Lichie In Thailand

I. Executive Summary:

The Government of Thailand requested permission to export Litchi chinensis (lychee or litchi), Dimocarpus longan (longan), Mangifera indica (mango), Garcinia mangostana L. (mangosteen), Nephelium lappaceum L. (rambutan), and Ananas comosus (pineapple) fruits into the United States (U.S.). These commodities have not been exported from Thailand before, so Thailand provideda detailed information on pests associated with these commodities in that country. The information was based on (1) extensive survey data on litchi grown in Thailand, (2) the published scientific literature and (3) pest interception records of the United States Department of Agriculture (PIN309, 2003). Thailand further proposed to treat each fruit with an APHIS approved generic irradiationtreatment that would mitigate all pathway risks from insect pests.

Based on the pest information provided by Thailand and the fact that Thailand would treat all six export commodities with an APHIS approved irradiation treatment, APHIS determined that a pest list that would identify all quarantine pests associated with the commodities that would be likely to follow the pathway would be suficientinformation to evaluate pathway risks, and that more detailed pest risk assessments analyzing likelihood of introduction of each pest were not needed. This streamlined approach would also meet one of APHIS’ objectives behind the development of a generic irradiation treatment for most plant pests. APHIS’ Center for Plant Health Science and Technology (CPHST) therefore compiled a pest list foreach commodity, identified pests of quarantine significance that had the possibility to be introduced via import of fresh fruit and discussed the risk potential of the pests not targeted by the irradiation treatment.

Analysis of the pest lists for each commodity indicated that all but three pests likely to follow the pathway are insect pests and could be effectively neutralized with theirradiation generic dose of 400 Gy (USDA 2006). A litchi rust mite, Aceria litchi, on litchi and longan a pathogens, Peronophythora litchii, on litchis and a pathogen, Phomopsis mangiferae, on mangoes, however, may not effectively be neutralized by irradiation and require additional measures to prevent their introduction into the United States.

A commmodity by commodity analysis of pest risks andmitigations are further discussed.

II. Litchi:

A. Introduction

The pest list completed by CPHST for litchis from Thailand identified twelve potential quarantine pests that could follow the pathway on Litchi chinensis fruit (USDA 2007, Table A4). These include ten insect pests, one mite and one fungus as follows:

Insect pests:
Bactrocera cucurbitae (Coquillet) (Diptera: Tephritidae)Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) (Diptera: Tephritidae)
Ceroplastes rubens (Maskell) (Hemiptera/Homoptera: Coccidae)
Coccus viridis (Green) (Hemiptera/Homoptera: Coccidae)
Dysmicoccus neobrevipes (Beardsley) (Hemiptera/Homoptera: Pseudococcidae)
Planococcus lilacinus (Cockerell) (Hemiptera/Homoptera: Pseudococcidae)
Planococcus minor (Maskell) (Hemiptera/Homoptera: Pseudococcidae)Conopomorpha sinensis (Bradley) (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae)
Cryptophlebia ombrodelta (Lower) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae)
Deudorix epijarbas (Moore) (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae)

Mites:
Aceria litchii (Keiffer) = Eriophyes litchii (Acari: Eriophydae)

Fungi:
Peronophythora litchii (Pythiales: Pythiaceae)

The proposed importation of litchi fruit from Thailand, if approved, would be regulated by anamendment to the existing fruits and vegetables regulations [7 CFR § 319.56]. This document outlines the phytosanitary measures that APHIS will require if the proposed importation of litchi from Thailand is approved and documents the evidence used by APHIS to conclude that these measures will effectively prevent the introduction of quarantine pests.

B. Proposed Risk Mitigation Measures for...