1.

This Cooperative Agreement award of $100,000.00 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) under the Plant and Animal Disease, Pest Control, and Animal Care Federal Grant Program (CFDA 10.025) will support a comprehensive survey to detect the presence of several invasive agricultural pests in California. The survey will focus on identifying any incipient populations of the tomato leaf miner (Tuta absoluta), false codling moth (Thaumatotibia leucotreta), pale cyst nematode (Globodera pallida), and tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToRBRFV). The survey activities, to be performed from July 2024 through June 2025, will include hiring and training seasonal personnel, conducting visual inspections, and collecting samples for diagnostic testing. The survey will cover 40 sites for the tomato leaf miner, 200 sites for the false codling moth, and 350 samples for the nematode and virus. Negative survey results will help validate existing state and federal phytosanitary regulations and facilitate agricultural trade, while any positive detections will allow for timely mitigation efforts to prevent permanent establishment of these pests in California's $1.65 billion tomato, pepper, and potato production industry.

Purpose

The purpose of the survey is to detect the presence of tomato leaf miner (TLM) tuta absoluta, false codling moth (FCM) thaumatotibia leucrotreta, pale cyst nematode (PCN) globodera pallida, and tomato brown rugose fruit virus (TOBRFV) a tobamovrius. Survey efforts also attempt to produce effective mitigation measures to prevent the permanent establishment of any incipient populations found as a result of the survey. Negative survey data will also be used to support the validity of the existing state and federal regulations while promoting trade and export. 2.

Activities

Identify survey sites in counties with high production rates of solanaceous crops. Some of the time will be spent hiring seasonal PE rsonnel, and providing training for survey activities, preliminary field identification of suspect samples, followed by proper submission to the plant pest diagnostic center (PPDC) for examination and identification. Visual surveys for tobrfv and sample collection for PCN will be conducted from july through september in 2024 and february through june in 2025. Trapping for FCM and TLM will be done july through september across two counties. A total of 40 sites will be surveyed for TLM, 200 sites for FCM, and 350 samples will be taken for tobrfv and PCN. 3. Deliverables and expected outcomes: a tabulation of the number of sites trapped and sampled, and the number of samples submitted, can be used to determine if the survey efforts were sufficient to meet the project needs. Targeting the survey on the selected areas that have the greatest risk for introduction should allow for a reasonable expectation for the detection of the pests. Therefore, this survey should find evidence of the pests if they are being introduced. Negative survey results would indicate that the targeted pests have not been introduced and have not become established in california, thereby showing areas free from these pests. If one or more infestations are found early enough, this survey will also allow for an appropriate mitigative response. 4. Intended beneficiary(IES): tomatoes are one of the top ten crops grown in california, being planted on over 248,000 acres and accounting for over $1.18 billion annually in gross production value in 2021. The combined annual value of tomatoes, peppers and potatoes produced in california is equal to over $1.65 billion. These pests could cause devastating losses to the agricultural industry if IT were to become established in california. 5. Subrecipient activities, if known or specified at the time of award: staff from the county agricultural commissioners' offices may assist in this survey, but there are no subcontracts awarded.