Chile: Three serious invasive pests affect national agriculture today
They can reach the country in plants, food, cars, planes and luggage, and their consequences are disastrous.
They enter the country in a plant, a fruit, a vegetable, wood pallets. They have done it even in a bundle of clothes. Airway or through a land crossing. In recent times, new insects have entered the country that are now becoming pests that can affect national agriculture.
Patricia Estay, coordinator of the National Plant Health Program of the Institute of Agricultural Research (INIA), says that emerging or invasive pests arrive in the country through commercial exchange or through the entry of tourists or travelers.
By the seriousness that they have, Estay highlights three plagues: the moth of the cluster of the vine; the painted bug, which attacks the vegetables, and the painted-wing mosquito.
La grape moth (Lobesia botrana) affects the grapes and also the blueberries and plums. It was detected for the first time in Chile in the year 2008. Currently there is a national program led by the Agricultural and Livestock Service (SAG), which together with public-private research tables, led by Inia, decide annually the management programs for this pest, which is officially under control. It is present from Atacama to the Region of Los Ríos with some areas "in containment" and others "eradicated", explains Estay.
The second most serious plague is that of painted bug (Bagrada hilaris). It was detected for the first time last year near the Cruces estuary, in Quilicura, which suggests that it entered through the international airport of Santiago. Known in Asia, Africa and Europe, America was only known of its presence in Mexico and the US. It feeds on a wide variety of vegetables and is already wreaking havoc on the cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli crops. "Today it is present in more than 10 communes of the Valparaíso Region and affects leafy vegetables mainly (arugula, cauliflower, cabbage). It is under compulsory control by the SAG", Highlights Estay.
The newest of the plagues is that of the painted wings mosquito (Drosophila suzu-kii), and it was only found out in June. "It has been found in wild berries, its detections being made in food traps in the regions of La Araucanía, Los Lagos and Los Ríos. It was known that he was in Argentina and his income was expected. Worldwide, it is considered one of the most damaging pests in fruit trees of stone and berries such as blueberries, blackberries and raspberries"He explains.
The call of the coordinator of plant health of the Inia is the responsibility. "Tourists, immigrants, travelers, all citizens must be responsible, because we have influence on the phytosanitary conditions of the country and we can impact the economy and agriculture. Most of these pests have been entered. Therefore, it is essential to follow the regulations and requirements indicated by the SAG when traveling, either by vehicle or airplane, especially the one that indicates not to bring any type of food"He insists.
To combat these pests, INIA develops the National Plant Health Program, which includes the maintenance of a bank of fungi and nematodes capable of causing death to different pests without affecting crops.
The objective is to maintain biological controllers of pests that can be grown in the laboratory and then released on the affected crops.
Currently it is being tested with two fungi whose spores have an 65% control over the grape moth.
Source: La Tercera
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