Importation of okra, Abelmoschus esculentus from Ghana into the United States: a qualitative, pathway-initiated risk assessment

Abstract

This risk assessment examined the risks associated with the importation of okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) from Ghana into the United States. Information on pests associated with okra in Ghana and neighboring countries revealed that six quarantine pests could potentially be introduced into the United States via this pathway. The quarantine pests likely to follow the pathway were all lepidopterous insects: Cryptophlebia leucotreta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), Earias biplaga Walker, (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), Earias insulana (Boisduval) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Spodoptera littoralis (Boisduval) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Leucinodes orbonalis Guenee (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). The quarantine pests were analyzed qualitatively based on international principles and internal guidelines as described in the PPQ Guidelines for Pathway-Initiated Pest Risk Assessments, Version 5.02 (USDA APHIS, 2000). This document examined pest biology in the context of Consequences of Introduction and Likelihood of Introduction. These elements were used to estimate the Pest Risk Potential. All of these pests pose phytosanitary risks to American agriculture. Port-of-entry inspections, as a sale mitigation measure, are considered insufficient to safeguard U.S. Agriculture from all of these pests, and additional phytosanitary measures are necessary to reduce risks to acceptable levels