. Li quido et al. (1995) concluded that drought was the primary cause of the breakdown of resistance mechanisms in ‘Sharwil’ avocados. Follett (2 009) investigated puncture resistance of ‘Sharwil’ avocados, and Follett and Vargas (2010) proposed a modified version of the original s ys tems approach which included several measures listed above. Klungness et al. (2009) found that fruit fly populations were consistentl y low in ‘Sharwil’ avocado orchards in Hawaii, and found only four larvae in two fruit from 489 fruit collected from the ground, both fruit from the same farm. This research suggests conditions that foster infestation by

fruit flies may

be very localized and specific to certain areas and certain times. The natural resistance of ‘Sharwil’ avocados to fruit fly infestation appears to break down with increase in fruit maturity

or degree of ripeness and after harvest. Based on research b y Liquido et al. (1995), ‘Sharwil’ avocados may become poor hosts of oriental fruit fly under certain field conditions that may

include water stress and nutritional deficiencies. Specifically the failure in the ‘Sharwil’ avoca do program in 1991 involved unusual conditions which included soft fruit and uncontrolled fruit fl y populations. The sy stem of risk management measures in this d ocument is based on the original risk management measures from 1990 with the addition of new m easures to prevent oriental fruit fl y infested avocados from entering into the pathway of interstate movement. These additional measures include :

 T rapping program to monitor fruit flies  O rchard control of fruit fl y population s  Avocados must be harvest e d at the hard green mature stage with the attached stem, and no soft fruit may

be packed
.  S ampling of packed avocados will include cutting of some fruit to inspect for fruit fl y larvae
.  Limited distribution of fruit in the United States  Limited harvest period APHI S will provide oversight to the sy stems approach through a compliance agreement that details the grower ’ s responsibilities
. APHI S will ensure that each grower has a fruit fl y trapping and control program and follows all requirements of this sy stems approach. The combination of leaf and fruit composition is unique to ‘Sharwil’ and is readil y identifiable, so that an industry

expert and a trained APHI S inspector can accurately certify orchards. Through a compliance agreement, APHIS will ensure that all export orchards ship only ‘Sharwil’ avocado. High pest populations are a contributing factor to the failure of s ys tems approaches. By monitoring fruit fl y populations using trapping and using orchard fruit fly controls, high populations are avo ided. Fruit fl y trapping and field control are standard procedures for most commodity

export programs where the commodity may be subject to infestation by fruit flies.8

The trapping required here follow s guidelines of the International Atomic Energy Agenc y (IAEA) on fruit fl y trappi ng for low prevalence areas (FTD s for eradication programs are between 0.1 and 0.0; IAEA , 200 3 ). The personnel conducting the trapping must be trained by APHI S . APHIS will verify that places of production have effective fruit fl y trapping programs, and follow control guidelines, when necessary , to reduce regulated pest populations. APHI S may monitor the places of production if necessary
. Removal of fallen fr uit prior to harvest contributes to the goal of preventing damaged and overripe fruit, which may possibly be infested, from being shipped to the continental United States
. By onl y allowing hard green mature avocados with stems attached to be packed, there is an operational ly measurable criterion for a fruit that may pose a pest risk. These fruit will be prohibited from entering the pathway
. Limiting the harvest season will prevent overripe fruit from entering the pathway . Late in the harvest seas on, overripe fruit are more likel y to be found in the orchard and might be picked b y accident. The limited distribution will ensure that if any fruit with fruit flies make it through the sy stem, there will be no hosts or climate conditions where they can reproduce.

‘ Sharwil ’ avocados produced under this s ys tems approach will be inspect ed by APHIS PPQ as part of pre

- departure clearance inspections in Hawaii . Infested consignments will be rejected , and traceback will be done by APHI S to identify

and correc t problems including removal of the packinghouse and orchard from the interstate movement program. The sampling of fruit , including cutting, will give warning if any portion of the systems approach is failing. **Summary** There are several new risk manage ment measures included in this systems approach directed against Bactrocera dorsalis and the other quarantine pests of concern that will permit the i nterstate movement of ‘Sharwil’ avocados from Hawaii while satisfying the appropriate level of phy tosanitary protection for the rest of the continental United States
. A sy stems approach, employing a combination of measures acting independently , if properl y implemented, mitigates risk and provides an acceptable level of phyt osanitary prote ction. **Author** Walter Gould, Senior Risk Manager APHI S
- PPQ **References** AQAS
. 20 11
. Agricultural Quarantine Activity System Pest Interception Database. USDA
APHI S
- PPQ. Last access ed Sep t . 20 11
. Armstrong, J. W., C.W. Mitchell, and G. J. Farias
. 1983. Resistance of ‘Sharwil’ avocados at harvest maturity to Infestation by three fruit fl y species (Diptera: Tephritidae) in Hawaii. J. Econ. Entomol. 76:119

- 121.9

Armstrong, J.W. 1991. ‘Sharwil’ avocado: quarantine securi ty against fruit fly (Diptera: T ephritidae) infestation in Hawaii. J. Econ. Entomol. 84:1308

- 1315. Follett, P.A. 2009. Puncture resistance in ‘Sharwil’ avocado to oriental fruit fly and Mediterranean fruit fly

(Diptera: Tephritidae) oviposition. J. Econ. Entomol. 102:921

- 926. F ollett, P. A., and R. I . Vargas. 2010. A s ys tems approach to mitigate oriental fruit fly risk in ‘Sharwil’ avocados exported from Hawaii. A cta Horticulturae 880: 439

- 445. IA EA
. 2003. Trapping guidelines for area

- wide fruit fl y programmes. International Atomic Energy Agency , Vienna, Austria. http://www.iaea.org/programmes/nafa/d4/index.html. IPPC. 2002 . The use of integrated measures in a systems approach for pest risk management. International Standards for Phy tosanitary Measures No. 14. Rome: Secretariat of the International Plant Protection Convention, United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. IPPC. 2004. Pest risk analy sis for quarantine pests, including anal ys is of environmental risks and living modified organisms. International S tandards for Ph yt osanitary Measures No. 11. Rome: Secretariat of the International Plant Protection Convention, United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. Klungness, L.M., R.I. Vargas, E.B. Jang, R.F.L. Mau, and K. Kinney . 2009. Susceptibility of ripe avocado to invasive alien fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) on the island of Hawaii. Proc. Hawaiian Entomol. Soc. 41: 1

- 13. Liquido, N.J., H.T. Chan, and G.T. McQuate. 1995. Hawaiian Tephritid Fruit Flies (Diptera): Integrity of the Infestation

- F ree Quarantine Procedure for 'Sharwil' Avocado . J. Econ. Entomol. 88: 85

- 96. Oi, D. H. and R. F. Mau. 1989. Relationship of fruit ripeness to infestation in ‘Sharwil’ avocados by the Mediterranean fruit fly and the oriental fruit fly

(Diptera: Tephritid ae). J. Econ. Entomol. 82:556

- 560. USDA. 2000. Guidelines for Pathway

- Initiated Pest Risk Assessments, Version 5.02. USDA

APHI S, PPQ; http://oars.aphis.usda.gov/ppq/pra/commodity /cpraguide.pdf USDA. 2007. Risk Management Document: Removal of Anastrepha Fruit Fly Trapping Requirements from Mexican ‘Hass’ Avocados for Importation into the United States. USDA
- APHIS
- PPQ. Dec. 13, 2007. 4 pp. USDA. 20 11
. Qualitative Pathway

- Initiated Risk Assessment for the Movement of Mature Green ‘Sharwil’ Avocado, Persea americana Mill. from Hawaii into Continental United States
. USDA
- APHI S
- PPQ Center for Plant Health Science and Technology

- Plant10

Epidemiology

and Risk Analy sis Laboratory . 86 pp. USDA. 2012a. Official Control

- The Federally Recognized State Managed Phy tosanitary Program. USDA
- APHIS
- PPQ Plant Health Programs. http://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/plant_pest_info/frsmp/non

- reg - pests.shtml USDA. 2012b. Removal of Coccus viridus and Planococcus minor. USDA
- APHI S
- PPQ National Identification Services. http://ppqersharepoint.we.aphis.gov/national/pspi/nis/Support%20Site%20Files/nispolici es4.html11

Table 1. The mitigations that will be in the CFR or the Compliance Agreement (CA) or both. Mitigationz CFR or CA or Both 1 Both , but will not include timing

of orchard inspections in CFR 2 CA 3 CA 4 Both , but the timing of removal will

not be specified in the CFR, only in the CA. 5 Both 6 Both 7 CA 8 CA 9 CA 10 CA 11 CA zEnumerated in Risk Manage ment Measures section