Improving Control Systems in Thailand for Plant and Plants Products Intended for Export to the European Union co-funded by the European Union and

Transcription

1 Improving Control Systems in Thailand for Plant and Plants Products Intended for Export to the European Union co-funded by the European Union and Thai Department of Agriculture Phytosanitary treatments: developing standards Department of Agriculture 27 July 2011

2 Outline Role of the IPPC and the TPPT What are phytosanitary treatments? EC treatment requirements Development of international treatment standards (for ISPM 28) Review of alternative quarantine treatments Cold treatments, Heat treatments, Modified atmospheres, Alternative fumigants; Irradiation Systems approach

3 IPPC - the International Plant Protection Convention An international agreement on plant health with 177 country signatories. Aims to protect cultivated and wild plants by preventing the introduction and spread of pests. The Secretariat of the IPPC is provided by the Food & Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations (UN).

4 Technical Panel on Phytosanitary treatments TPPT meeting in Japan

5 What are phytosanitary treatments? Treatments to prevent the introduction and/or spread of quarantine pests Must target the organism (e.g. inside fruit) Be highly effective (near 100 % control) Do no harm to the commodity or create any hazards (health or environmental) Must be commercially viable in terms of cost and applicability

6 EC treatment requirements (1) EC treatments requirements are generic : PH Directive 2000/29/EC mentions appropriate treatments for example: Appropriate treatments aimed at eradicating. Appropriate treatments to eliminate, Treatments methods are not specified as such, so allows flexibility for the exporter Some countries (such as the USA) specify what treatments are required for import See APHIS Treatment Manual

7 EC requirements (2) EC leaves it up to the exporter to decide E,g. for fruits of Citrus originating in (non- EC) countries where Tephtitidae (non- European) are known to occur * The fruits have been subjected to an appropriate treatment, any acceptable vapour heat treatment, cold treatment, or quick freeze treatment, which has been shown to be efficient against the relevant organism without damaging the fruit, and, where not available, chemical treatment as far as it is acceptable by Community legislation. *PH Directive 2000/29/EC, Annex IV.A.I (16.5d)

8 INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS FOR PHYTOSANITARY MEASURES ISPM No. 28 PHYTOSANITARY TREATMENTS FOR REGULATED PESTS (2009) FAO 2009

9 ISPM 28: PHYTOSANITARY TREATMENTS FOR REGULATED PESTS International treatments standard A list of internationally recognized treatments (many in preparation) Specifying the minimum requirements to achieve treatment of a regulated pest at a stated efficacy (e.g. ED % ) Data requirements more detailed and specific than regional standards

10 Treatments are Annexes to ISPM 28 Treatments are usually specific for one pest and one commodity, e.g. cold treatment for Ceratitis capitata (med fly) in Citrus sinensis (orange) However, irradiation treatments apply to all fruits and vegetables (i.e. absorbed dose) Minimum efficacy usually % mortality at the 95% CL, but not specified N.B. Probit-9 = ED at the 95% CL

11 Adopted irradiation treatments (fruit flies) Irradiation treatments refer to the minimum absorbed dose to achieve quarantine security: 60 Gy to prevent the development of pupae of Rhagoletis pomonella 70 Gy to prevent emergence of adults fruit flies (Anastrepha ludens and A. obliqua) 100 Gy to prevent emergence of adult Ceratitis capitata, Anastrepha serpentina, Bactrocera jarvisi, B. tryoni 150 Gy to prevent emergence of any tephritid fruit fly (generic treatment)

12 Adopted irradiation treatments (Other insects) 92 Gy to prevent reproduction in adult Conotrachelus nenuphar (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) 150 Gy minimum to prevent development of F 1 adult Euscepes postfasciatus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) 165 Gy to prevent the development of F 1 adult Cylas formicarius elegantulus ( (Coleoptera: Brentidae): 200 Gy to prevent emergence of adult Cydia pomonella (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae)

13 Treatments submitted to TPPT (under review) Vapour heat treatments (VHT) for fruit flies in mango, papaya, melon, tomatoes High temperature forced air (HTFA) Hot air treatment (46.5 C for 10 mins) Cold treatments for fruit flies in oranges, mandarins, grapefruit Alternative fumigants (SF, MI, phosphine)

14 Methyl bromide (1) Highly toxic to a wide range of pests over the temperature range 5 to 30ºC Good penetration and rapid action Dose in the range g m -1 for 2 hours no appreciable damage to fresh horticultural and floricultural commodities But highly damaging to the Ozone layer and being phased out worldwide Costs are increasing/availability decreasing

15 Methyl bromide (2) Montreal Protocol provides an exemption for Quarantine and pre-shipment (QPS) uses MeBr can still be used for QPS purposes after phase-out date (2015 for Developing countries) But only where alternatives are unavailable MeBr is now banned in EC (not available at all) Countries are urged to use non-ozone-depleting technologies instead, wherever possible.

16 Alternatives to MeBr An ideal alternative treatment would: i) have rapid action against target species with low residues in commodities; ii) Be easy and safe to use iii) Be highly cost effective (v. important) However no one alternative product or treatments have all of these attributes!

17 Types of alternative quarantine treatments Alternative fumigants (sulfuryl fluoride, phosphine, HCN, SF + methyl iodide) Physical (cold, heat, hot air/water, vapour heat, radiofrequency heating: microwave) Chemical (e.g. chemical dips or sprays) Ionising radiation (Gamma rays, X-rays) Modified atmospheres (low O 2 /high CO 2, vacuum)

18 Alternative fumigants (SF) Sulfuryl fluoride (SO 2 F 2 ) alternative fumigants can produce phytotoxic effects Tolerance of perishable commodities (fruits) largely unknown SL is also a greenhouse gas! Under review: ucertainty about rate of removal of SF from the atmosphere

19 Alternative fumigants (phosphine) Primary fumigant used to protect stored grains and other commodities worldwide Not been used on living plants or fresh fruits and vegetables, because of the damage it causes Advantages: does not leave toxic residues or harm the viability of seeds/grains, and can be generated in situ on contact with moist air, diffuses rapidly Disadvantages: insect resistance can develop and the requirement for long exposure times.

20 ECO 2 FUME Eco 2 Fume phosphine fumigant EPA-registered product manufactured in the US 98% CO 2 and 2±0.2 % phosphine Developed in Australia registered as a treatment for cut flowers Shows promise for use on fresh produce, including citrus Reference: Macdonald OC & Mills KA (1995); Williams et al. (2000)

21 Cold treatments Mainly used to control fruit flies Kills the flies but does not damage the fruit! Tropical fruits are relatively tolerant Can be used as an in-transit treatment (i.e. after packing during transport) but, Must be closely monitored (+/- 0.1ºC) Need to determine most tolerant life stage No live pest must be present at the time of inspection (e.g. live larvae)

22 Example of a cold treatment Med fly (Ceritatis capitata) treatment developed by Spain for mandarin oranges (Citrus reticulata) Larval stages (=) more resistant than eggs 100% mortality occurs after 14 d at 2ºC 16 days at 2 C (ED ) = no survivors from 3 trials totaling 31,988 Guaranteed quarantine treatment for export from Spain Reference: Santaballa, R. Laborda, M. Cerdá (Bol. San. Veg. Plagas 35, 2009)

23 Oranges in cold store in South Africa: destination EC

24 10 cold treatments recommended for approval by TPPT For Ceratitis capitata on Citrus sinensis For Ceratitis capitata on Citrus reticulata For Ceratitis capitata on Citrus limon For Ceratitis capitata on Citrus paradisi x C. reticulata cultivar Murcott For Ceratitis capitata on Citrus paradisi For Ceratitis capitata on Citrus reticulata cultivars and hybrids For Bactrocera tryoni on Citrus sinensis For Bactrocera tryoni on Citrus reticulata For Bactrocera tryoni on Citrus limon For Bactrocera tryoni on Citrus paradisi x C. reticulata cultivar Murcott

25 Hot water immersion treatments Most commonly used worldwide; simplest form of heat treatment Exposure time depends on where insects are located within plant tissue and size of fruit (small fruits can be damaged) Used as quarantine treatment for mangoes and papaya (vars. or cultivars vary) Damage in heated water may be prevented by gradual heating, or pre-conditioning (sublethal heating) before the actual heat treatment Need chlorination to avoid salmonella!

26 Hot water treatments examples Mangoes imported from Latin America to USA : Treatment: 46.1 C for min, kill fruit flies) Depending on shape and weight Also used for longans and lychees exported from Hawaii to the continental US. 49 C for 20-min hot water immersion of limes, Citrus latifolia, killed mealybugs (Planococcus citri and Pseudococcus odermatti) and other external arthropods.

27 Hot air treatments Fresh commodities can tolerate heated air better than heated water Many fruits tolerate hot air temperatures up to 52 C Treatment time can therefore be short <3 hr Used for some tropical fruits, e.g. papaya and mango (but not temperate fruits) Australian mangoes exposed to 46.5 C for 10 mins against QFF in mangoes - Probit-9 security

28 High temperature (hot) forced air treatments HTFA: hot air is forced through a fruit load to achieve faster and more uniform temperatures 47.2 º C for 240 min approved by USA for papaya imports from Belize, Hawaii, Chile 48ºC for mangoes from Mexico Need to test individual fruit varieties or cultivars in trials (i.e. cannot extrapolate) Disadvantages: long duration and not suitable all fruits (e.g. avacados)

29 Vapour heat treatments Aim to raise the centre of the fruit to temp between c. 43 to 47º for certain time depending on the pest and commodity E.g. VHT for Netted melon (Cucumis melo var. reticulatus) for Bactrocera curcubitacae evaluated by TPPT and recommended for adoption (ISPM 28) Melons exposed to saturated water vapour at 46 C for 30 min after the core temperature reaches 45 C, followed by cooling at ambient (room) air temperatures ( Efficacy: ED %a t the 95% CL

30 Thai fruit exports to Japan

31 Vapour Heat Treatment in Thailand Used for mangoes exported to Japan New 60 million Baht VHT facility at Kasetsart University VHT until the temperature of the inner mesocarp of mango reached 47 C for 10 mins. India is also using this treatment

32 Controlled atmosphere/ temperature treatment system Combination treatment: Low O 2 /high CO 2 treatments combine well with elevated temperatures to kill insects CATTS an environmentally friendly post-harvest treatment: high temp forced-air with low O 2 /high CO 2 Grapefruit, Citrus paradisi, infested w. Mexican fruitfly, Anastrepha ludens: 99% mortality at 47ºC air and low oxygen. USDA approval: apples, peaches, nectarines, cherries Hallman (2010),. J. Econ. Entomol. 103(1): 34-39

33 Microwave (MW) heating ISPM No 15, Annex 1: Regulation of Wood Packaging Material in International Trade MW approved treatment for Wood packaging material: (e.g. Pine Wood Nematode) Irradiation of wood for minimum of 60 C for 1 min (Probit-9) MW pre-heating treatments (Thai research) microwave-vapor heat treatment (MW-VHT) for mangoes (Mangifera indica L.) to disinfest the oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (Varith et al., 2007)

34 Conclusions regarding heat treatments Most heat treatments can cause some kind of detrimental effect on the quality of the commodity The overall goal is to minimise the detrimental effects whilst maintaining the efficacy of the treatment (Hansen & Johnson, 2007) The tolerance of the commodity must be carefully considered

35 Irradiation treatments (1) Doses measured in Grays (Gy) or (kgy) 1) cobalt 60 and cesium radio-isotopes generate Gamma rays or 2) machine generated X-rays and electrons (E-beam) Doses applied after packing and palletising Does not result in acute mortality (would need to much irradiation to kill insects outright) Insects may survive for days, but do not develop (arrested) or reproduce (i.e. sterile) Problem (for EC): how to deal with live (but nonviable) insects present on inspection?

36 Gamma rays passing through water Cobalt 60 irradiation source

37 Irradiation treatments (2) Setting lowest irradiation dose to achieve quarantine security allows extension of the treatment to more irradiation sensitive hosts. Also, in practice, doses of 2x absorbed dose are required as distribution is uneven ( dose mapping required) in commercial practice Puts an effective limit on irradiation doses as any higher than 1,000 Gy will damage some fruits Search for generic dose (400 Gy?) for all insects (other than Lepidopteran pupae)

38 Variable tolerance to irradiation High tolerance: Apple, cherry date, guava, longan, cantaloupe, nectarine, papaya, rambutan, raspberry, strawberry, tomato Medium tolerance: Apricot, banana, cherimoya, fig, grapefruit, kumquat, loquat, litchi, orange, passion fruit, pear, pineapple, plum, tangelo, tangerine Low tolerance; Avocado, cucumber, grape, green bean, lemon Reference: Dr. Bhaskar Savani presentation on the benefits of irradiation for the mango industry given at 19th annual ftbg mango festival

39 Irradiation treatments (EC) All irradiated foods/ingredients in EU must comply with EC Dir. 1999/2/EC and 1999/3/EC No safety issues, just public acceptance In EC, only food irradiated in approved facilities and labeled as irradiated can occur. Irradiation not currently used as quarantine treatment in Europe Need to add to positive list (only includes dried aromatic herbs, spices and vegetable seasonings ) National authorisations required

40 Gamma irradiation facility in South Africa

41 Irradiation treatment for fruit flies of the family Tephritidae Generic treatment Listed in Annex 7 to ISPM 28 Treatment: Minimum absorbed dose of 150 Gray to prevent the emergence of adults of fruit flies. Efficacy and confidence level of the treatment is ED at the 95% confidence level (Probit-9) Treatment should be applied in accordance with ISPM No. 18 (Guidelines for the use of irradiation as a phytosanitary measure).

42 Systems approach to quarantine security Integration of different Pest Risk Management measures (into a protocol) at least 2 of which act independently cumulatively (i.e. together) achieve the appropriate level of phytosanitary protection (FAO 2004). Pest surveys and trapping Insecticide applications Culling of infested commodities Post-harvest disinfestation treatment Insect-proof containers and storage

43 Conclusions In the absence of any one alternative solution, and few viable alternative fumigants, there probably needs to be an emphasis on physical methods (e.g. heat, cold or irradiation treatments) Non-host status (i.e. pest does not infest) Pest risk analysis Systems approach

44 Thank-you! Thank-you!

45 Methyl Q&A session Who is still using MeBr as a quarantine treatment for perishable commodities (such as fresh fruit, cut flowers, ornamental plants)? Are alternatives available? Is there research being carried out to develop alternatives? Research needed to tailor treatments to specific commodities