The National Health, Food Safety and Quality Service (SENASA) stated that it protected the cultivation of avocado in 528 municipalities of 27 producing states, which represents an annual production of 1,520,694 tons.
To do this, SENASA implements permanent actions for the timely detection of the ambrosial Beetles through the Epidemiological Plant Surveillance Program.
Since 2012 these measures have been performed by the Senasica, a decentralized organ of the Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food (SAGARPA).
Senasica has an established network of 2,414 traps distributed throughout the country to detect the ambrosial beetles in a timely manner.
The traps are located in sites that might pose a risk of introduction and establishment of the pest, such as ports, airports, border areas, botanical gardens, bus stations, and distribution centers, mainly.
According to SAGARPA, they conducted a total of 25,234 weekly trap checks in 2015, and if they suspect the plague has been detected, authorized personnel records the location, take pictures of it and gathers the information needed.
The goal is to feed a system that immediately sends the samples for diagnosis at the National Phytosanitary Reference Centre (CNRF).
To strengthen surveillance activities, 47 sentinel avocado plants were established in the ports of Lazaro Cardenas, Michoacan, Manzanillo, and Colima in coordination with the General Directorate of Plant and Animal Health Inspection (DGIF) of Senasica.
These plants are checked every week to see if they show any signs or symptoms of being affected by the ambrosia.
Additionally, in face of the risk of introduction and establishment through roads, backyards, urban and wilderness areas, some plants that are susceptible to host the insect were located in different patrol routes.
These preferential hosts are checked every fortnight for symptoms or signs of damage, so that the pest can be detected promptly if it enters the country. According to the authorities, they have checked these sites 12,758 times to date.
Source: 20minutos.com.mx