Western flower thrips was brought to Ukraine with cargo from Egypt
The quarantine organism, limitedly distributed on the territory of Ukraine, was discovered by specialists of the State Food and Consumer Service.
This was reported by the press service of the institution.
“The Department of Phytosanitary Security and Phytosanitary Measures at the Border of the Main Directorate of the State Food Service in the Kiev Region reports a violation of the phytosanitary requirements of Ukraine when importing fresh Iceberg lettuce weighing 9.152 tons, which arrived from Egypt on January 20, 2022 at the checkpoint at the Vostok checkpoint and where it was found entomological quarantine organism, limitedly distributed on the territory of Ukraine - western flower thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis Perg.) adults in a living state, ”the report says.
It is noted that the infected consignment has been returned. Compiled notification message to be sent to the exporting country.
Recall that the western flower thrips is a polyphagous pest that damages more than 250 plant species from more than 65 families. In northern Europe, thrips is present mainly on vegetable crops such as cucumbers, peppers, and also on flowers such as chrysanthemums, gerberas, roses and saintpaulias in greenhouses, but in southern Europe, the pest affects many field crops on a large scale, including strawberries, grapes and artichoke.
The pest affects the commercial cultivation of plants in a variety of ways, either directly by reducing yields and their market quality, or through the forage plant by damaging it with the transmission of viral diseases. Some crops, including cut flowers, strawberries, peppers and cucumbers, become almost completely out of market value when affected by thrips. In other crops, damage is more pronounced due to infection with toposviruses.