The Cuba-Florida plant-pest pathway

Recent shifts in US policies towards Cuba suggest a relaxation or lifting of the embargo may occur in the near future. With the prospects of open travel and trade with Cuba come concerns over the introduction of agricultural pests. In an effort to assess these concerns the distribution-based introduction risk of pests listed in the 2015 Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey’s (CAPS) list of priority pests of economic and environmental importance is reviewed. Of the 59 pests on the CAPS priority pest list, 20 have been recorded in the literature as being present in the Caribbean Basin, South America and Central America. For these 20 New World pests a commodity and distribution-based risk rating was assigned to describe their potential for introduction through the Cuba-Florida pest pathway. The highest rating was given to the six listed pests currently reported as being present in Cuba, and potential for introduction and subsequent impact of these six pests on Florida agriculture is discussed. In addition to the pests found on the 2015 CAPS priority pest list, information regarding pests of concern in the family Tephritidae and the Old World bollworm Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner), is also included, as is a description of the Cuban plant health and regulatory structure. The significance of plant-pest introductions between Cuba and Florida is discussed, with an emphasis on proactive engagement in research and collaboration to address these issues. Las nuevas políticas de los Estados Unidos hacia Cuba sugieren la posibilidad de que el embargo será suavizado o levantado en un futuro próximo. Asociada a la posible apertura del comercio con Cuba está la preocupación por la introducción de nuevas plagas agrícolas. En un esfuerzo por atender dicha preocupación, y tomando como base su distribución geográfica, este trabajo analiza las plagas comprendidas en la lista del 2015, elaborada por el Programa de Monitoreo de Plagas Agrícolas (CAPS Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey), la cual incluye aquellas que han sido consideradas prioritarias por la importancia económica y ambiental que supone su riesgo. La literatura reporta que 20 de las 59 plagas listadas están presentes en el Caribe, Centro y Sudamérica. A cada una de estas veinte plagas del Nuevo Mundo le fue asignada una categoría de riesgo que describe la posibilidad de introducción por la vía Cuba- Florida. La categoría de riesgo más alta fue atribuida a seis especies que han sido registradas en Cuba. Los autores discuten el potencial de introducción y los posibles efectos que éstas pueden causar en la agricultura de Florida. Además de las plagas clasificadas en la lista CAPS 2015, el artículo incluye información acerca de las que corresponden a la familia Tephritidae, así como del gusano cogollero Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner). A la vez, analizan el sistema de sanidad vegetal y la estructura regulatoria en Cuba. El artículo finaliza con una discusión sobre la importancia de los riesgos de introducción de plagas entre Cuba y Florida, haciendo énfasis en la necesidad de contar con un enfoque proactivo de investigación y colaboración entre ambos países para atender este problema

The Cuba-Florida plant-pest pathway

Recent shifts in US policies towards Cuba suggest a relaxation or lifting of the embargo may occur in the near future. With the prospects of open travel and trade with Cuba come concerns over the introduction of agricultural pests. In an effort to assess these concerns the distribution-based introduction risk of pests listed in the 2015 Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey’s (CAPS) list of priority pests of economic and environmental importance is reviewed. Of the 59 pests on the CAPS priority pest list, 20 have been recorded in the literature as being present in the Caribbean Basin, South America and Central America. For these 20 New World pests a commodity and distribution-based risk rating was assigned to describe their potential for introduction through the Cuba-Florida pest pathway. The highest rating was given to the six listed pests currently reported as being present in Cuba, and potential for introduction and subsequent impact of these six pests on Florida agriculture is discussed. In addition to the pests found on the 2015 CAPS priority pest list, information regarding pests of concern in the family Tephritidae and the Old World bollworm Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner), is also included, as is a description of the Cuban plant health and regulatory structure. The significance of plant-pest introductions between Cuba and Florida is discussed, with an emphasis on proactive engagement in research and collaboration to address these issues. Las nuevas políticas de los Estados Unidos hacia Cuba sugieren la posibilidad de que el embargo será suavizado o levantado en un futuro próximo. Asociada a la posible apertura del comercio con Cuba está la preocupación por la introducción de nuevas plagas agrícolas. En un esfuerzo por atender dicha preocupación, y tomando como base su distribución geográfica, este trabajo analiza las plagas comprendidas en la lista del 2015, elaborada por el Programa de Monitoreo de Plagas Agrícolas (CAPS Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey), la cual incluye aquellas que han sido consideradas prioritarias por la importancia económica y ambiental que supone su riesgo. La literatura reporta que 20 de las 59 plagas listadas están presentes en el Caribe, Centro y Sudamérica. A cada una de estas veinte plagas del Nuevo Mundo le fue asignada una categoría de riesgo que describe la posibilidad de introducción por la vía Cuba- Florida. La categoría de riesgo más alta fue atribuida a seis especies que han sido registradas en Cuba. Los autores discuten el potencial de introducción y los posibles efectos que éstas pueden causar en la agricultura de Florida. Además de las plagas clasificadas en la lista CAPS 2015, el artículo incluye información acerca de las que corresponden a la familia Tephritidae, así como del gusano cogollero Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner). A la vez, analizan el sistema de sanidad vegetal y la estructura regulatoria en Cuba. El artículo finaliza con una discusión sobre la importancia de los riesgos de introducción de plagas entre Cuba y Florida, haciendo énfasis en la necesidad de contar con un enfoque proactivo de investigación y colaboración entre ambos países para atender este problema

First report of \u3ci\u3eBrachyplatys subaeneus\u3c/i\u3e (Westwood) (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Plataspidae) in the United States

Brachyplatys subaeneus (Westwood) (Hemiptera: Plataspidae), is reported from Miami Beach, FL, the first report from the United States. It was noticed first on a photo-sharing site (iNaturalist) providing an example of the importance of these sites for helping to track introduced species. Information on distribution, host plants and potential spread are provided along with photos and taxonomic characters to assist with identification of this recently introduced species. ZooBank registration. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:332C0E76-9AE9-4069-9240-F55CADC6416

Use of Pyriproxyfen to Induce Oogenesis in Diapausing Megacopta cribraria (Heteroptera: Plataspidae), and Evaluation of Pyriproxyfen-Induced Eggs for Rearing the Parasitoid Paratelenomus saccharalis (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae)

The mass rearing of hymenopteran egg parasitoids requires an abundant supply of host eggs. The onset of reproductive diapause and subsequent decline in egg production poses a challenge for parasitoid rearing when using host colonies augmented by field-collected insects. We investigated the application of pyriproxyfen, a juvenile hormone analog, to induce oviposition in diapausing adult kudzu bugs, Megacopta cribraria (Fabricius) (Heteroptera: Plataspidae), and the use of eggs produced by pyriproxyfen-treated kudzu bugs to rear the egg parasitoid, Paratelenomus saccharalis (Dodd) (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae). The effects of pyriproxyfen and photoperiod treatments on host mortality, egg production, and rates of parasitoid eclosion from the eggs were used to calculate the parasitoid yield for the different treatment regimes. A combination of pyriproxyfen and a long-day photoperiod increased the parasitoid yield by 87% compared to acetone and a long-day photoperiod. The general applicability of JH-analog mediated egg production for parasitoid rearing is discussed

First report of \u3ci\u3eBrachyplatys subaeneus\u3c/i\u3e (Westwood) (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Plataspidae) in the United States

Brachyplatys subaeneus (Westwood) (Hemiptera: Plataspidae), is reported from Miami Beach, FL, the first report from the United States. It was noticed first on a photo-sharing site (iNaturalist) providing an example of the importance of these sites for helping to track introduced species. Information on distribution, host plants and potential spread are provided along with photos and taxonomic characters to assist with identification of this recently introduced species. ZooBank registration. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:332C0E76-9AE9-4069-9240-F55CADC6416

Psix striaticeps (Dodd) (Hymenoptera, Scelionidae): an Old World parasitoid of stink bug eggs arrives in Florida, USA

Psix striaticeps (Dodd) is an egg-parasitoid wasp previously known only from the Old World. We report this species from twelve counties in Florida, which are the first records in the Western Hemisphere. It was collected in yellow cylinder traps and reared from the eggs of three stink bug species: Nezara viridula L., Chinavia marginata (Palisot de Beauvois), and Piezodorus guildinii (Westwood). A COI barcode analysis found a 100% match between the Floridian population and a specimen from South Africa. The prospects of using Ps. striaticeps as a biological control agent against exotic stink bugs are discussed

First report of Brachyplatys subaeneus (Westwood) (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Plataspidae) in the United States

Brachyplatys subaeneus (Westwood) (Hemiptera: Plataspidae), is reported from Miami Beach, FL, the first report from the United States. It was noticed first on a photo-sharing site (iNaturalist) providing an example of the importance of these sites for helping to track introduced species. Information on distribution, host plants and potential spread are provided along with photos and taxonomic characters to assist with identification of this recently introduced species

Use of Pyriproxyfen to Induce Oogenesis in Diapausing <i>Megacopta cribraria</i> (Heteroptera: Plataspidae), and Evaluation of Pyriproxyfen-Induced Eggs for Rearing the Parasitoid <i>Paratelenomus saccharalis</i> (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae)

The mass rearing of hymenopteran egg parasitoids requires an abundant supply of host eggs. The onset of reproductive diapause and subsequent decline in egg production poses a challenge for parasitoid rearing when using host colonies augmented by field-collected insects. We investigated the application of pyriproxyfen, a juvenile hormone analog, to induce oviposition in diapausing adult kudzu bugs, Megacopta cribraria (Fabricius) (Heteroptera: Plataspidae), and the use of eggs produced by pyriproxyfen-treated kudzu bugs to rear the egg parasitoid, Paratelenomus saccharalis (Dodd) (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae). The effects of pyriproxyfen and photoperiod treatments on host mortality, egg production, and rates of parasitoid eclosion from the eggs were used to calculate the parasitoid yield for the different treatment regimes. A combination of pyriproxyfen and a long-day photoperiod increased the parasitoid yield by 87% compared to acetone and a long-day photoperiod. The general applicability of JH-analog mediated egg production for parasitoid rearing is discussed