Importation of wheat (Triticum sp.) for consumption from Lithuania into the United States and Territories A Qualitative, Pathway-Initiated Pest Risk Assessment Agency Contact Plant Pest Risk Analysis (PPRA) Science and Technology Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) 1730 Varsity Drive, Suite 300 Raleigh, NC 27606 August 9, 2021 Version 4.0 Pest Risk Assessment for wheat grain from Lithuania Executive Summary The purpose of this report is to assess the pest risks associated with importing commercially produced grain of wheat, Triticum sp. (Poaceae), for human and animal consumption from Lithuania into the United States and Territories. Based on the market access request submitted by Lithuania, we considered the pathway to include the following processes and conditions: grain will be harvested under normal harvesting practices which involves combine harvesting. The pest risk ratings depend on the application of all conditions of the pathway as described in this document. Wheat grain produced under different conditions were not evaluated and may pose a different pest risk. We used scientific literature, port-of-entry interception data, and information from the government of Lithuania to develop a list of pests with quarantine significance for the United States and Territories. These are pests that occur in Lithuania on any host and are associated with the commodity plant species, anywhere in the world. The following organisms are candidates for pest risk management because they have met the threshold for unacceptable consequences of introduction. Pest type Taxonomy Scientific name Likelihood of Introduction Weed Asteraceae Senecio vernalis Waldst. & Kit. Medium Chenopodiaceae Chenopodiastrum hybridum (L.) S. Medium Fuentes et al. The following organisms were found to follow the pathway but were not assessed in this document because they have already been determined to pose an unacceptable risk to the United States and Territories. Federal regulations are already in place for these pests: Pest type Taxonomy Scientific name Code of Federal Regulation Weed Fabaceae Galega officinalis L. 7 CFR § 360, 2021 Poaceae Avena sterilis L. 7 CFR § 360, 2021 Detailed examination and choice of appropriate phytosanitary measures to mitigate pest risk are addressed separately from this document. Ver. 4.0 August 9, 2021 1 Pest Risk Assessment for wheat grain from Lithuania Table of Contents Executive Summary ...................................................................................................................... 1 Table of Contents .......................................................................................................................... 2 1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 3 1.1. Background .......................................................................................................................... 3 1.2. Initiating event ...................................................................................................................... 3 1.3. Potential weediness of the commodity ................................................................................. 3 1.4. Description of the pathway .................................................................................................. 3 2. Pest List and Pest Categorization ............................................................................................ 4 2.1. Pest list ................................................................................................................................. 4 2.2. Notes on pests identified in the pest list ............................................................................. 10 2.3. Pests considered but not included on the pest list .............................................................. 10 2.4. Pests selected for further analysis or already regulated ..................................................... 10 3. Assessing Pest Risk Potential ................................................................................................. 10 3.1. Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 10 3.2 Weed risk analyses .............................................................................................................. 11 4. Summary .................................................................................................................................. 16 5. Literature Cited ...................................................................................................................... 16 6. Appendix: Pests of non-quarantine status ............................................................................ 26 Ver. 4.0 August 9, 2021 2 Pest Risk Assessment for wheat grain from Lithuania 1. Introduction 1.1. Background The purpose of this report is to assess the pest risk associated with the importation of commercially produced dried grain of Triticum sp. Linnaeus for human and animal consumption from Lithuania (referred to as the export area) into the United States and Territories1 (referred to as the pest risk analysis or PRA area). This is a qualitative risk assessment. The likelihood of pest introduction is expressed as a qualitative rating rather than in numerical terms. This methodology is consistent with guidelines provided by the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) in the International Standard for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPM) No. 11, “Pest Risk Analysis for Quarantine Pests” (IPPC, 2017). The use of biological and phytosanitary terms is consistent with ISPM No. 5, “Glossary of Phytosanitary Terms” (IPPC, 2021). As defined in ISPM No. 11, this document comprises Stage 1 (Initiation) and Stage 2 (Risk Assessment) of risk analysis. Stage 3 (Risk Management) will be covered in a separate document. 1.2. Initiating event The importation of wheat grain for consumption into the United States is regulated under Title 7 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 319.59 (7 CFR § 319.59, 2021). Under this regulation, the entry of wheat grain from Lithuania into the PRA area is not authorized. This commodity risk assessment was initiated in response to a request by the European Commission on behalf of Lithuania to change the Federal Regulation to allow entry (PPQ, 2017b). 1.3. Potential weediness of the commodity In some cases, an imported commodity could become invasive in the PRA area. If warranted, we analyze the commodity for weed risk. A weed risk analysis is not required in any of the following situations: (a) the commodity is already enterable into the PRA area from other countries, (b) the commodity plant species is widely established (native or naturalized) or cultivated in the PRA area, or (c) the imported plant part(s) cannot easily propagate on its own or be propagated. We determined that the weed risk of wheat does not need to be analyzed because it is already enterable into the United States from other countries (FAO, 2021) and is commercially grown in the United States and Puerto Rico (NASS, 2021). 1.4. Description of the pathway A pathway is “any means that allows the entry or spread of a pest” (IPPC, 2021). In the context of this document, the pathway is the commodity to be imported, together with all the processes the commodity undergoes from production through importation and distribution. The following description of this pathway focuses on the conditions and processes that may have an impact on 1The PRA area includes all 50 states, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Ver. 4.0 August 9, 2021 3 Pest Risk Assessment for wheat grain from Lithuania pest risk. Our assessment is therefore contingent on the application of all components of the pathway as described in this section. 1.4.1. Description of the commodity The specific pathway of concern is the importation of dried grain of wheat for human and animal consumption. 1.4.2. Summary of the production, harvest, post-harvest procedures, shipping and storage conditions considered We assumed the wheat grain will be harvested under normal harvesting practices (PPQ, 2017a). Combines are used to harvest large quantities of grain (Queck-Matzie, 2019) and we assumed that equipment would be used to harvest wheat grain in Lithuania. Production, post-harvesting, shipping, and storage conditions are not being considered as part of the assessment. 2. Pest List and Pest Categorization The pest list is a compilation of plant pests of quarantine significance to the United States and Territories. This includes pests that are present in Lithuania on any host and known to be associated with Triticum sp. (anywhere in the world). Pests are considered to be of quarantine significance if they (a) are not present in the PRA area, (b) are actionable at U.S. ports of entry, (c) are regulated non-quarantine pests, (d) are considered for or under Federal official control, or (e) require evaluation for regulatory action. Consistent with ISPM No. 5, pests that meet any of these definitions are considered “quarantine pests” and are candidates for analysis. Species with a reasonable likelihood of following the pathway into the PRA area are analyzed to determine their pest risk potential. When determining whether a weed has a reasonable likelihood of following the