**United States Department of Agriculture**

**Addition of a new treatment T101 -**  **i -**  **2 -**  **2 to the Plant Protection and Quarantine Treatment Manual to treat figs for external feeders including**  **Brevipalpus chilensis Treatment Evaluation Document**  **Date** : De cember 29 , 2014 **Treatments, Pests, Commodities and Countries New Treatment/**  **Revision/Deletion Treatment** 

**Type Target Pests**  **Commodity Applicable**  **Countries**

**of origin** New treatment Methyl

bromide fumigation External feeders

including Chilean false red m ite ( Brevipalpus chilensis Baker) Figs ( Ficus carica L) All

**Objective:** To provide supporting information and justification for addition of a new phy tosanitary treatment, T101 - i - 2 - 2, to the PPQ Treatment Manual. The change is to ensure that figs from countries where B. chilensis is known to occur and associated with figs will be treated with an effective dose of methyl bromide. **Overview:** APHI S regulations 7 CFR 319.56 allow importation of fruits and vegetables from other countries into the United State s if they meet certain entry

requirements. The requirements are to prevent the introduction or spread of exotic plant pests in this country . Thus certain fruits and vegetables must first be treated with one of the approved treatments before they

are allo wed to enter the United States. The treatment requirement is based on the kind of pests involved, how they are associated with the commodity (internall y or externall y) , and how the commodity is grown and handled in the country of origin. T o prevent the introduction of Chilean false red mite , Brevipalpus chilensis , figs from Chile must be treated with methyl bromide (MB) treatment T101 - i - 2 - 1 before they can be allowed into the United States (USDA, 2011). The treatment as originall y approved required the use of 1.5 lb.

– 4.0 lb. of methyl bromide gas for 2 hours at temperatures of 40 o F or above ( http://www.aphis.usda.gov/import_export/plants/manuals/ports/downloads/treatment.pd f ). In 2006, APHI S determined that this treatment was ineffective to mitigate risk from the mite on grapes therefore as an emergency measure the treatment was amended to require a longer exposure time of up to 3 hours under tarpaulin or 2.5 hours in chamber (Wood , 2007). On May

12, 2010, APHI S published a final notice in Federal Re gister2

that approved use of this revised treatment to treat not only grapes but also pomegranates and bab y kiwis from Chile to meet U.S. entry requirements (USDA, 2010). Subsequently , o n April 4, 2011, APHI S published another final Notice in Federal Regis ter that approved use of this revised treatment to also treat figs from Chile to meet U.S. entry

requirements (USDA, 2011). **Figure 1: Treatment T 101 -** **i -**  **2 -**  **1 as currently provided**  **in the PPQ Treatment Manual**  T101 - i - 2 - 1 Grape (Vitis spp. ) , Bab y kiwi (

Actinidia arguta ), Pomegranate ( Punica granatum L. ) and Fig (

Ficus carica L) (as revised in 2006, 2010 & 2011) Pest: Brevipalpus chilensis (Chilean false red mite) Treatment: **T101 -**  **i -**  **2 -**  **1** MB at NAP

—tarpaulin or chamber 1

Subsequent to publication of the April 2011 Notice, APHI S became aware of a concern that figs may

absorb more MB gas than other commodities (e.g., grapes, baby kiwis , or pomegranates). Chilean and USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists collaborated on research to determine whether the higher than nor mal sorption of gas by figs affected the efficacy

of treatment T101 - i - 2 - 1. Based on their research, they determined that the concentration of MB gas varied in the air versus the commodity suggesting a negative impact on treatment efficacy over time. Further studies by ARS determined that a higher dose or exposure time is needed than what is currently provided by the revised treatment T101 - i - 2 - 1 to achieve 100% mortality of the Chilean false red mites on figs (Jimenez and Walse, 2013). Based on the ARS re search, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s Center for Plant Health Science and Technology (CPHST) made the following recommendation for figs for chamber fumigation: increase the exposure time to 3 hours in conjunction with increasing the dose rate by half pound over the current requirements of treatment T101 - i - 2 - 1. **Temperature Dosage rate**  **(lb./1, 000 ft** **3 )**  **Duration**

**(hours)** 80 oF or above 1.5 3 70 - 79 oF 2 3 60 - 69 oF 2.5 3 50 - 59 oF 3 3 40 - 49 oF 4 3 1 If the treatment is conducted in a chamber, decrease the total fumigation time to 2.5 hours3

**Evaluation:** Use of the treatment T101 - i - 2 - 1 was extended to include baby kiwis, and pomegranates (USDA, 2010) and then figs (USDA, 2011) to mitigate risk from B. chilensis . Figs were later found to have a higher sorption rate of the MB gas than other commodities. Research conducted by ARS confirmed that an exposure of 3 hours combined with a half

- pound increase in MB gas at each of the three temperature options provided below was needed to achieve 100 % mortality of the B. chilensis mites on figs (Jimenez and Walse, 2013). Since the efficacy of new schedule (T101 - i - 2 - 2) was not verified under tarpaulin, the schedule is applicable only in chambers (Figure 2) . For the reason as st ated above, the action will also amend the treatment T101 - i - 2 - 1 by removing figs from the schedule . The revised T101 - i - 2 - 1 schedule for grape s, bab y kiwis , and pomegranates for Chilean false red mite will be applicable both in chambers and under tarpaulin ( Figure 3 ) . APHI S’ experience with successful importation of these commodities using the existing treatment schedule has provided sufficient evidence to prove the effectiveness of the treatment. The following new schedule is being proposed for use with figs: **Figure 2: Proposed t**  **reatment T101**  **- i**  **- 2**  **- 2**  **for Fig in chamber** T101 - i - 2 - 2 Fig (

Ficus carica L) (new) Pest: External feeders including Brevipalpus chilensis (Chilean false red mite) Treatment: **T101 -**  **i -**  **2 -**  **2** MB at NAP

—chamber

**Figure 3: Proposed treatment T 101 -** **i -**  **2 -**  **1 for grapes, baby kiwis and pomegranates**  **(after removal of figs)**  T101 - i - 2 - 1 Grape (Vitis spp. ) , Bab y kiwi (

Actinidia ar

guta ), and Pomegranate ( Punica granatum L. ) Pest: Brevipalpus chilensis (Chilean false red mite) Treatment: **T101 -**  **i -**  **2 -**  **1** MB at NAP

—tarpaulin or chamber2 **Temperature Dosag**  **e rate (lb./1,000 ft** **3 )**  **Duration**

**(hours)** 70 oF or above 2.5 3 60 - 69 oF 3.0 3 50 - 59 oF 3.5 34

**Author:** Inder Paul S Gadh, Ph. D., Senior Risk Manager

– Treatments, APHI S PPQ RPM **Reviewers:** Laura A. Jeffers, P h.D. Pest Exclusion Specialist CPHST AQIRaleigh USDA - APHIS - PPQ **Literature cited:** Jiminez , L. and S.S. Walse. 2013. Postharvest methyl bromide chamber fumigation of fresh figs for Chilean false mite (Trombidiformes: Tenuipalpidae). USDA Agricultural Res earch Service. (in publication). pp. 16. USDA. 2010. Notice of Decision to Issue Permits for the Importation of Fresh Pomegranates and Bab y Kiwi from Chile into the United States. Federal Register May 12, 2010. 75: 26707 - 26708 USDA. 2011. Notice of Decisio n to Issue Permits for the Importation of Fresh Figs From Chile into the Continental United States. Federal Register April 4, 2011. 76: 18511 - 18512 Wood, S. 2007. Personal Communication. United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Center for Plant Health Science and Technology - Agriculture Quarantine Inspection **Temperature Dosage rate**  **(lb./1,000 ft 3**  **) Duration** 

**(hours)** 80 oF or above 1.5 3 70 - 79 oF 2 3 6 0 - 69 oF 2.5 3 50 - 59 oF 3 3 40 - 49 oF 4 3 1 If the treatment is conducted in a chamber, decrease the total fumigation time to 2.5 hours