California Fruit and Vegetable

Category: Pest/Disease Management

  • UC Davis Researchers Target Spotted-Wing Drosophila and its Threat Against California Berries

    Back in 2010, the UC Davis entomology labs of integrated pest management specialist Frank Zalom and molecular geneticist and physiologist Joanna Chiu  joined forces to target the spotted-wing drosophila (SWD), a serious threat to berry production in California.

    Drosophila suzukii, native to southeast Asia and first discovered in California in 2008, lays its eggs in such soft-skinned, ripening fruits as strawberries, raspberries, cherries, blueberries, peaches, nectarines, apricot and grape.

    It packs a powerful economic impact. The first year of its discovery in California, the economic loss amounted to $500 million. Latest statistics from 2015 indicate a $700 million national economic loss.

    The Zalom lab discovered the first SWD field populations with insecticide resistance in 2017. As the pest continues to spread throughout much of the country, anxious growers are worried about its increased resistance to pesticides.

    The team’s newly published research in Scientific Reports is the first to characterize the molecular mechanisms of insecticide resistance in D. suzukii and provide insights into how current management practices can be optimized.

    Lead author of the paper, “Transcriptome Analysis of Drosophila suzukii Reveals Molecular Mechanisms Conferring Pyrethroid and Spinosad Resistance,” is Christine Tabuloc, then a doctoral candidate and now a postdoctoral researcher working under the mentorship of Professors Chiu and Zalom.

    “In this work, we leveraged high throughput sequencing to identify biomarkers of insecticide resistance in D. suzukii,” Tabuloc explained. “We found that different genes are responsible for resistance to different chemicals. Specifically, we found that genes involved in metabolism are highly expressed in flies resistant to pyrethroid insecticides. We also observed evidence of two different mechanisms of resistance in 2 lines generated from a single spinosad-resistant population. We found an increased expression of metabolic genes in one line and increased expression of cuticular genes in the other.”

    “Therefore, we developed a diagnostic panel using these biomarker genes to differentiate between pyrethroid resistance and spinosad resistance,” Tabuloc related. “Not only can our assay now inform whether there is resistance, it can tell us which chemical the population is resistant to and how severe the resistance is. Additionally, this method is faster, enables for the testing of more populations, and is more comprehensive as compared to bioassays, the conventional way of testing for resistance.”

    Tabuloc added that “our work has enabled for the detection of resistance in California populations, and we are currently doing a nationwide screening to determine whether resistance is now present in other states. Currently, we are working with the Zalom lab to use the results of our assays to try and combat resistance. There are experiments in progress trying to increase the efficacy of insecticides by blocking some of the genes involved in resistance, such that the enzymes encoded by those genes have decreased function.”

    Zalom, a UC Davis distinguished professor emeritus who directed the UC Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program for 16 years, said he has been “working on spotted-wing drosophila with Dr. Chiu and her lab members since she joined the UC Davis faculty in 2010, and it has been an absolute pleasure.”

    Zalom, a past president of the 7000-member Entomological Society of America (ESA) and an elected Honorary Member, ESA’s highest honor, praised Chiu, a 2019-2024 Chancellor’s Fellow professor and now chair of the Department of Entomology and Nematology, as “one of the most collaborative researchers who I have ever worked with. When our lab found the first SWD field populations with insecticide resistance in 2017, it seemed obvious to ask Dr. Chiu about identifying the mechanism of resistance to different chemical classes and if it would be possible to develop a molecular diagnostic to confirm presence of  insecticide resistance in field populations without conducting the time consuming and labor-intensive bioassays that we were using.”

    “Dr. Chiu and her PhD student Christine Tabuloc took on this challenge and their work culminated in the description of genes associated with the resistance and the diagnostic assay presented in this paper,” Zalom said.

    The Zalom lab “selected the SWD isolines from California field populations displaying resistance to pyrethroids and spinosyns after conducting bioassays on many hundreds of SWD adults, then helped Dr. Tabuloc validate  results of the molecular assay,” he said.

    “This work not only represents good science; it has very practical implications,” Zalom said. “Dr. Tabuloc and I presented results of the work from both of our labs at a special berry grower seminar on insecticide resistance organized by UC Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR) Farm Advisor Mark Bolda in Watsonville. The presentations were extremely well-received. The original program was targeted for about 1.5 hours, but the meeting extended to over three hours due to the extent of questions and great discussion that followed. Growers and their consultants are hungry for new information that they find interesting and potentially useful, and this work was clearly of interest to them.”

    Bolda, strawberry and caneberry farm advisor in Santa Cruz, Monterey and San Benito counties, “was the first person who found the insect and asked me to come down to look at it and the problem,” Zalom remembered. “That was 2008, and we weren’t able to get an actual species identification until 2009!”

    Bolda noted that the recent berry grower meeting targeted SWD resistance on the Central Coast, with the UC Davis entomologists presenting. “The research was top shelf and the need, of course, is very great,” Bolda said. “Some of the information that Frank and Christine presented has been put into immediate use in the industry.”

    “What made it really special was that since we were moving only a month or so later, and this was the last Extension meeting to be held at my UC Cooperative Extension Office,” Bolda said. “After 40 some years, that’s saying a lot and it was totally apropros that Frank, given his many, many years of service, was the very last to run a meeting there….and Christine presented also…she was really great and presented fabulous information.”

    Among the “iconic individuals of Central Coast strawberries” who attended, Bolda said, was retired entomologist Ed Show (Driscoll Strawberry Association, Inc.) “who has been a part of strawberries since the 1970s.”

    “It was nostalgic for me since it was the last meeting that was held there because they were moving to a new office,” Zalom said. “I must have done 80 presentations at that auditorium over the years, including some of the very first ones that I did when returning to California when I was doing research on brussels sprouts and apples in that area.”

    Fruitville Collaboration. Professor Chiu said the publication “culminated years of fruitful collaboration and hard work by our lab and Professor Zalom’s lab, primarily driven by Christine…This research could not have been accomplished without Christine who is uniquely qualified to successfully lead the project; she combines her knowledge in insect genomics and bioinformatics with Drosophila molecular genetics.”

    Chiu pointed out that “When the Zalom lab and my lab first started our collaboration in 2010, we were already worried about the potential development of insecticide resistance in D. suzukii given the primary method for management is insecticide application and the generation time of these flies are short. Unfortunately, this became a reality in 2017.”

    “We hope that our research in developing more efficient molecular diagnostics to identify resistant populations will help prevent the spread of resistance to other U.S. states by allowing them to be proactive; perhaps to adjust their management program as soon as low level of resistance is detected,” Chiu said. “We are continuing to perform research to determine if resistance, once found, can be ‘weakened’ and what are mechanisms that could drive it. We think this will be very beneficial for growers in California, who currently have to tackle D. suzukiiwith insecticide resistance.”

    Tabuloc, who joined the Chiu lab as an undergraduate research assistant in 2012, received her bachelor of science degree in biochemistry and molecular biology from UC Davis in 2015, and her doctorate from UC Davis in 2023.

    In addition to Chiu, Zalom and Tabuloc, the 12-member team of researchers and co-authors included Curtis Carlson, Kyle Lewald, Sergio Hidalgo, Cindy Truong and Ching-Hsuan Chen, all from the Chiu lab; Nicole Nicola and Fatemeh Ganjisaffar of the Zalom lab; and Cera Jones and Ashfaq Sial of the Department of Entomology, University of Georgia, Athens. At the time, Truong and Chen were undergraduates, and Ganjisaffar was a postdoctoral fellow, and now a senior environmental scientist with the California Department of Food and Agriculture.

    Federal and state grants awarded to Chiu and Zalom funded the project: a USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture; and a California Department of Food and Agriculture Specialty Crop Block Grant. The team credits Bloomington Drosophila Stock Center for providing D. melanogaster stocks.

  • Economic Analysis Reveals Significant Impacts of Pesticide Policies on California Lettuce Production

    Today, Californians for Smart Pesticide Policy (CSPP) released a comprehensive economic analysis highlighting possible implications of elements of California’s proposed Sustainable Pest Management (SPM) framework that would result in impacts on the state’s lettuce production industry. The study, conducted by economists Jarrett Hart, Duncan MacEwan, Jay Noel, and Amrith Gunasekara, underscores the critical need for effective and timely pest management solutions to safeguard the state’s agricultural productivity.

    The economic impact of pesticide restrictions is profound, with projections indicating a 7.3 percent decrease in California’s lettuce production due to restrictions on key pesticides such as neonicotinoids and pyrethroids. This would result in an annual loss of $160.3 million to producers and an additional cost of $694.28 million to consumers. Additionally, the shift in production from California to other regions like Arizona and Mexico would increase production costs and consumer prices, further straining the state’s agricultural economy.

    The consequences of delays in pesticide registration are equally concerning. The study reveals that California’s stringent and lengthy registration process leads to a reduction in lettuce production, with producers losing $42.8 million and costing consumers $139.3 million annually. The state’s process, which can extend 1-3 years following federal approvals, hinders innovation and delays the availability of new, effective pest management products to California growers.

    Market shifts and regulatory leakage are anticipated as a result of these proposed policies. The economic analysis predicts a modest short-run decrease in lettuce prices and a production shift from California to Arizona and Mexico. In the long run, more stringent pesticide policies would drive a significant portion of lettuce production out of California, resulting in increased prices throughout the supply chain, including for consumers.

    The implications of the proposed SPM framework are significant. While the SPM framework aims to phase out harmful pesticides, without viable alternatives, this policy could undermine California’s agricultural sector.

    CSPP is dedicated to balanced pesticide policies that protect California’s agriculture and economy while ensuring environmental sustainability and public health. We strive to promote informed decision-making through comprehensive research and economic analysis. For more information on this study and CSPP’s initiatives, please visit our website at https://ca4pestpolicy.org/.

  • Fruit Fly Quarantines Lifted in Contra Costa & Los Angeles Counties

    California Citrus Pest & Disease Prevention Program — The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) has officially declared an end to the Tau fruit fly quarantine in Los Angeles County, and an end to the Oriental fruit fly quarantine in Contra Costa County following the successful eradication of the invasive pests.

    Tau Fruit Fly Quarantine

    The Tau fruit fly quarantine, which was established in the Santa Clarita area of Los Angeles County, was the first-ever quarantine for the Tau fruit fly in the Western Hemisphere. It encompassed the city of Santa Clarita and surrounding areas in parts of Stevenson Ranch, Newhall, Castaic Junction, Oat Mountain and Del Valle.

    Thanks to the diligent efforts of Santa Clarita area residents, local agricultural officials, the Los Angeles County Department of Agricultural Commissioner/Weights and Measures, and officials from CDFA and the United States Department of Agriculture, the invasive pest has been successfully eradicated from the area as of June 28.

    “Following one of the largest statewide invasive fruit fly populations we’ve seen in a number of years in California, we’re incredibly proud that we’ve been able to successfully achieve eradication of the Tau fruit fly,” said Victoria Hornbaker, director of CDFA’s Plant Health and Pest Prevention Services Division. “The lifting of this quarantine proves that our efforts are working, and the responsiveness and cooperation of residents across California and our partners is critical to that success.”

    During the quarantine, crops that are hosts for the fruit fly — which include more than 300 varieties, such as citrus and other fruits, nuts, vegetables and berries — were not allowed to be moved from the properties where they were grown. Commercial crops were required to meet stringent treatment or processing standards before being harvested or moved.

    Oriental Fruit Fly Quarantine

    The announcement comes 10 months after officials first detected populations of the Oriental fruit fly in the area. This destructive pest has been eliminated through the cooperation and diligence of Contra Costa County residents and local agricultural officials, the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), working in coordination with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Contra Costa County Agricultural Commissioner.

    “We’re pleased to report this is the third Oriental fruit fly quarantine lifted in California this year,” said Victoria Hornbaker, director of CDFA’s Plant Health and Pest Prevention Services Division. “These recent successes prove that through the cooperation of residents across the state and our partners, eradication of invasive species is possible.”

    While several fruit fly quarantines have now been lifted in California, additional quarantines remain and still threaten the state’s natural environment, agriculture and economy. To review all active quarantine maps, please visit CAFruitFly.com.

    When at home, residents are encouraged to stay vigilant for signs of invasive pests. To help prevent any future introductions of invasive species, residents should follow these guidelines:

    • Cooperate with agricultural officials and allow them access to your garden to place traps, inspect plants, conduct necessary treatments or remove potentially infested produce.
    • Determine if your property is located within an active quarantine area by visiting CAFruitFly.com.
    • Buy fruit trees and vegetable plants from licensed California nurseries. Purchasing agricultural goods from uncertified sources can spread invasive pests. Source your plants locally and responsibly. To find a licensed nursery near you, visit CDFA’s Directory of Licensed Nurseries.
    • Inspect your garden for signs of invasive fruit flies or maggots and report any findings to CDFA at 1-800-491-1899 or your local county agricultural commissioner’s office.
    • When entering the United States from another country, avoid bringing agricultural products — including fruits or vegetables. Help us protect our agricultural and natural resources and California’s unique biodiversity from invasive fruit flies — please Don’t Pack a Pest (dontpackapest.com) when traveling or mailing/receiving packages.

    To learn more about invasive species and how to protect the county’s fruits and vegetables, visit CAFruitFly.com or contracosta.ca.gov.

  • Managing Aphids in California Prune Orchards

    By Sudan Gyawaly, UCCE Northern Sacramento Valley IPM Advisor — ‘Leaf curl plum aphid’ and ‘mealy plum aphid’ are the key pests of prune orchards in the northern Sacramento Valley. Both aphid species survive the winter in the orchard at egg stage near the base of buds. Once hatched, around bloom time, they vigorously feed on the young foliage and build up their population quickly. From May (leaf curl plum aphid) and June/July (mealy plum aphid), most aphids leave the prune trees and feed on alternate weed hosts outside the orchard.

    Mealy plum aphid

    Both aphid species infest growing leaves and stems in spring and summer, which can cause curling and stunting of the leaves. Serious aphid infestation can reduce tree growth, vigor, and potentially reduce fruit sugar content. Accumulation of honeydew, which these aphids excrete while feeding, results in the development of sooty mold which can potentially lead to fruit cracking.

    Damage caused by plum leaf curl aphid, Jack Kelly Clark, UC IPM

    Determining the need to spray for aphids and optimum spray timing.

    The decision to spray for aphids depends on the past and present orchard aphid pressure, which also helps determine the optimum spray timing. Also, the need to spray for other prune pests (such as scale or peach twig borer) can influence the selection of materials and application timings for aphids. Several pesticide options are available for aphid control for different application timings (see table, below). An effective aphid management program should always weigh the relative cost, efficacy, and impacts on natural enemies and surface water quality.

    If aphids are a consistent problem in an orchard, a late fall/early dormancy (Nov-early Dec) spray with a low label rate of a pyrethroid insecticide provides good control of aphids. Low label rates of these insecticides applied at this time are effective, yet the risk of surface water runoff is reduced. Oil spray during this period can seriously impact parasites (natural enemies) and is not recommended, especially if leaves are still on trees.

    Dormant sprays (late Dec-Jan) of pyrethroid or pyrethroid plus oil treatments are effective against aphids and other pests, such as scale and PTB. However, this application timing poses higher risks of surface water contamination.

    If a fall/dormant spray is not applied, dormant spur sampling can help decide the need for aphid sprays at bloom. Dormant spur sampling for aphids involves sampling for aphid eggs, and the treatment threshold for aphids is just 1 egg out of 100 spurs. However, aphid eggs can be hard to find on dormant spurs, and not finding eggs on spurs doesn’t mean none are present. Therefore, a spring/summer monitoring is necessary to complement the dormant spur sampling if no eggs were found on dormant spurs. Bloom time sprays of narrow-range oil are effective against aphids.

    If aphids are only an occasional problem in the orchard and sprays were not applied at fall/dormant or bloom time, the need to spray for aphids is based on spring/summer monitoring. Spring/summer aphid monitoring involves weekly monitoring (from petal fall until a treatment is applied or July 15) of 40 trees/block for aphid infestation and determining if those trees have significant (aphid covering >10% of tree leaf surface) aphid infestations. Treatment is warranted if a threshold (12 out of 40 trees monitored in a block) have significant aphid infestation. Click this link for details on spring/summer monitoring.

    The table below (adopted from Franz Niederholzer) provides a good summary of various prune aphid control materials, their application timings, efficacy against key prune pest and risks to water quality.

    Label is the law. Always read the label of the product being used.

    Disclaimer: Products listed in this table do not constitute a recommendation, and many of the active ingredients presented in this article can be purchased under multiple trade names.

  • Rely® 280 Herbicide Available for Use in California Avocado Groves

    The California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) has approved the herbicide Rely® 280 (glufosinate-ammonium) for use in avocado groves in California. Rely® 280 is a post-emergence broad-spectrum herbicide for use against broadleaf and grassy weeds. Glufosinate-ammonium is an excellent alternative to glyphosate, especially for those weeds that have developed glyphosate resistance.

    The California Avocado Commission provided funding for Dr. Peggy Mauk, extension professor for subtropical horticulture at the University of California, Riverside, to conduct efficacy trials with glufosinate-ammonium and the IR-4 program provided funding for the required phytotoxicity (crop safety) trials. “Glufosinate-ammonium is an effective broad-spectrum herbicide,” said Mauk. “The weed that is the biggest problem here in Riverside is mare’s tail or hairy fleabane (Erigeron bonariensis). Glufosinate will kill it depending on the application timing and size of the plants. Treating for weeds is also going to be seasonal… the spring is usually worse because spring rains bring a lot of weeds, especially this past year.”

    Currently, growers must have a copy of the DPR approved supplemental label in their possession when using Rely® 280. The DPR-approved label has a stamp on it with the wording “LABELING ACCEPTABLE State of California Department of Pesticide Regulation Pesticide Registration” and can be downloaded here. This supplemental label expires on December 1, 2025, and BASF, Rely® 280’s manufacturer, anticipates that all old product will be used by that date and new product with avocado listed on the package label will be fully in the supply chain by that date.

    Dr. Mauk’s phytotoxicity trials found minimal damage, assuming sound application practices are followed. “Spray applications should not be made when there is a breeze,” Mauk emphasized. “If the wind carries the herbicide onto the plants, there can be some leaf discoloration. The discoloration appears as occasional purple spots on the leaves. There is not widespread damage. We also never saw any discoloration on the avocado fruit.”

    General questions about this registration can be directed to CAC’s Research Director Dr. Tim Spann at tim@spannag.com or (423) 609-3451. For specific questions regarding the use of Rely® 280, growers should contact their Pest Control Advisor. — By Ben Faber, UC Cooperative Extension

  • Victoria Hornbaker Moves from Director of Citrus Pest & Disease Prevention Division to Plant Health and Pest Prevention Services Division

    The California Department of Food and Agriculture’s (CDFA) Citrus Pest and Disease Prevention Division (CPDPD) has announced that as of May 14, 2024, Victoria Hornbaker, former director of the CPDPD, will transition to her new role as the director of the CDFA’s Plant Health and Pest Prevention Services (PHPPS) Division. David Gutierrez, branch chief of the CPDPD, will serve as interim director while a recruitment process is conducted to find a permanent hire for the role.

    During her tenure, Victoria played a pivotal role in the development of the CPDPD, which was officially declared a division of CDFA in 2019. For the past 11 years, Victoria has led efforts to develop and execute innovative strategies to manage various citrus pest and disease threats, including the Asian citrus psyllid and Huanglongbing.

    With Victoria’s transition to her new position as director of the PHPPS Division, David Gutierrez has been appointed as the interim director of the CPDPD, bringing his experience of serving as branch chief to the role, and will maintain the CPDPD’s various operations and activities during this transitional period.

    CDFA will be recruiting for a permanent director to lead the CPDPD in the coming months. For any questions regarding the CPDPD or this transition, please email cdfa.cpdpd@cdfa.ca.gov.

  • Rising Fruit Fly Populations Concern California Growers

    Fruit fly populations spiked last season and brought multiple species, compounding the damage to vineyards and orchards following Hurricane Hilary.  This is a continued concern for California fruit growers moving into the 2024 season with limited pest management tools available. Watch this brief California Ag Network interview with Adam Borchard from the California Fresh Fruit Association to learn more.

  • Root Inhibitor Herbicide Injury in Tomatoes

    Pic 1 Swollen stems at the soil line

    Root inhibitor herbicides such as Trifluralin (Treflan HFP) and Pendimethalin (ProwlH2O) are soil applied and preplant- incorporated and used for control of many annual grasses and broadleaves in processing tomatoes in the Central Valley.

    This year, I have seen symptoms from these root inhibiting herbicide injury in a processing tomato field and the damage was quite uniform and widespread in the field. The affected plants had a very atypical swelling at the soil line, were wilting and collapsing (Pic 1, 2 and 3). The stems were very brittle and easily snapped at the soil line near the swollen stems (Pic 4), which is a characteristic of Pendimethalin injury. There was some lodging in the field probably due to winds or a rainy event (Pic 3).

    Pic 2 Wilted plants in the field.

    It is hard to predict why this happened as the herbicides are supposed to be incorporated into the top 2-3 inches of soil where the weeds germinate, and the transplants are plugged deeper. One of the hypotheses could be that there were some heavy rains that could have moved the herbicides deeper into the soil profile. Another possibility is that residual trifluranlin or pendimethalin from the previous crop along with current application may have caused soil herbicide levels to be beyond crop tolerance.

    Pic 3 A collapsed and dead plant in the field.

    Similar damage was observed in the Sacramento valley in 2021 where a young tomato field was affected significantly with root inhibiting herbicide injury. These are typical injury symptoms for these herbicides and can be seen on other veg crops such as melons, peppers etc.

    Please contact your local Vegetable crops Advisor if you see similar symptoms in the field. — By Jaspreet Sidhu, UCCE Vegetable Crops Farm Advisor

    Pic 4 A stem broken off at the soil line.

  • HLB Funding Prioritized in Farm Bill Proposal

    California Citrus Mutual (CCM) commends Chairwoman Stabenow of the Senate Agriculture Committee and Chairman Glenn Thompson from the House Agriculture Committee for prioritizing the citrus industry’s fight against Huanglongbing (HLB) in each of their frameworks for the 2024 Farm Bill. Each Chair’s framework continues support of the Emergency Citrus Disease Research and Extension Program at $25 million per year for the life of the Farm Bill.

    “This is a significant step towards reaching a bipartisan Farm Bill compromise that will continue critical research to find a cure to Huanglongbing,” said CCM President/CEO Casey Creamer.  “While this isn’t the finish line, it clearly signals that Congress supports maintaining citrus funding.  We thank the Chairs of the Committee and our California Congressional delegation for championing our needs.”

    The $25 million in funding will go to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) to fund research to find a cure for HLB. The funding is overseen by grower representatives from California, Texas, and Florida.

    This is a big win for the citrus industry as there were significant headwinds with the current fiscal battles in Washington, D.C., including escalating Farm Bill baseline expenditures and competing priorities within agriculture.  It proves the strength of the advocacy partnership with Florida and Texas Citrus Mutuals in addition to the strong support received from allied industry organizations.

    About California Citrus Mutual (CCM)

    CCM is a voluntary, non-profit trade association representing California citrus growers on the economic, regulatory, and political issues that most impact them.

  • USDA to Protect Hundreds of Crops from Invasive Fruit Flies

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has released “Fruit Fly Exclusion and Detection Program Fiscal Years 2024-2028 Strategy.” APHIS worked with members of the National Plant Board to develop a unified roadmap for USDA and its partners to protect American agriculture from the threat of invasive fruit flies and measure our progress along the way.

    “The United States is experiencing an unusually high number of invasive fruit fly detections – the worst of its kind in 70 years,” said Mark Davidson, USDA APHIS Deputy Administrator for the Plant Protection and Quarantine program. “Invasive fruit flies are a nuisance that drive up costs of producing fresh fruits and vegetables, which can hurt both producers and consumers. Our five-year plan lays out how Federal and State partners can continue to limit the flies’ spread as we further scientific research that will help us develop better pest management tools and options.”

    The five-year strategy prioritizes strengthening the following goals for fruit flies of regulatory significance:

    • Domestic surveillance to support early detection.
    • Management and emergency response to ensure timely mitigation.
    • Targeted and effective sterile insect technique for preventive release and eradication programs (assuring rearing facilities are maintained for efficiency and safety).
    • International and import efforts to mitigate against the introduction and spread of invasive fruit flies in the United States.

    To address the unprecedented outbreaks of exotic fruit flies, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack recently released $103.5 million from the Commodity Credit Corporation to fund APHIS’ supplementary emergency response activities. These funds allow APHIS to reach beyond what the agency’s appropriated funding would be able to accomplish over the next few years.

    Currently, there are exotic fruit fly quarantines in eight counties in California and five counties in New York. The California Department of Food and Agriculture and APHIS have established parallel quarantines and are working with the State’s agricultural commissioners to eradicate and prevent the statewide spread of the Queensland fruit fly, Tau fruit fly, Mediterranean fruit fly, and Oriental fruit fly in California. APHIS is also working with the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets to manage the European cherry fruit fly in upstate New York.

    Invasive fruit flies feed on over 400 crops, including citrus and other fruits, nuts, vegetables, and berries. Fruit flies can damage fruits and vegetables when they lay their eggs under the skin of the produce. There, developing larvae make the fruits and vegetables unfit for human consumption. Infested produce may not look damaged from the outside but may take on a brown, mottled appearance as the larvae feed from the inside. Resources to combat invasive fruit fly threats are limited, so developing an efficient strategy to manage or eradicate invasive fruit flies is critical.

    To reduce the spread, APHIS and affected states will work together to reduce, and to the extent possible, prevent human-assisted movement. Together, we will also promote public reporting to encourage early detection, and we will leverage the latest research and management tools available. The 5-Year Strategy drives Federal and State responders to explore new population suppression technologies, such as male annihilation technique, mass trapping, and the development of new and/or improved sterile fruit fly strains. Integrating these new technologies into the inter-agency response to invasive fruit flies will help improve the program’s efficiency.

    The new strategy also builds the capacity to combat invasive fruit flies in areas at high risk of introduction and will leverage the public’s assistance to prevent further spread of these damaging agricultural pests.

    Federal and State partners will also unite their research resources and share knowledge about fruit flies to limit their movement and distribution. While leveraging best practices in the field, State and Federal partners will prioritize more research on climate and host-plant suitability, as well as other effective management tools.

    Federal and state fruit fly quarantines do not extend into Tribal lands, but the invasive fruit flies could impact Tribal communities near the quarantine areas. APHIS consulted with Tribes on the five-year strategy in August 2023 and will continue to engage Tribes and solicit feedback on the fruit fly management and outreach strategy.