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DEVELOPMENT-BELIZE: PINK MEALYBUG ALERT IN BELIZE
BELMOPAN, (Aug. 19) IPS -- A deadly killer capable of destroying
the economies of the region is knocking at the door here but two
biological experts who have witnessed what has already happened in
other areas of the Caribbean Basin, are already in hot pursuit.
The experts are on the heels of the potent pest, best known by
agricultural officials throughout Africa, Asia and the Caribbean
as the pink hibiscus mealybug (PHM).
"This pest," says Dr. Gene Pollard, a plant protection specialist,
"has already damaged Grenada's ornamental, agricultural and
horticultural plants, plantation and natural forest trees."
"Grenada's agricultural and natural sectors became victims to this
predator that was positively identified in 1994," he adds.
Other countries infected by the pest over the past five years
include Trinidad and Tobago, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia and
St. Maarten.
Accompanying Pollard is Dr. Moses Kairo, regional bioscience
coordinator, who says that agriculture officials in Trinidad were
confident that the PHM would not develop to devastating proportions
as happened in Grenada where agricultural exports all but came to
a halt a few years ago.
He said this was so "because of the greater abundance of natural
enemies and the management effort."
But, despite the advances achieved by the officials of the
Trinidadian agriculture ministry, Kairo says "the PHM was
recognized as a national problem and declared a notifiable pest in
Trinidad."
Faced with a possible regional disaster, agriculture ministers of
the Caribbean and the Americas, in 1995, declared the Pink Hibiscus
Mealybug, as a new pest to the Western Hemisphere.
Without any further delay, the region as a community called upon
the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) for
assistance.
The FAO's $310,000 project, says Pollard, is to "control the spread
of the pest throughout the region."
Although Belize is not currently affected by the threat of the pink
hibiscus mealybug, as part of the FAO's regional protection plan,
Pollard and Kairo visited Belize to "evaluate methods of preventing
the potent pest from entering the country," says Orlando Sosa, a
specialist in insects/pests in the agriculture ministry.
"Agriculture in Belize is considered the backbone of the economy,"
reports the deputy governor of the Central Bank of Belize, Yvette
Alvarez.
The country's chief agricultural export products include sugar,
citrus, bananas, marine products, papayas, mangoes, and fruits.
Total export earnings from the sector last year tallied around $122
million.
"We cannot afford to have our agricultural sector affected," says
Belize's chief statistician, Sylvan Roberts. "Agriculture export
earnings represent 77 percent of our total exports."
Alvarez says that "there is a higher percentage of monies earned
from our agriculture export circulating (remaining) within the
country."
"This," she adds, "is unlike the tourism sector, where hotels and
resorts are owned by foreigners, and the foreign exchange earnings
do not remain at home, but circulate outside of the country."
"PHM enters a country on agricultural products, people,
taxis...without any enemies... without organisms to keep it under
control from having a population explosion," Sosa adds.
Pollard notes that "the pest does not have the ability to fly long
distances to carry itself from country to country."
As such, the pink hibiscus mealybug's immediate mode of
transportation is people, but it can also be carried by the wind,
rain, birds, ants, clothing and vehicles.
Faced with some 135 kilometers of common border with neighboring
Guatemala, Belizean officials have been confronted with the
Herculean task of ensuring that all produce, fruits and vegetables
from neighboring countries enter the country pest-free.
"We have over 250 species of plants in different families," says
Sosa.
"As a result," he says, his agency "has conducted training sessions
for both custom and quarantine officers in the war against this
pest and other pests."
"Our objective," Sosa says, "is the detection of the pink hibiscus
mealybug, as well as its biology and control."
"Under the FAO project," says Nerie Sanz, quarantine supervisor,
"customs, immigration officers and farmers are receiving training
on identification of the pest's symptoms."
She adds: "Hibiscus have been implanted at port of entries to
effectively monitor any introduction as well as the distribution
of posters and leaflets."
"We discovered that upon meeting the customs and quarantine
officers at the entry ports and borders, says Kairo "the officers
were well informed about this pest."
Pollard says that the first preventative action in the fight
against the pest is "intensive quarantine surveillance at the port
of entries."
"It is evident," Kairo says, "that without proper management, the
pest can devastate economies."
Economic losses exceed $3.5 million a year in Grenada and $125
million a year in Trinidad and Tobago, reports the United States
Department of Agriculture.
Recognizing that the pest must be destroyed, the leaders of the
region have focused their efforts on biological control.
"Scientists, are working to destroy this pest through biological
control, since total eradication of it is unlikely in the future,"
remarked Kairo.
The Biological regional coordinator adds that "introducing natural
enemies as predators to PHM, is one effective method of management
and control."
It has met with much success in Trinidad and Tobago where the
situation is now said to be under control.
Kairo says, "that Grenada has the wasp, Anagyrus kamali, brought
in from China."
Another enemy of the pest, he adds, may also be present in the
region, such as the ladybird and beetle referred to as Cryptolaemus
montrouzieri.
Other natural enemies of PHM may exist says Kairo, "but have not
yet been identified."
The pink hibiscus mealybug is pink in appearance, but its color
changes to white when it congregates to lay eggs.
A USDA report claims 300 to 600 eggs are laid and that destruction
takes place when "the pest sucks juices from its host plant and
injects a toxic saliva as it feeds."
"The pest attacks vegetables, tree crops, forest trees, weeds and
ornamental," Sosa says.
Evidence of the pest, he adds, includes "noticeable signs such as
leaves curling, crinkling or twisting, bunching and remaining
unopened and flowers not opening and shriveling."
The USDA report adds that pesticides, cutting and burning host
material have failed as techniques in Grenada and Trinidad against
the pest."
Pollard says it appears that with the pest spreading throughout
the northeastern countries, "it will only be a matter of time when
it enters Belize."
Like other economies in the region, Belize's survival depends on
the agriculture sector. If the pest takes hold in Belize, the
country will be faced with a substantial threat to its economy.
"The pest has spread from Trinidad to Puerto Rico," says Sosa. "So
we can expect it either from the U.S. or South America."
Asked whether Belize is ready, Sosa remarked: "We have put all
measures in place to prevent its entry... We'll just have to wait
and see."
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