Neri Geller, Brazil's Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply of Brazil (MAPA), announced the eradication of the Cydia pomonella pest or codling moth in Brazil.
"Eradicating this pest, which affects many countries such as Uruguay, United States and Argentina, is a major plant defence achievement for Brazil," said the representative of agriculture.
The MAPA, via the National Programme for the Eradication of the Cydia pomonella, installed and monitored more than 10,000 traps and captured more than 20,000 specimens of the pest. Nearly 100,000 host plants were eradicated in Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul, states that concentrate 95% of Brazil's apple production.
It's worth noting that the codling moth was first detected in Brazil in 1991, in one of the country's major apple production centres. The pest was introduced into the country via the import of infected fruit.
Thereafter, the process of eradicating the pest began. Nearly 22,500 insects were caught in the 1997/1998 campaign, a number that decreased to 7 over the years (2010 /2011) and then to one in November 2011. During the 2012/2013 season, no specimens of the moth was detected .
Reportedly, the MAPA will start checking the phytosanitary requirements that Brazil has for the countries that export products, which can host the pest and develop a contingency plan. In addition, all the necessary measures to keep the eradicated pest status were taken.
Based on information from Canal Rural