ARS | Publication request: Moving plants means moving pests (Updated Version)

Submitted to: Meeting Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: February 16, 2012
Publication Date: February 17, 2012
Citation: Osborne, L.S., Chamberlin, J., McKenzie, C.L. 2012. Moving plants means moving pests (Updated Version). In: Society of American Florists, Proceedings of the 28th Annual Pest and Production Management Conference. XXVIII:26-33.

Technical Abstract: The ornamentals industry must recognize not only that it is at direct risk from invasive species and resistant pests, but also that there is increased public awareness about the movement of any pest species on ornamental plants, and increased concern that these pests will move from ornamental plants to agricultural commodities and natural areas. If an invasive species or resistant biotype were to cause serious economic damage to an important agricultural commodity, or to plants in the natural environment, and that invasive species were to be traced back to an introduction on ornamental plants, it could have severe economic and regulatory implications on this industry. We will attempt to define risk, demonstrate how risk is assessed, characterize the hazards of and the exposure of the ornamentals industry to the movement of pest “contaminated” plant material, outline the major components of a risk management plan, and identify potential obstacles to adoption of such a plan. it is vital that the ornamentals industry accurately assesses the risks of moving any pest species, and that it develops a management plan for minimizing those risks. Further, it is also important to recognize that with each passing day, the ornamentals industry is becoming increasingly global in structure. As a result, individual growers cannot successfully deal with the issue of invasive species on their own. Instead all components of the ornamentals industry (propagators, growers, pesticide manufacturers, regulatory agencies, university scientists and the trade media) must work together if we are to successfully confront and manage the issues associated with the movement of pests on ornamental plants. In this paper, we will attempt to define risk, demonstrate how risk is assessed, characterize the hazards of and the exposure of the ornamentals industry to the movement of pest “contaminated” plant material, outline the major components of a risk management plan, and identify potential obstacles to adoption of such a plan.