Pest associated with plants and plant products intercepted by the plant quarantine staff at NAIA [Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Manila, Philippines]

The Bureau of Plant Industry-Plant Quarantine Service (PQS) at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) is continuously providing progressive reports on the confiscation and interception of imported plants and plant products being carried by passengers at the airport. This report of BPI-PQS, NAIA summarized records of plant pest found in plants and plant products that were intercepted along with the baggage of passengers at the airport from October 2010 to March 2011. Plants and plant products that have no Phytosanitary permit and Plant Quarantine clearances are subject of inspection and examination for any suspected pest and diseases that might pose harm to the Philippine Agriculture. Identification of the pathogen infecting a plant sample is done by mounting the suspected diseased plant tissues in glass slides and observing under light microscopy while identification of insect is done by using a hand lens and through reference materials. Plant materials that were examined with the presence of insect pests are collected and placed in a vial with 70% ethanol. Detection of any insect pests or disease symptoms of confiscated plant materials were reported to the Chief of PQS-NAIA and/or recorded for monthly accomplishment report to be submitted for documentation as reference for the recorded interception report. All of the intercepted commodities are subject for disposal in designated compost pit of BPI. The least number of insect pests intercepted occurred in January 2011 and the most number of insect pests intercepted occurred in March 2011. The highest occurrence of pest came from Thailand at 35% of all recorded interception pest including mango seed weevil, Sternochetus sp. The next highest is Japan from which 13% of the intercepted pest came from post harvest diseases. The least occurrence of insect pests Pseudococcus longispinus was observed the most. Out of the twelve types of fungi observed, Colletotrichum sp, with 29 counts and Elsinoe sp., with 28 counts is the most frequently post harvest occurring fungi.