Importation of ‘Barhi’ Date, Phoenix dactylifera, from Israel into the United States A Pathway-initiated Commodity Risk Assessment January 2008 Agency contact: Thomas W. Culliney United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Plant Protection and Quarantine Center for Plant Health Science and Technology Plant Epidemiology and Risk Analysis Laboratory 1730 Varsity Drive, Suite 300 Raleigh, North Carolina 27606 PRA for Barhi dates from Israel Executive Summary This document assesses the risks associated with the importation, from Israel into the United States, of fresh fruits of date, Phoenix dactylifera L., on branches. A search of both print and electronic sources of information identified 12 pests of date of quarantine significance that exist in Israel and could be introduced into the United States in shipments of that commodity. A Consequences of Introduction value was estimated by assessing five elements that reflect the biology and ecology of the pests: climate/host interaction, host range, dispersal potential, economic impact, and environmental impact. A Likelihood of Introduction value was estimated by considering both the quantity of the commodity imported annually and the potential for pest introduction and establishment. The two values were summed to estimate an overall Pest Risk Potential, which is an estimation of risk in the absence of mitigation measures. Quarantine-significant pests likely to follow the pathway (i.e., accompany shipments of dates) include two moths, one butterfly, one fruit fly, three scale insects, one mite, and one fungus. Arthropods: Arenipses sabella (Hampson) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) Asterolecanium phoenicis (Rao) (Homoptera: Asterolecaniidae) Batrachedra amydraula (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Coleophoridae) Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae) Deudorix livia (Klug) (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) Oligonychus afrasiaticus (McGregor) (Acari: Tetranychidae) Parlatoria blanchardi (Targioni Tozzetti) (Homoptera: Diaspididae) Pseudococcus cryptus Hempel (Homoptera: Pseudococcidae) Fungus: Mauginiella scaettae Cavara (Ascomycetes) All of the identified quarantine pests likely to follow the pathway pose phytosanitary risks to agriculture in the United States. Of these, one, C. capitata, was given a Pest Risk Potential value of High; the remaining pests were estimated to be of medium risk. Port-of-entry inspection, as a sole mitigation measure, is insufficient to safeguard U.S. agriculture from these pests, and additional phytosanitary measures are considered necessary to reduce the risk. Rev. 003 January 30, 2008 i PRA for Barhi dates from Israel Table of Contents Executive Summary . i A. Introduction . 1 B. Risk Assessment 1. Initiating Event: Proposed Action . 2 2. Assessment of Weediness Potential of Sand Pear (Table 1) . 3 3. Previous Risk Assessments, Current Status and Pest Interceptions (Table 2) . 3 4. Pest Categorization—Identification of Quarantine Pests and Quarantine Pests Likely to Follow the Pathway (Tables 3 and 4) . 3 5. Consequences of Introduction—Economic/Environmental Importance (Table 5) . 13 6. Likelihood of Introduction—Quantity Imported and Pest Opportunity (Table 6). 24 7. Conclusion—Pest Risk Potential and Pests Requiring Phytosanitary Measures (Table 7) . 26 C. Author and Reviewer . 27 D. Literature Cited . 27 Rev. 003 January 30, 2008 ii PRA for Barhi dates from Israel A. Introduction This risk assessment has been prepared by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ), Center for Plant Health Science and Technology (CPHST) to examine plant pest risks associated with importation into the United States of fresh fruit of date, Phoenix dactylifera L. (variety ‘Barhi’), from Israel. Estimates of risk are expressed in terms of high, medium, or low. The risk assessment is “pathway-initiated” in that it is based on the potential pest risks associated with the commodity as it enters the United States International plant protection organizations, such as the North American Plant Protection Organization (NAPPO) and the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), provide guidance for conducting pest risk analyses. The methods used to initiate, conduct, and report this plant pest risk assessment are consistent with guidelines provided by NAPPO, IPPC, and FAO. Biological and phytosanitary terms (e.g., introduction, quarantine pest) conform with the NAPPO Compendium of Phytosanitary Terms (Hopper, 1995) and the Definitions and Abbreviations (Introduction Section) in International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures: Guidelines for Pest Risk Analysis (IPPC, 1996). Pest risk assessment is one component of an overall pest risk analysis. The Guidelines for Pest Risk Analysis provided by IPPC (1996) describe three stages in pest risk analysis. This document satisfies the requirements of FAO Stages 1 (initiation) and 2 (risk assessment). Details of the methodology and rating criteria can be found in the template document, Guidelines for Pathway- Initiated Pest Risk Assessments, Version 5.02 (USDA, 2000). IPPC (1996) defines pest risk assessment as “Determination of whether a pest is a quarantine pest and evaluation of its introduction potential.” Quarantine pest is defined as “A pest of potential economic importance to the area endangered thereby and not yet present there, or present but not widely distributed and being officially controlled” (IPPC, 1996; Hopper, 1995). Thus, pest risk assessments should consider both the consequences and likelihood of introduction of quarantine pests. Both issues are addressed in this document. Israel is a relatively small producer of dates, falling far behind Egypt, which leads the world with an annual production of over 1.1 million tonnes (2002 figures; FAOSTAT, 2003). Date production in Israel totaled over 9100 tonnes in 2002 (FAOSTAT, 2003). In 1999, 5000 tonnes were exported at a value exceeding $16 million (Sheskin & Regev, 2001). Approximately 1700 ha of date palms are under cultivation in Israel along the Syrian-African rift, from the Sea of Galilee (Lake Tiberias) to the Gulf of Aqaba (Southern Arava Valley) (see Fig. 1). Nine cultivars are grown, the most important of which are ‘Medjool,’ ‘Hayany’ (primarily in the north), ‘Deglet Noor,’ and ‘Barhi,’ comprising 49, 12, 11, and 7 percent of the area, respectively (Anon., 2001; cited in Palevsky et al., 2003). Barhi dates are grown in the Jordan and Bet-She’an Valleys (Landshut, 2002), situated between the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea. Harvest occurs throughout August and September. Rev. 003 January 30, 2008 1 PRA for Barhi dates from Israel Figure 1. State of Israel. B. Risk Assessment 1. Initiating Event: Proposed Action This risk assessment is developed in response to a request by the Israeli government for USDA authorization to permit imports of Barhi fresh dates on branches into the United States. Entry of this commodity into the United States presents the risk of introduction of exotic plant pests. Title 7, Part 319, Section 56 of the United States Code of Federal Regulations (7 CFR §319.56) provides regulatory authority for the importation of fruits and vegetables from foreign countries into the United States. Rev. 003 January 30, 2008 2 PRA for Barhi dates from Israel 2. Assessment of Weed Potential of Date Palm (Phoenix dactylifera) This step examines the potential of the commodity to become a weed after it enters the United States (Table 1). If the assessment indicates significant weed potential, then a “pest-initiated” risk assessment is conducted. Table 1. Assessment of the Weed Potential of Date Palm. Commodity: Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) (Arecaceae). Phase 1: Date palm occurs in Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, the gulf states from Florida to Texas, and in Maryland and Massachusetts (Floridata, 1999; CABI, 2002; USDA, 2003a), in the latter two states presumably only in greenhouses. Dates are grown commercially in Arizona and California (ASU, 2000; NASS, 2003). The industry in both states dates from the late 19th century (ASU, 2000; Howard, 2001a). Phase 2: Is the species listed in: No Geographical Atlas of World Weeds (Holm et al., 1979) No World's Worst Weeds (Holm et al., 1977) or World Weeds: Natural Histories and Distribution (Holm et al., 1997) No Report of the Technical Committee to Evaluate Noxious Weeds; Exotic Weeds for Federal Noxious Weed Act (Gunn and Ritchie, 1982) No Economically Important Foreign Weeds (Reed, 1977) No Weed Science Society of America Composite List of Weeds (WSSA, 2003) Yes Is there any literature reference indicating weediness, e.g., AGRICOLA, CAB, Biological Abstracts, AGRIS; search on “species name” combined with “weed.” Phase 3: Phoenix dactylifera is listed by Randall (2003) as a weed of the following statuses: naturalized, introduced, garden escape, environmental weed, and casual alien. Binggeli (1998) lists P. dactylifera as a moderately invasive “tree.” The species can become a serious weed in parts of Western Australia, where it may form dense thickets, impeding water flow and displacing native vegetation (PPS, 2003). However, the species is widespread in the southern United States, where it is of value as a food crop and ornamental plant, and there is no indication that it constitutes a pest of any economic or ecological significance there. Importation of fresh dates should not increase risks of spreading this plant beyond