Academic literature on the topic 'Plant quarantine'

Free Trade Area (FTA) reached and validated between ASEAN and China has promoted plant and plant products trade dramatically between Thailand and China since 2000. As the agricultural products trade has kept increased rapidly, the pests management and quarantine become serious and challenging to these two countries in terms of ecological security and biosafety. This paper analyzed the situation of plant and plant products trade between Thailand and China from 2003 to 2012, including the kinds and amounts of plant and plant production, epidemic situation analysis which carried by import and export plant and plant products. There are over 400 kinds of plant and plant products which were trade between Thailand and China, and over 1000 genera (species) pests were intercepted including 79 genera (species) quarantine pests. In this paper, the bilateral arrangement related to plant quarantine was also analyzed. The current issues and problems of quarantine pests research, management and quarantine are articulated and suggestions how to improve or upgrade related researches and quarantine level were proposed in this paper.

This research aims to determine the impact of establishing plant quarantine facilities and inline inspection on export acceleration at the Surabaya Plant Quarantine Center. The study employs a quantitative approach and collects data from agricultural export companies operating in regions that implement plant quarantine measures and inline inspection. The analysis method used in this research is the Kruskal-Wallis test to evaluate the relationship between the establishment of plant quarantine facilities and inline inspection and export acceleration. The results of the analysis indicate a significant influence of establishing plant quarantine facilities and inline inspection on export acceleration. Export companies registered with effective Plant Quarantine Facilities and inline inspection demonstrate an improvement in their ability to meet plant quarantine requirements and enhance efficiency in inline inspections. This positively impacts the export process, including reducing delays and increasing the confidence of international trading partners. This research provides a better understanding of the role of plant quarantine facilities and inline inspection in driving ean xport acceleration in the agricultural sector. The practical implications of this study emphasize the importance of enhancing plant quarantine infrastructure and implementing effective inline inspection systems to promote agricultural export growth. Moving forward, efforts should be made to improve coordination among relevant agencies in the implementation and supervision of plant quarantine and inline inspection regulations to achieve optimal outcomes in enhancing the export performance of the agricultural sector.

The article describes the rationale for the development of an information system in order to perform the tasks of Rosselkhoznadzor on the analysis of phytosanitary status of territories, which includes planning and results of plans for quarantine phytosanitary monitoring of territories, results of phytomonitoring of pests of quarantine importance for major importing countries of Russian grain and analysis of quarantine phytosanitary status of territories. Functions, structure and information objects of this information system, roles of information system users are described. The results of information system implementation in the practice of the Russian Plant Quarantine Service are evaluated, such as increase of efficiency of the Rosselkhoznadzor function on control and supervision in the field of plant quarantine, ensuring compliance with quarantine phytosanitary requirements of importing countries, which significantly increased the export potential of the Russian Federation, significantly reduce the risk of damage caused by the spread of quarantine objects on the territory of the Russian Federation.

Visacane is a sugarcane quarantine station located in the South of France, far away from sugarcane growing areas. Visacane imports up to 100 sugarcane varieties per year, using safe control and confinement measures of plants and their wastes to prevent any risk of pathogen spread outside of the facilities. Viruses hosted by the imported material are either known or unknown to cause disease in cultivated sugarcane. Poaceae viruses occurring in plants surrounding the quarantine glasshouse are currently unknown. These viruses could be considered as a source of new sugarcane infections and potentially cause new sugarcane diseases in cases of confinement barrier failure. The aim of this study was to compare the plant virome inside and outside of the quarantine station to identify potential confinement failures and risks of cross infections. Leaves from quarantined sugarcane varieties and from wild Poaceae growing near the quarantine were collected and processed by a metagenomics approach based on virion-associated nucleic acids extraction and library preparation for Illumina sequencing. While viruses belonging to the same virus genus or family were identified in the sugarcane quarantine and its surroundings, no virus species was detected in both environments. Based on the data obtained in this study, no virus movement between quarantined sugarcane and nearby grassland has occurred so far, and the confinement procedures of Visacane appear to be properly implemented.

This research analyses how the Animal, Fish, and Plant Quarantine Law currently regulates quarantine and its institutions in positive law, the form and position of government institutions referred to in the Indonesian constitutional structure, and the direction of the government’s institutional arrangements is linked to Article 8 of the Quarantine Law. Animals, Fish and Plants in the Indonesian constitutional structure. Therefore, the form of government institution in the quarantine sector based on Article 8 of the Animal, Fish, and Plant Quarantine Law which is in accordance with the Indonesian legal system and constitutional structure is a Government Institution at the Ministry Level, considering the biosecurity function carried out in the implementation of quarantine. This normative legal research is supported by secondary data and analyzed qualitatively. From the results of the research, the government still needs to follow up on the regulation of animal, fish and plant quarantine and its institutions in the Animal, Fish and Plant Quarantine Law by drafting a Government Regulation Draft.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the legal arrangements for the place of entry and release of animal and plant quarantine carrier media, and the factors, constraints, solutions, and implementation of the place of entry and release of animal and plant quarantine carrier media. Methodology: The research method of this thesis is normative juridical (legal research) through a literature study with an empirical juridical approach (sociological juridical) through field studies aimed at empirically obtaining legal knowledge. Results: The results showed that the legal regulation of the place of entry and release of animal and plant quarantine carrier media is Article 86 and Article 87 of Law Number 21 of 2019 concerning Animal, Fish and Plant Quarantine, which regulates the prohibition of entering or removing animal and plant quarantine carrier media other than the place of entry and release determined by the Central Government. The implementation of animal and plant quarantine entry and exit points at the Batam Class I Agricultural Quarantine Center reflects serious efforts to maintain the integrity of the national biological security. However, there are obstacles, such as limited human resources, inadequate facilities, and challenges in inter-stakeholder coordination. However, by applying the latest technology, increasing the capacity of human resources through training, and improving coordination and communication with related parties, the Batam Quarantine Center found a strategic solution to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of its services in carrying out quarantine duties.

The genus Aphelenchoides consists of over 140 nominal species, some of which are pathogenic to plants. Nematologists in statutory and other diagnostic laboratories need to be able to distinguish pathogens with confidence if financial losses and unnecessary chemical control are to be avoided, but no complete key to this genus has been available to date. A revised list of species was produced, deleting descriptions considered too poor for subsequent recognition. Key diagnostic characters were identified and promising features for future diagnostic use were investigated. A polytomous key (polykey) was developed and tested on 14 populations. The findings contributed to a further reduction in the number of valid species from a diagnostician's point of view, and also led to revisions of the polykey itself as key characters were tested for their distinguishing power. The primary key characters were identified as the length of the post-vulval sac (pvs) as a percentage of the distance between the vulva and the anus, the shape of the tail terminus and tail, body length, and the ratios `a' (body length divided by greatest body width) and `c' (body length divided by tail length). Promising key characters for the future are c' (tail length divided by body width at the anus or cloaca), the distance from the vulva to the anus, vulval body width, pvs length as a measure of the vulval body width, head width and all measurements associated with the median bulb. The polykey provides the essential foundation for the development of new diagnostic tools, including new keys for diagnostic use; preliminary work with molecular techniques showed promise for inclusion in diagnostic protocols, but further study will be required to develop reliable methodology for each of the economically important species. Nominators of new species should use the recording form to provide details of morphological and morphometric characters and compare resulting polycodes with others in the polykey and associated databases before publication. Likewise, the key should continue to be tested for its validity.

The fruit production is threatened by several bacterial diseases, such as fire blight of apple and pear, bacterial canker of kiwifruit, bacterial spot of stone fruits, and angular leaf spot of strawberry. The conventional pesticides that are available for the control of these diseases are mainly copper compounds and they have a limited efficacy and negative impact on environment. Therefore, there is a need to develop alternative and sustainable management tools. This Ph.D. Thesis contributes to the development of a novel microbial biopesticide based on lactic acid bacteria. Two Lactobacillus plantarum strains were selected due to their broad-spectrum activity. In order to improve the epiphytic survival of both strains in plants and to get more consistency in their biocontrol efficacy, a physiological adaptive strategy was defined to increase the water-stress tolerance. Also, a monitoring method was developed to evaluate the population dynamics of a L. plantarum strain.
La producció de fruita està afectada per diferents malalties bacterianes de quarantena com el foc bacterià de les pomeres i pereres, el xancre bacterià del kiwi, la taca bacteriana dels fruiters de pinyol i la taca angular de les fulles de maduixera. Els plaguicides disponibles pel seu control són principalment compostos cúprics els quals tenen una eficàcia limitada i un impacte negatiu en el medi ambient. Existeix la necessitat de desenvolupar eines de control alternatives i més sostenibles. Aquesta tesi contribueix en el desenvolupament d’un bioplaguicida microbià basat en bacteris de l’àcid làctic. Es van seleccionar dues soques de Lactobacillus plantarum amb activitat d’ampli espectre i es va definir una estratègia fisiològica d’adaptació per incrementar la tolerància a l’estrès per manca d’aigua i així millorar la supervivència epifítica a la planta. També es va desenvolupar un mètode de monitoratge per avaluar les dinàmiques poblacionals d’una soca de L. plantarum.

In the context of molecular techniques applied to Plant Pathology, this Ph.D. thesis has pursued the following major objectives: i) to develop new diagnostic protocols for fungal pathogens; ii) to study the metabolic and physiological effects determined by new and emerging fungal pathogens; iii) to contribute to develop management strategies of diseases caused by quarantine and/or emerging fungi on plant species typical of the Mediterranean region. To fulfill these objectives, the following specific studies have been developed: • “Fusarium circinatum an emergent and quarantine pathogen of pine worldwide: its detection and its interaction with Phytophthora species (P. cambivora and P. parvispora) on Pinus radiata seedlings.” This study has been developed by two different lines of research:  “Transferability of PCR-based diagnostic protocols: An international collaborative case study assessing protocols targeting the quarantine pine pathogen, Fusarium circinatum.” In this study, different protocols for the molecular diagnosis of F. circinatum were compared and validated for the first time in 23 laboratories spread across Europe, South Africa and Chile, in the framework of the international collaborative study funded by COST Action FP1406 “Pine pitch canker - Strategies for management of Gibberella circinata in greenhouses and forests - PINESTRENGTH ''. The protocol tested by the Laboratory of Molecular Plant Pathology of the Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment (Di3A) of the University of Catania were: (i) Real-time PCR by Lamarche et al. 2015 and (ii) real-time PCR by Luchi et al. 2018. Results from the two tested protocols were illustrated in Ioos et al (2019), Scientific Reports 2019, 9, 8195. DOI: 10.1038 / s41598-019-44672-8.  “Co-infections by Fusarium circinatum and Phytophthora spp. on Pinus radiata, a case study of complex interactions in the Pine pitch canker disease.” This study investigated i. the phenotypic response of pine to the infective process and ii. the relative expression levels of genes of plant encoding for pathogenetic-related proteins and antifungal secondary metabolites. Results obtained in this research showed that the phenotypic response of pine to the simultaneous action of the aforementioned pathogens it is manifested by an increasing of the severity of the symptoms at the early stages of the infection, allowing then to speculate that Phytophthora spp. can realistically contribute to the severity of the disease. Results from gene expression suggest that a real synergic effect as the result of the effects of both pathogens it is not clearly evident. • “Scabby canker caused by Neofusicoccum batangarum (Botryosphaeriaceae), an emergent disease of Opuntia ficus-indica in minor islands around Sicily: identification of the causal agent and characterization of both its phytotoxic metabolites and the genetic variability of its local population.” The specific objectives of this study were the following: i) determine the geographical distribution of the disease; ii) characterize N. batangarum isolates obtained from symptomatic plants of prickly pear in the smaller islands of Sicily; iii) check whether the range of potential host plants of this phytopathogenic fungus includes other Mediterranean species that could act as alternative hosts or as inoculation 'reservoir'; iv) determine the ability of N. batangarum to produce phytotoxic secondary metabolites (phytotoxins) in culture, which can play an active role in the pathogenesis of the disease; v) chemically identify the phytotoxins extracted from N. batangarum liquid filtrates and determine their phytotoxic effects on the host plant as well as on non-host plant species. In cross-pathogenicity tests, N. batangarum isolated from Opuntia ficus-indica plants was able to reproduce disease symptoms on the host plant and also infect other plant species. The fungus artificially inoculated by wounding induced cancers on several hosts. This result indicates that the pathogen has a very wide range of potential hosts. Six phytotoxins were obtained and identified from Neofusicoccum batangarum culture filtrates: (-) - (R) ‐mellein (1); (±) ‐botriisocoumarin A (2); (-) - (3R, 4R) - and (-) - (3R, 4S) ‐4 hydroxymelline (3 and 4); (-) - terpestacin (5); and (+) - 3,4 ‐ dihydro - 4,5,8 - trihydroxy - 3 - methylisocoumarin, renamed (+) - neoisocoumarin (6). All six metabolites have been shown to have phytotoxic activity on both the host and non-host plants. The most active compounds proved to be (±) ‐botriisocoumarin A (2), (-) - terpestacin (5) and (+) - neoisocoumarin (6). Results from this study are part of two scientific publications: Masi, Mt. et al., Toxins 2020, 12, 126. DOI: 10.3390 / toxins12020126 and Aloi, F. et al., Mediterranean Phytopathology 2020, 59 (2): 269-284. DOI: 10.14601 / Phyto-11225. • “Identification of Neofusicoccum parvum (Botryosphaeriaceae) as the causative agent of gummy cankers of lemon (Citrus × limon) trees.” This study was aimed at identifying the causative agent of the observed disease. Neofusicoccum parvum, in the family Botryosphaeriaceae, was identified as the causal agent of bot gummosis of lemon (Citrus x limon) trees, in the two major lemon-producing areas in Italy. Gummy cankers on trunk and scaffold branches of mature trees were the most typical disease symptoms. Neofusicoccum parvum was the sole fungus constantly and consistently isolated from the canker bark of symptomatic lemon trees. It was identified on the basis of morphological characters and the phylogenetic analysis of three loci, i. e. the internal transcribed spacer of nuclear ribosomal DNA (ITS) as well as the translation elongation factor 1-alpha (TEF1) and β-tubulin (TUB2) genes. The pathogenicity of N. parvum was demonstrated by wound inoculating two lemon cultivars, ‘Femminello 2kr’ and ‘Monachello’, as well as citrange (C. sinensis x Poncirus trifoliata) ‘Carrizo’ rootstock. In artificial inoculations, the fungus was very aggressive on lemons and weakly virulent on citrange, consistently with symptoms observed in the field as a consequence of natural infections. This is the first report of N. parvum, both in a wide and in a strict taxonomic sense, as a pathogen of lemon in Italy. • “Characterization of Alternaria species associated with heart rot of pomegranate fruit.” This study was aimed at identifying Alternaria species associated with heart rot disease of pomegranate fruit in southern Italy and characterizing their mycotoxigenic profile. A total of 42 Alternaria isolates were characterized. They were obtained from pomegranate fruits with symptom of heart rot sampled in Apulia and Sicily and grouped into six distinct morphotypes based on macro- and microscopic features. According to multi-gene phylogenetic analysis, including internal transcribed spacer (ITS), translation elongation factor 1-α (EF-1α), glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) and a SCAR marker (OPA10-2), 38 isolates of morphotypes 1 to 5 were identified as A. alternata, while isolates of morphotype 6, all from Sicily, clustered within the A. arborescens species complex. In particular, isolates of morphotype 1, the most numerous, clustered with the ex-type isolate of A. alternata, proving to belong to morphotype alternata. No difference in pathogenicity on pomegranate fruits was found between isolates of A. alternata and A. arborescens and among A. alternata isolates of different morphotypes. The toxigenic profile of isolates varied greatly: in vitro, all 42 isolates produced tenuazonic acid and most of them other mycotoxins including alternariol, alternariol monomethyl ether, altenuene and tentoxin. • “Shoot dieback of citrus, a new disease caused by Colletotrichum species.” This study was aimed at identifying the Colletotrichum species associated with twig and shoot dieback of citrus, a new disease occurring in the Mediterranean region and also reported as emerging in California. Overall, 119 Colletotrichum isolates were characterized. They were recovered from symptomatic trees of sweet orange, mandarin and mandarin-like during a survey of citrus groves in Albania and Sicily (southern Italy). The isolates were grouped into two distinct morphotypes. The grouping of isolates was supported by phylogenetic sequence analysis of two genetic markers, the internal transcribed spacer regions of rDNA (ITS) and β-tubulin (TUB2). The groups were identified as Colletotrichum gloeosporioides and C. karstii, respectively. The former accounted for more than 91% of isolates, while the latter was retrieved only occasionally in Sicily. Both species induced symptoms on artificially wound inoculated twigs. C. gloeosporioides was more aggressive than of C. karstii. Winds and prolonged drought were the factor predisposing to Colletotrichum twig and shoot dieback. This is the first report of C. gloeosporioides and C. karstii as causal agents of twig and shoot dieback disease in the Mediterranean region and the first report of C. gloeosporioides as a citrus pathogen in Albania.

Plant biosecurity requires statistical tools to interpret field surveillance data in order to manage pest incursions that threaten crop production and trade. Ultimately, management decisions need to be based on the probability that an area is infested or free of a pest. Current informal approaches to delimiting pest extent rely upon expert ecological interpretation of presence / absence data over space and time. Hierarchical Bayesian models provide a cohesive statistical framework that can formally integrate the available information on both pest ecology and data. The overarching method involves constructing an observation model for the surveillance data, conditional on the hidden extent of the pest and uncertain detection sensitivity. The extent of the pest is then modelled as a dynamic invasion process that includes uncertainty in ecological parameters. Modelling approaches to assimilate this information are explored through case studies on spiralling whitefly, Aleurodicus dispersus and red banded mango caterpillar, Deanolis sublimbalis. Markov chain Monte Carlo simulation is used to estimate the probable extent of pests, given the observation and process model conditioned by surveillance data. Statistical methods, based on time-to-event models, are developed to apply hierarchical Bayesian models to early detection programs and to demonstrate area freedom from pests. The value of early detection surveillance programs is demonstrated through an application to interpret surveillance data for exotic plant pests with uncertain spread rates. The model suggests that typical early detection programs provide a moderate reduction in the probability of an area being infested but a dramatic reduction in the expected area of incursions at a given time. Estimates of spiralling whitefly extent are examined at local, district and state-wide scales. The local model estimates the rate of natural spread and the influence of host architecture, host suitability and inspector efficiency. These parameter estimates can support the development of robust surveillance programs. Hierarchical Bayesian models for the human-mediated spread of spiralling whitefly are developed for the colonisation of discrete cells connected by a modified gravity model. By estimating dispersal parameters, the model can be used to predict the extent of the pest over time. An extended model predicts the climate restricted distribution of the pest in Queensland. These novel human-mediated movement models are well suited to demonstrating area freedom at coarse spatio-temporal scales. At finer scales, and in the presence of ecological complexity, exploratory models are developed to investigate the capacity for surveillance information to estimate the extent of red banded mango caterpillar. It is apparent that excessive uncertainty about observation and ecological parameters can impose limits on inference at the scales required for effective management of response programs. The thesis contributes novel statistical approaches to estimating the extent of pests and develops applications to assist decision-making across a range of plant biosecurity surveillance activities. Hierarchical Bayesian modelling is demonstrated as both a useful analytical tool for estimating pest extent and a natural investigative paradigm for developing and focussing biosecurity programs.

Les nématodes phytoparasites (NPP) sont des vers ronds microscopiques que l’on retrouve en communautés dans les sols agricoles. Les NPP les plus communs n’occasionnent pas de dégâts sur les cultures. Cependant M. chitwoodi, un NPP règlementé à l’échelle européenne, peut engendrer d’importantes baisses de rendement. Pour caractériser le risque de son implantation, nous nous sommes intéressés aux communautés indigènes en France afin d’identifier celles capables de le limiter suite à une introduction. Nous avons, dans un premier temps, décrit les communautés de NPP à l'échelle d'un paysage agricole, puis à l'échelle de neuf régions françaises. Ces investigations ont montré des communautés peu différenciées en termes de richesse spécifique mais variables en termes d’abondance. Si les variables environnementales expliquent le mieux la structure de ces communautés de NPP à une large échelle géographique, certaines pratiques culturales(labour, application de produits phytosanitaires) influencent fortement les communautés à l’échelle locale. Dans un second volet, nous avons étudié le potentiel de différentes communautés à limiter le développement de M. chitwoodi notamment par la compétition. Il semble que les communautés possédant les plus hauts niveaux d’abondance globale, indépendamment des taxa présents, permettent de diminuer la multiplication de M. chitwoodi. Cette thèse apporte donc des éléments de compréhension sur le fonctionnement des communautés de NPP dans les agrosystèmes français et leur potentiel à limiter le l’établissement de M. chitwoodi pour pouvoir prédire le r
Plant-parasitic nematodes (PPN) are microscopic worms that occur in communities in almost every agricultural soils. Commonly found PPN are usually harmless for the plants. However, M. chitwoodi, a PPN highly regulated in EU can induce important yield losses. In order to improve risk assessment of M. chitwoodi implantation, we studied French native PPN communities to identify those that can limit its establishment shortly after an introduction. We firstly described PPN communities in various agrosystems, at a landscape scale and then in nine French regions. Despite the quite homogeneous species richness observed across the fields sampled, we highlighted strong PPN taxa abundance variations. Environmental variables seemed to mainly drive the PPN communities structure at a large geographic scale but cultural practices(tillage and pesticides uses) seemed to explain the communities variation at the local scale. Secondly, we studied the capacity of different PPN communities to limit M. chitwoodi development through competition. It appeared that PPN communities with high global abundance, regardless of the taxa present, are able to decrease M. chitwoodi multiplication. The results of this PhD thesis bring some elements about the structure and functioning of PPN communities in French fields and their ability to reduce the M. chitwoodi establishment in order to predict its implantation risk

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Tese (Doutoramento)
IPEN/T
Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares - IPEN/CNEN-SP

Plant quarantine is significant for countries like Australia whose agricultural sector plays an important role in their income earnings. This activity is carried out with the aim to protect agriculture and the environment from the damages which may be caused by hazardous organisms inadvertently introduced by men. Those organisms may be plant pests or diseases, whose introduction can be harmful. That is why they must always be kept outside Australia, and this is done through plant quarantine. The plant quarantine activities in Australia are carried out by the States' Departments of Agriculture on behalf of the Commonwealth. The Commonwealth department which is responsible for plant quarantine at the present time is the Department of Primary Industry. This responsibility is discharged through one of its eleven divisions-The Australian Agricultural Health and Quarantine Service. The Department of Primary Industry has just recently been given the responsibility of plant quarantine following the administrative arrangement which transferred to it that responsibility from the Department of Health. Due to the importance of plant quarantine, the organization which is responsible for its discharge must always be effective.. This dissertation is concerned with the study of organizational effectiveness of Australia's plant quarantine service, in terms of how the organization can be assessed. In the first part of this dissertation, the literature on organizational effectiveness is reviewed with the purpose of identifying a framework for analysing the effectiveness of the concerned organization. Current assessments of the organization are also reviewed. In the second part of this dissertation, the state of Australia's plant quarantine service is forwarded as background information. In the last part of this dissertation, the assessment problem and its application to Australia's plant quarantine service is discussed. The proposed model in this dissertation is a modification of the process model. While it is used in assessing the effectiveness of Australia's plant quarantine service it may also be used in other plant quarantine organizations, for example in Indonesia's, plant quarantine service, in which the writer has been working for the last fourteen years.

According to the classification of agroecological soil assessment, agrobiocenosis contamination with the pale potato cyst nematode Globodera pallida is irreversible (other than, for example, the potato tuber nematode Ditylenchus destructor biocontamination that is reversible), which once again underlines the importance of quarantine control. A very disturbing fact is the presence of this dangerous parasite in the countries of Europe and North America, although their agricultural technologies including plant protection are at a very high level. The spread of this cyst-forming nematode depends entirely on anthropogenic factors since the possibility of active spread of second instars is almost negligible (several tens of centimeters for the growing season). The worldwide nematode spreading from the historical South American gene center of origin of cultivated plants (where the origin is of the potato with which the nematode is co-evolutionarily associated) had a complex nature primarily determined by such a factor as centuries-old practice of selective improvement of potato varieties in Europe. The Institute of Plant Quarantine has developed a computer risk assessment system for the inspection of quarantined cargoes including potatoes, which makes it possible to organize the inspection of seed and commercial potatoes more effectively from the countries where the pale potato cyst nematode is recorded.

The pest risk analysis (PRA) was carried out for Sosnowsky’s hogweed to determine the ability of the species to be a quarantine object by analyzing the available scientific data. According to the results of the PRA, Sosnowsky’s hogweed can be classified as a regulated weed and socially dangerous to human and animal health, highly aggressive in spread, and extremely difficult to eradicate in many areas, where it is widespread in small numbers. It allows to apply measures to it as for any quarantine plant: to control its appearance and completely eradicate it’s entry source. The results of developed method have been proposed using the example of town Chernivtsi. Weed density have decreased from 47,8 and 43,5 plants to 4,8 and 1,2 plants on 1 m2 in a number of hotbeds. These measures allowed to decrease the quantity of Sosnovsky’s hogweed in some hotbeds by more than 25 times.

This article provides an overview of the need to develop phytohelminthological research in the Stavropol Territory. The need for annual monitoring of soils under plantings of the host plant of the parasite The urgency of such studies from the point of view of the quarantine phytosanitary safety of the region is substantiated. The focal development of phytohelminths in the soil has been analyzed.

Abstract For an upstream oil and gas company, avoiding an offshore COVID-19 outbreak while executing four different offshore projects poses a huge challenge, particularly in a country experiencing a daily COVID-19 test positivity rate over 20%. Even minor mismanagement of the quarantine process can lead to an offshore COVID-19 outbreak, with the risk of shutting down campaigns and severely impacting business objectives. The challenge is therefore to avoid an offshore COVID-19 outbreak, ensuring well-being of personnel during the quarantine period and managing quarantine related costs, including COVID-19 test costs. To ensure effective quarantine management, a new approach was created that applied a combination of medical assessments, Health & Safety (H&S) and security measures. Quarantine management was led by a special task force responsible for ensuring the readiness of transportations, rooms, PCR tests, as well as overall compliance to quarantine rules. In compliance with government regulations and WHO recommendations, another complimentary approach was applied that sequestered personnel who tested positive in an isolation room. Effective quarantine management was established with the assistance of the company Business Continuity Management Team (BCMT). The company was able to complete four different major offshore projects with no offshore COVID-19 outbreaks. During these operations, over 1,000 personnel were quarantined and tested with a 5.37% positivity rate at the pre-work quarantine site. Confirmed cases were managed in full compliance with government regulations. The result of this effective quarantine management system, has allowed the company to achieve scorecard performance goals while delivering all four of the major offshore work-scopes, as per the original business plan. This paper discusses quarantine management as part of business continuity management covering medical assessment, H&S and security measures amidst a national COVID-19 pandemic. These programs were applied in an adaptive method-based risk assessment, which based on evidence base approaches, during frequently changing government regulations.

The article presents the results of the study of the phytopathological condition of plantations potatoes, cut and potted chrysanthemums. Descriptions of quarantine and non-quarantine fungi species isolated from plants are given. Data on species identification of micromycetes by morphological characteristics and nucleotide sequence decoding are specified.

The article presents the first results of the composition and characteristics studies of host plants microbial communities of the causative agent of the quarantine yellow disease of hyacinth (Xanthomonas hyacinthi), which have potential value in the development of pathogen isolation and molecular diagnostic methods.

Le Groupe µ et "le système de formes plastiques” -à propos d’une évaluation- L’objectif de cet article est de fournir quelques exemples et de proposer certains éclaircissements qui peuvent contribuer à la compréhension de la théorie du signe plastique conçu par le Groupe μ. Plus précisément, l’article porte sur les éléments de la théorie en question qui constituent une analyse du système de la forme tant qu’elle est distincte du système de la couleur et du système de la texture. Dans l’espoir de faire connaître quelques-uns des fondations et des implications de ce système de forme plastique, principalement aux lecteurs anglo-saxons, l’article tente également de clarifier sa place au sein de la théorie générale du signe visuel articulé par Groupe μ dans son Traité du signe visuel (1992). La première section de l’article traite de la notion esthétique générale de forme et de sa relation avec d'une part la notion de forme/formation visuelle et de l'autre la notion de forme sémiotique telle qu’elle a été développée par Hjelsmlev. On prend note du risque que les visées d’une sémiotique plastique puissent être indûment confondues avec celles du formalisme dans l'esthétique. Selon l’avis de l’auteur, les études de sémiotique visuelle ne sauraient bénéficier de ce genre de confusion, mais devraient plutôt tenter de maintenir sa distance par rapport aux conjectures et luttes de pouvoir dans le(s) monde(s) de l'art. La deuxième section explique la distinction faite par le Groupe μ entre le signe iconique et le signe plastique, conçus comme des couches séparées du signe visuel. Selon le Groupe μ, le signe iconique forme une structure triadique contenant le signifiant, le type et le référent. Il y a des similarités entre cette conception et le triangle d’Ogden & Richards. Or, la notion du Type a des implications plus vastes que la conception d’Ogden & Richards, selon lesquels il existe une image très générale qui met en relation symbole/signifier et référent – le type est ici le résultat de modélisations et de catégorisations, et il est valable aussi bien pour le signe iconique que pour le signe plastique. Par définition, le signe plastique manque de référent : la relation entre un motif et ses variations dépend donc uniquement du rapport Signifier/Type. Sur la base de cette relation Signifier/Type, les signes plastiques apparaissent, selon le Groupe µ, aux trois niveaux de la sémiose, sur le niveau purement plastique, sur le niveau extravisuel (ou symbolique), et dans une interaction avec le signe iconique sur le niveau iconico-plastique. La troisième section de l’article explique le système de forme plastique telle qu’elle est conçue par le Groupe μ. Le système est constitué par trois « formemes » (ou catégories), à savoir position, dimension et l'orientation. Il est conçu en termes de figures apparaissant dans un plan restreint. Comme les relations fondamentales dans le plan sont celles entre le centre - la marge, le haut - le bas et la gauche - la droite, le système de positions alternatives (par exemple marginal, au-dessus et au centre) est isomorphe au système d'autres orientations (par exemple vers l'intérieur, d'en haut vers le centre). Le système d'autres dimensions/tailles, par contraste, est défini par le biais de la fonction de la taille de la figure en relation à la taille du plan de l’image et le point focal. Ces valeurs plastiques de position, de dimension et d’orientation sont les signifiants du système. Ils sont liés à leurs signifiés de la manière suivante : la position à l’attraction, la dimension à la domination, l'orientation à l'équilibre. Cette corrélation est validée par les auteurs au moyen d’une démonstration visuelle. Dans la quatrième et dernière section de l’article, des observations sont faites au sujet des répercussions plus vastes ainsi que des applications du système. Conformément à la visée du propre Groupe µ à surmonter les limitations qui résultent de la spécialisation de disciplines telles que la psychologie de la perception, l'auteur soutient que des systèmes théoriques comme celui du système plastique peut fournir un cadre interdisciplinaire qui facilite l’évaluation à la fois des données scientifiques et des discours philosophiques généraux concernant le monde visuel. En ce qui concerne des applications plus proches, l'auteur estime que les théories du sens visuel et de la rhétorique du Groupe μ, si elles étaient plus largement connues, contribueraient considérablement à la compréhension de l'importance du sens plastique dans la communication visuelle et au développement des méthodes pédagogiques pour la description et l’interprétation de l'image.

The USDA's Trade and Regulatory Capacity Building Division (TRCBD) partnered with APAARI to assist Bangladesh's Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) in improving compliance with international phytosanitary standards under the project "Improving Phytosanitary and Trade Compliance in Bangladesh," initiated on 23 November 2020. The project aimed to enhance collaboration among stakeholders, strengthen the institutional capacity of Bangladesh's NPPO, raise awareness on trade-related issues and promote regulatory harmonization for biopesticide registration. Key achievements from November 2020 to September 2022 included establishment of the intradepartmental community on plant quarantine facilitation within DAE, formation of a steering committee co-chaired by USDA and DAE officials and development of 3 standard operating procedures for pest management. Public awareness was increased through various media channels, and a WhatsApp group was created for SPS stakeholders. Amendments to the Plant Quarantine Act were proposed and reviewed with input from legal and technical experts. The project also established a virtual SPS training hub and conducted 17 capacity-building programs, including technical training on various phytosanitary subjects and workshops on biopesticide regulatory harmonization. Despite challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic and issues beyond the project's control, significant progress was made, contributing to the overall success of the initiative.

Trade facilitation is a critical building block of developing globally integrated value chains. In India, current trade facilitation systems including risk assessment criteria require improvements involving regulatory mandates for food and drugs, animal and plant quarantine, wildlife protection, and textile products. Using illustrative examples, this working paper presents specific system development needs for six major participating government agencies on trade facilitation in India. It provides a model for developing a comprehensive system of risk management. It also discusses the need for institutional cooperation between customs authorities and participating government agencies for a comprehensive single window trade facilitation solution.

Systematic information on all aspects of agriculture is a significant tool in finding solutions to various problems. This project was initiated to develop a searchable database on taxonomy, host plants, geographic distribution, economic importance and control of scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccoidea). A systematic database has been developed for 17 families of scale insects, namely, Aclerdidae, Asterolecaniidae, Beesoniidae, Carayonemidae, Cerococcidae, Coccidae, Conchaspididae, Dactylopiidae, Eriococcidae, Halimococcidae, Kerriidae, Lecanodiaspididae, Micrococcidae, Ortheziidae, Phenacoleachiidae, Phoenicococcidae and Pseudococcidae. These databases are now available on the Internet in ScaleNet - A Searchable Information System on Scale Insects - a Systematic Database of the Scale Insects of the World, (URL: http://www.sel.barc.usda.gov/scalenet/scalenet.htm ). Since 1997, the year in which ScaleNet was first placed on the Internet, this site became the best worldwide source of information on scale insects. The most reliable evaluation is that the site was 'visited' during 1999 by more than 50,000 users. Messages from the clientele of the site clearly indicate that it is widely used by researchers, applied entomologists, quarantine officers, students as well as the general public.

The red necked longicorn (RNL), Aromia bungii (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), originates from eastern Asia and has become an invasive pest in Japan, Germany and Italy. Predominantly attacking stone fruit trees (Prunus spp.), RNL larvae tunnel within the cambium layer, disrupting sap flow and potentially killing the host tree. The pest poses a significant threat to both fruit production and wood production. It is considered a quarantine species in Europe, capable of spreading through wood products and plants for planting. There has been no classical biological control implemented against RNL. However, potential natural enemies include the generalist parasitoids Sclerodermus guani and Sclerodermus harmandi (Hymenoptera: Bethylidae). S. guani has shown a parasitism rate of 43% in laboratory studies and has been used in China for controlling forest pests. Other potential natural enemies include generalist predators and parasitoids, such as Dastarcus helophoroides (Coleoptera: Bothrideridae), which has been used in combination with entomopathogenic nematodes for biological control in China, and species of Braconidae and Ichneumonidae. Despite their potential, the broad host range of these natural enemies raises concerns about non-target effects.

1.1 Macroeconomic summary Economic recovery has consistently outperformed the technical staff’s expectations following a steep decline in activity in the second quarter of 2020. At the same time, total and core inflation rates have fallen and remain at low levels, suggesting that a significant element of the reactivation of Colombia’s economy has been related to recovery in potential GDP. This would support the technical staff’s diagnosis of weak aggregate demand and ample excess capacity. The most recently available data on 2020 growth suggests a contraction in economic activity of 6.8%, lower than estimates from January’s Monetary Policy Report (-7.2%). High-frequency indicators suggest that economic performance was significantly more dynamic than expected in January, despite mobility restrictions and quarantine measures. This has also come amid declines in total and core inflation, the latter of which was below January projections if controlling for certain relative price changes. This suggests that the unexpected strength of recent growth contains elements of demand, and that excess capacity, while significant, could be lower than previously estimated. Nevertheless, uncertainty over the measurement of excess capacity continues to be unusually high and marked both by variations in the way different economic sectors and spending components have been affected by the pandemic, and by uneven price behavior. The size of excess capacity, and in particular the evolution of the pandemic in forthcoming quarters, constitute substantial risks to the macroeconomic forecast presented in this report. Despite the unexpected strength of the recovery, the technical staff continues to project ample excess capacity that is expected to remain on the forecast horizon, alongside core inflation that will likely remain below the target. Domestic demand remains below 2019 levels amid unusually significant uncertainty over the size of excess capacity in the economy. High national unemployment (14.6% for February 2021) reflects a loose labor market, while observed total and core inflation continue to be below 2%. Inflationary pressures from the exchange rate are expected to continue to be low, with relatively little pass-through on inflation. This would be compatible with a negative output gap. Excess productive capacity and the expectation of core inflation below the 3% target on the forecast horizon provide a basis for an expansive monetary policy posture. The technical staff’s assessment of certain shocks and their expected effects on the economy, as well as the presence of several sources of uncertainty and related assumptions about their potential macroeconomic impacts, remain a feature of this report. The coronavirus pandemic, in particular, continues to affect the public health environment, and the reopening of Colombia’s economy remains incomplete. The technical staff’s assessment is that the COVID-19 shock has affected both aggregate demand and supply, but that the impact on demand has been deeper and more persistent. Given this persistence, the central forecast accounts for a gradual tightening of the output gap in the absence of new waves of contagion, and as vaccination campaigns progress. The central forecast continues to include an expected increase of total and core inflation rates in the second quarter of 2021, alongside the lapse of the temporary price relief measures put in place in 2020. Additional COVID-19 outbreaks (of uncertain duration and intensity) represent a significant risk factor that could affect these projections. Additionally, the forecast continues to include an upward trend in sovereign risk premiums, reflected by higher levels of public debt that in the wake of the pandemic are likely to persist on the forecast horizon, even in the context of a fiscal adjustment. At the same time, the projection accounts for the shortterm effects on private domestic demand from a fiscal adjustment along the lines of the one currently being proposed by the national government. This would be compatible with a gradual recovery of private domestic demand in 2022. The size and characteristics of the fiscal adjustment that is ultimately implemented, as well as the corresponding market response, represent another source of forecast uncertainty. Newly available information offers evidence of the potential for significant changes to the macroeconomic scenario, though without altering the general diagnosis described above. The most recent data on inflation, growth, fiscal policy, and international financial conditions suggests a more dynamic economy than previously expected. However, a third wave of the pandemic has delayed the re-opening of Colombia’s economy and brought with it a deceleration in economic activity. Detailed descriptions of these considerations and subsequent changes to the macroeconomic forecast are presented below. The expected annual decline in GDP (-0.3%) in the first quarter of 2021 appears to have been less pronounced than projected in January (-4.8%). Partial closures in January to address a second wave of COVID-19 appear to have had a less significant negative impact on the economy than previously estimated. This is reflected in figures related to mobility, energy demand, industry and retail sales, foreign trade, commercial transactions from selected banks, and the national statistics agency’s (DANE) economic tracking indicator (ISE). Output is now expected to have declined annually in the first quarter by 0.3%. Private consumption likely continued to recover, registering levels somewhat above those from the previous year, while public consumption likely increased significantly. While a recovery in investment in both housing and in other buildings and structures is expected, overall investment levels in this case likely continued to be low, and gross fixed capital formation is expected to continue to show significant annual declines. Imports likely recovered to again outpace exports, though both are expected to register significant annual declines. Economic activity that outpaced projections, an increase in oil prices and other export products, and an expected increase in public spending this year account for the upward revision to the 2021 growth forecast (from 4.6% with a range between 2% and 6% in January, to 6.0% with a range between 3% and 7% in April). As a result, the output gap is expected to be smaller and to tighten more rapidly than projected in the previous report, though it is still expected to remain in negative territory on the forecast horizon. Wide forecast intervals reflect the fact that the future evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic remains a significant source of uncertainty on these projections. The delay in the recovery of economic activity as a result of the resurgence of COVID-19 in the first quarter appears to have been less significant than projected in the January report. The central forecast scenario expects this improved performance to continue in 2021 alongside increased consumer and business confidence. Low real interest rates and an active credit supply would also support this dynamic, and the overall conditions would be expected to spur a recovery in consumption and investment. Increased growth in public spending and public works based on the national government’s spending plan (Plan Financiero del Gobierno) are other factors to consider. Additionally, an expected recovery in global demand and higher projected prices for oil and coffee would further contribute to improved external revenues and would favor investment, in particular in the oil sector. Given the above, the technical staff’s 2021 growth forecast has been revised upward from 4.6% in January (range from 2% to 6%) to 6.0% in April (range from 3% to 7%). These projections account for the potential for the third wave of COVID-19 to have a larger and more persistent effect on the economy than the previous wave, while also supposing that there will not be any additional significant waves of the pandemic and that mobility restrictions will be relaxed as a result. Economic growth in 2022 is expected to be 3%, with a range between 1% and 5%. This figure would be lower than projected in the January report (3.6% with a range between 2% and 6%), due to a higher base of comparison given the upward revision to expected GDP in 2021. This forecast also takes into account the likely effects on private demand of a fiscal adjustment of the size currently being proposed by the national government, and which would come into effect in 2022. Excess in productive capacity is now expected to be lower than estimated in January but continues to be significant and affected by high levels of uncertainty, as reflected in the wide forecast intervals. The possibility of new waves of the virus (of uncertain intensity and duration) represents a significant downward risk to projected GDP growth, and is signaled by the lower limits of the ranges provided in this report. Inflation (1.51%) and inflation excluding food and regulated items (0.94%) declined in March compared to December, continuing below the 3% target. The decline in inflation in this period was below projections, explained in large part by unanticipated increases in the costs of certain foods (3.92%) and regulated items (1.52%). An increase in international food and shipping prices, increased foreign demand for beef, and specific upward pressures on perishable food supplies appear to explain a lower-than-expected deceleration in the consumer price index (CPI) for foods. An unexpected increase in regulated items prices came amid unanticipated increases in international fuel prices, on some utilities rates, and for regulated education prices. The decline in annual inflation excluding food and regulated items between December and March was in line with projections from January, though this included downward pressure from a significant reduction in telecommunications rates due to the imminent entry of a new operator. When controlling for the effects of this relative price change, inflation excluding food and regulated items exceeds levels forecast in the previous report. Within this indicator of core inflation, the CPI for goods (1.05%) accelerated due to a reversion of the effects of the VAT-free day in November, which was largely accounted for in February, and possibly by the transmission of a recent depreciation of the peso on domestic prices for certain items (electric and household appliances). For their part, services prices decelerated and showed the lowest rate of annual growth (0.89%) among the large consumer baskets in the CPI. Within the services basket, the annual change in rental prices continued to decline, while those services that continue to experience the most significant restrictions on returning to normal operations (tourism, cinemas, nightlife, etc.) continued to register significant price declines. As previously mentioned, telephone rates also fell significantly due to increased competition in the market. Total inflation is expected to continue to be affected by ample excesses in productive capacity for the remainder of 2021 and 2022, though less so than projected in January. As a result, convergence to the inflation target is now expected to be somewhat faster than estimated in the previous report, assuming the absence of significant additional outbreaks of COVID-19. The technical staff’s year-end inflation projections for 2021 and 2022 have increased, suggesting figures around 3% due largely to variation in food and regulated items prices. The projection for inflation excluding food and regulated items also increased, but remains below 3%. Price relief measures on indirect taxes implemented in 2020 are expected to lapse in the second quarter of 2021, generating a one-off effect on prices and temporarily affecting inflation excluding food and regulated items. However, indexation to low levels of past inflation, weak demand, and ample excess productive capacity are expected to keep core inflation below the target, near 2.3% at the end of 2021 (previously 2.1%). The reversion in 2021 of the effects of some price relief measures on utility rates from 2020 should lead to an increase in the CPI for regulated items in the second half of this year. Annual price changes are now expected to be higher than estimated in the January report due to an increased expected path for fuel prices and unanticipated increases in regulated education prices. The projection for the CPI for foods has increased compared to the previous report, taking into account certain factors that were not anticipated in January (a less favorable agricultural cycle, increased pressure from international prices, and transport costs). Given the above, year-end annual inflation for 2021 and 2022 is now expected to be 3% and 2.8%, respectively, which would be above projections from January (2.3% and 2,7%). For its part, expected inflation based on analyst surveys suggests year-end inflation in 2021 and 2022 of 2.8% and 3.1%, respectively. There remains significant uncertainty surrounding the inflation forecasts included in this report due to several factors: 1) the evolution of the pandemic; 2) the difficulty in evaluating the size and persistence of excess productive capacity; 3) the timing and manner in which price relief measures will lapse; and 4) the future behavior of food prices. Projected 2021 growth in foreign demand (4.4% to 5.2%) and the supposed average oil price (USD 53 to USD 61 per Brent benchmark barrel) were both revised upward. An increase in long-term international interest rates has been reflected in a depreciation of the peso and could result in relatively tighter external financial conditions for emerging market economies, including Colombia. Average growth among Colombia’s trade partners was greater than expected in the fourth quarter of 2020. This, together with a sizable fiscal stimulus approved in the United States and the onset of a massive global vaccination campaign, largely explains the projected increase in foreign demand growth in 2021. The resilience of the goods market in the face of global crisis and an expected normalization in international trade are additional factors. These considerations and the expected continuation of a gradual reduction of mobility restrictions abroad suggest that Colombia’s trade partners could grow on average by 5.2% in 2021 and around 3.4% in 2022. The improved prospects for global economic growth have led to an increase in current and expected oil prices. Production interruptions due to a heavy winter, reduced inventories, and increased supply restrictions instituted by producing countries have also contributed to the increase. Meanwhile, market forecasts and recent Federal Reserve pronouncements suggest that the benchmark interest rate in the U.S. will remain stable for the next two years. Nevertheless, a significant increase in public spending in the country has fostered expectations for greater growth and inflation, as well as increased uncertainty over the moment in which a normalization of monetary policy might begin. This has been reflected in an increase in long-term interest rates. In this context, emerging market economies in the region, including Colombia, have registered increases in sovereign risk premiums and long-term domestic interest rates, and a depreciation of local currencies against the dollar. Recent outbreaks of COVID-19 in several of these economies; limits on vaccine supply and the slow pace of immunization campaigns in some countries; a significant increase in public debt; and tensions between the United States and China, among other factors, all add to a high level of uncertainty surrounding interest rate spreads, external financing conditions, and the future performance of risk premiums. The impact that this environment could have on the exchange rate and on domestic financing conditions represent risks to the macroeconomic and monetary policy forecasts. Domestic financial conditions continue to favor recovery in economic activity. The transmission of reductions to the policy interest rate on credit rates has been significant. The banking portfolio continues to recover amid circumstances that have affected both the supply and demand for loans, and in which some credit risks have materialized. Preferential and ordinary commercial interest rates have fallen to a similar degree as the benchmark interest rate. As is generally the case, this transmission has come at a slower pace for consumer credit rates, and has been further delayed in the case of mortgage rates. Commercial credit levels stabilized above pre-pandemic levels in March, following an increase resulting from significant liquidity requirements for businesses in the second quarter of 2020. The consumer credit portfolio continued to recover and has now surpassed February 2020 levels, though overall growth in the portfolio remains low. At the same time, portfolio projections and default indicators have increased, and credit establishment earnings have come down. Despite this, credit disbursements continue to recover and solvency indicators remain well above regulatory minimums. 1.2 Monetary policy decision In its meetings in March and April the BDBR left the benchmark interest rate unchanged at 1.75%.

In many ways, 2015 was extraordinary for plant health protection. We had more new pest detections and saw higher numbers of pest outbreaks than in previous years, including the first-ever detection of old world bollworm in the continental United States and a record-setting 12 fruit fly outbreaks. The year 2015 was also an impressive year for agricultural trade. The value of U.S. agricultural exports exceeded the value of imports again, making the last 7 years the strongest period for American agricultural exports in the history of our country.

The Center for Plant Health Science and Technology (CPHST) supports the regulatory decisions and operations of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s (APHIS) Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) program through methods development, scientific investigation, analyses, and technology. This annual report provides an informative overview of the Center’s accomplishments and projects.

The Center for Plant Health Science and Technology (CPHST) supports the regulatory decisions and operations of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s (APHIS) Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) program through methods development, scientific investigation, analyses, and technology. This annual report provides an informative overview of CPHST’s many accomplishments and projects.

The Center for Plant Health Science and Technology (CPHST) provides scientific support for the regulatory decisions and operations of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s (APHIS) Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) program in order to safeguard U.S. agriculture and natural resources. CPHST is responsible for ensuring that PPQ has the information, tools, and technology to make the most scientifically valid regulatory and policy decisions possible. In addition, CPHST ensures that PPQ’s operations have the most scientifically viable and practical tools for pest exclusion, detection, and management. This 2009 CPHST Annual Report is intended to offer an in-depth look at the status of our programs and the progress CPHST has made toward the Center’s long-term strategic goals. CPHST's work is organized into six National Science Programs: Agricultural Quarantine Inspection and Port Technology; Risk and Pathway Analysis; Domestic Surveillance, Detection, and Identification; Emergency Response; Response and Recovery Systems Technology - Arthropods; and Response and Recovery Systems Technology - Plant Pathogens and Weeds. the scientists of CPHST provide leadership and expertise in a wide range of fields, including risk assessments that support trade, commodity quarantine treatments, pest survey and detection methods, molecular diagnostics, biological control techniques, integrated pest management, and mass rearing of insects. Some highlights of significant CPHST efforts in 2009 include: Establishment of the National Ornamentals Research Site at Dominican University of California, Established LBAM Integrated Pest Management and Survey Methods, Continue to develop Citrus Greening/Huanglongbing Management Tools, and further European Grapevine Moth (EGVM) Response.

This past year’s hard work and significant changes have enabled CPHST—a division of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), APHIS Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) program—to be an organization more capable and better aligned to support and focus on PPQ’s scientific needs. In 2007, CPHST developed the first PPQ strategic plan for CPHST. The plan shows where CPHST is going over the next 5 years, how it is going to get there, and how it will know if it got there or not. Moreover, CPHST plan identifies critical elements of PPQ’s overall strategic plan that must be supported by the science and technology services CPHST provides. The strategic plan was followed by an operational plan, which guarantees that the strategic plan is a living and breathing document. The operational plan identifies the responsibilities and resources needed to accomplish priorities in this fiscal year and measures our progress. CPHST identifies the pathways by which invasive plant pests and weeds can be introduced into the United States. CPHST develops, adapts, and supports technology to detect, identify, and mitigate the impact of invasive organisms. CPHST helps to ensure that the methods, protocols, and equipment used by PPQ field personnel are effective and efficient. All the work of CPHST is identified under one of the five program areas: Agricultural Quarantine Inspection and Port Technology, Molecular Diagnostics and Biotechnology, Response and Recovery Systems Technology, Risk and Pathway Analysis, and Survey Detection and Identification. CPHST scientists are leaders in various fields, including risk assessment, survey and detection, geographic information systems (GIS), molecular diagnostics, biocontrol techniques, methods and treatment, and mass rearing of insects. The following list outlines some of CPHST’s efforts in 2007: Responding to Emergencies, Developing and Supporting Technology for Treatments, Increasing Diagnostic Capacity, and Supporting Trade.