Impacts of Exotic Insect Pests on California Agriculture David Haviland University of California Cooperative Extension, Kern Co.

An international state Population of California ~40,000, % Asian 25.0% Mexican 11.7% Non-Mexican Latinos = 20,000,000 people (50%) Airports of LAX and SFO – 100,000,000 passengers/year (landings and takeoffs) – 10,000,000 international passengers pass customs Ports of Long Beach, Los Angeles, Oakland – 10,000,000 containers/year (27,000/day)

Exotic Pests in California Six new pests per year in California Others arrive but do not establish Behave differently than in their native land – For the better or for the worse Arrive without their natural enemies Affect yield and quality of fruit Affect quarantines and export industries

The job of a farmer is not to feed the world… a farmer’s job is to make money, and they do that by feeding the world. High yields High quality – Color – Size – Nutrition Blemish-free – No pests – Aesthetics Affordable

Impacts of Exotic pests Decreased crop yields Decreased crop quality Increase in pesticide use Disruption of biological control Domestic restrictions on fruit movement Quarantines and export restrictions Limitations due to maximum residue limits (MRLs)

Prior to spotted wing drosophila – No insecticides – No limitations on fruit movement After spotted wing drosophila – 3-4 insecticide applications within 4 weeks of harvest – Organophosphate, pyrethroid, spinosyn insecticides – Increases in blemished fruit – Regulatory restrictions on exported fruit – Millions of dollars in losses due to residue tolerances (MRLs) Kern County Cherry growers

Kern County Table/Raisin Grapes Neonicotinoid a.i. per treated acre Glassy-winged sharpshooter Leafhoppers and mealybugs (Pseudococcus sp.) Vine mealybug (Planococcus ficus) Imidacloprid becomes generic Maximum per acre per year for imidacloprid Kern Co. Table and Raisin Grapes

Long-term solutions Each solution is unique to each problem Cultural and Biological Controls Requires public-private partnerships Universities, CDFA, USDA – Legislative prevention – Emergency response – Long-term solutions General public – Awareness – Prevention

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