This summer, Southern University Ag Center urban forestry scientists are collaborating with USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) in response to exotic fruit fly risks on a biosecurity project through surveillance activities for early detection of fruit flies. This project aims at sharing resources and conducting detection and control programs.

The National Identification Services (NIS) coordinates the identification of plant pests in support of USDA's regulatory programs. Accurate and timely identifications of pests provide the foundation for quarantine action decisions and are essential in the effort to safeguard the nation's agricultural and natural resources against bioterrorism. Therefore, NIS collaborates with scientists who specialize in various plant pest groups, including weeds, insects, mites, snails and plant diseases. These scientists are stationed at a variety of institutions around the country, including federal research laboratories, plant inspection stations, land-grant universities, and natural history museums.

In 2006 APHIS reported that fruit flies were "among the most destructive, feared and well-publicized pests of fruits and vegetables around the world". Two genera of fruit flies pose the greatest risk to U.S. agriculture. Introduction of these pest species into the United States "causes economic losses from destruction and spoiling of host commodities by larvae, costs associated with implementing control measures, and loss of market share due to restrictions on shipment of host commodities."

Southern University Ag Center researcher Daniel Collins, PhD, is joining forces with USDA to identify and combat incidence of fruit flies in the city. "Timely identification of pests is the key to prevention and eradication of pests," said Collins.



For more information, contact Collins at (225) 771-2262 ext. 268 or daniel_collins@suagcenter.com.

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