Countries Relying on Imported Plants Suffer from Imported Plant Pests and Diseases

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Phoenix, AZ, June 16, 2010 — Countries that import plants are also importing pests and diseases. Since these are not native, natural predators do not exists to combat them. The result can be devastating on the local plant population.

For instance, Bermuda, which imports a variety of plants, is susceptible to the pests and diseases now affecting Florida. The pink hibiscus mealy bug, which got its name from the color when it’s crushed, was first discovered in the Caribbean in 1994 making its entrance into Florida’s ecology eight years later.

The pest attacks ornamental plants, such as hibiscus, bougainvillaea, and croton, we well as crops, such as citrus, mango, tomatoes and avocado. The mealybug devours the soft tissue of these many different kinds of plants and injects a toxic saliva. The saliva causes leaf curling and stunted growth, and in some cases, plant death. The devastation can be considerable. All it takes is one plant with one tiny egg to be planted in a Bermudian garden for the pest to be released on the island.

Governments are attempting to prevent infestations of non-native plants pests through public education efforts. Another form of prevention is limiting the scope of exotic plant importation with the development of local plant markets.

Should non-native pests become a problem, combating them with as natural processes as possible is key to preventing further disruption of the environment. There are effective organic pest control products that use all-natural ingredients, which are easily broken down by nature into elements that can be beneficial to the plants and environment.