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George Town under quarantine for mealybug pests
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
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Dr Alfred Benjamin
Chief Agricultural and
Veterinary Officer |
Experts from the Department of Agriculture (DoA) have quarantined some areas of George Town following confirmed cases of pink hibiscus mealybug (PHM), which is a plant killer.
The DoA said they are working to contain and eradicate the serious plant pest that was discovered in the Cayman Islands' capital many weeks ago.
Chief Agricultural and Veterinary Officer Dr Alfred Benjamin said his department had been on alert for over a decade.
"For 12 years, the DOA has been on alert and monitoring the spread of PHM throughout the region," he said. "The aim, of course, was to keep the pest from Cayman's shores."
However, confirmation came on Wednesday, 21 June from the Florida Department of Agriculture's laboratory that suspected areas in George Town were positive for PHM.
The initial survey indicated that several properties within a quarter-mile radius have been affected, Dr Benjamin said.
He said the department's surveillance efforts are continuing in order to determine the true extent of the infested area.
He said the department is working closely with the Ministry of Agriculture in managing the PHM.
Once the presence of the pest was confirmed, department staff immediately launched their plan, which was developed in 1996 when PHM became a regional threat, to combat the pest.
The plan has been periodically updated, Dr Benjamin noted, which allowed it to be placed in action quickly.
The integrated pest management (IPM) plan includes four areas of control: cultural, classical biological, chemical and legal.
DoA's Assistant Director Adrian Estwick explained the workings of the various categories.
"With cultural control, the department will focus on removing and destroying heavily invested plants; classical biological control refers to importing and releasing natural enemies of the PHM," he said.
"Chemical control involves the responsible use of pesticides in specific cases, mostly nurseries, to work toward zero tolerance for PHM. Legal control could include quarantines of nurseries and garden centres if they become infected, as well as the implementation of laws governing within, as well as inter-island, movement of plants," Mr Estwick said.
PHM infests more than 250 agricultural and horticultural plant species. Some of the plants that can be affected include hibiscus; mahoe; sorrel; mango; sweet and sour sop; avocado, citrus, guava, tomato and peppers.
The pest feeds on plant sap and also releases toxic substances that may injure or slowly kill the plant.
While PHM have no effect on humans and animals, they can hitchhike on them and be carried away to infest plants in other areas. Wind and ants are other agents that can spread PHM.
In the mid-1990s, PHM caused economic losses in excess of $3.5 million a year in Grenada and $125 million a year in Trinidad and Tobago, according to US Department of Agriculture reports.
The Cayman public is urged to pay particular attention to plants on their properties, as well as those in public places by looking for white, cotton-like masses on the plants.
"If these are seen, do not attempt to cut or otherwise destroy the plants, as this would increase the risk of spreading the pest," Dr Benjamin said.
Officials of the DoA have advised the public to call the Department of Agriculture on 947-3090 or 1-800-534-BUGS (2847) if they spot any of the following:
Crinkled or twisted leaves and shoots; white, cotton-like masses on stems and trunks of plants; presence of ants; a sticky secretion, and black, sooty mould.
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