The Pome Fruit Tree Quarantine Program of the Plant Germplasm Quarantine Office – Fruit Laboratory, USDA

Abstract

Introduction of healthy, foreign germplasm is vital to promoting a healthy fruit tree industry in North America. Importation of foreign germplasm into the United States is controlled by federal regulations. Quarantine programs are necessary to import prohibited species, e.g. Malus, Pyrus, and Cydoniaspp., without simultaneously importing exotic pests. Topics included in this paper are: (1) federal regulations that control importation of pome fruit germplasm; (2) operations at the Plant Germplasm Quarantine Office (PGQO), including quantities and health of pome tree fruit germplasm imported through the program; and (3) changes in the quarantine and indexing protocol for pome fruit trees under consideration by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS).