plant exports guide—horticulture inspection techniques · 2019-09-23 · plant exports...

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This is a CONTROLLED document. Any documents appearing in paper form are not controlled and should be checked against the IML version prior to use. Plant exports guide—horticulture inspection techniques Version no.: 2 Date published: 17/07/2018 1 of 40 REFERENCE Plant exports guide—horticulture inspection techniques In this document This document contains the following topics. Purpose of this document..................................................................................................................... 2 Inspection environment ........................................................................................................................ 2 Pest and disease symptoms, and contaminants ................................................................................... 5 General inspection techniques ............................................................................................................. 6 Fruit and vegetables............................................................................................................................ 14 Citrus ............................................................................................................................................... 14 Grape............................................................................................................................................... 15 Mango ............................................................................................................................................. 17 Berry ................................................................................................................................................ 18 Stone, pome and tropical fruit ........................................................................................................ 20 Stone fruit ....................................................................................................................................... 22 Cucurbits and chilli .......................................................................................................................... 24 Dried fruit ........................................................................................................................................ 25 Root vegetables .............................................................................................................................. 26 Leafy vegetables.............................................................................................................................. 27 Nursery stock ...................................................................................................................................... 28 Bulbs, corms and tubers ................................................................................................................. 28 Cut flowers and foliage ................................................................................................................... 30 Tissue cultures and cuttings............................................................................................................ 32 Tissue cultures ............................................................................................................................ 32 Cuttings ....................................................................................................................................... 33 Plants............................................................................................................................................... 35 Plants in potting mix ................................................................................................................... 35 Bare-rooted plants ...................................................................................................................... 38 Related material.................................................................................................................................. 40 Contact information............................................................................................................................ 40 Document information ....................................................................................................................... 40 Version history .................................................................................................................................... 40

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Page 1: Plant exports guide—horticulture inspection techniques · 2019-09-23 · Plant exports guide—horticulture inspection techniques Version no.: 2 Date published: 17/07/2018 5 of

This is a CONTROLLED document. Any documents appearing in paper form are not controlled and should be checked against the IML version prior to use.

Plant exports guide—horticulture inspection techniques Version no.: 2 Date published: 17/07/2018 1 of 40

REFERENCE Plant exports guide—horticulture inspection

techniques

In this document This document contains the following topics.

Purpose of this document ..................................................................................................................... 2 Inspection environment ........................................................................................................................ 2 Pest and disease symptoms, and contaminants ................................................................................... 5 General inspection techniques ............................................................................................................. 6 Fruit and vegetables............................................................................................................................ 14

Citrus ............................................................................................................................................... 14 Grape ............................................................................................................................................... 15 Mango ............................................................................................................................................. 17 Berry ................................................................................................................................................ 18 Stone, pome and tropical fruit ........................................................................................................ 20 Stone fruit ....................................................................................................................................... 22 Cucurbits and chilli .......................................................................................................................... 24 Dried fruit ........................................................................................................................................ 25 Root vegetables .............................................................................................................................. 26 Leafy vegetables.............................................................................................................................. 27

Nursery stock ...................................................................................................................................... 28 Bulbs, corms and tubers ................................................................................................................. 28 Cut flowers and foliage ................................................................................................................... 30 Tissue cultures and cuttings ............................................................................................................ 32

Tissue cultures ............................................................................................................................ 32 Cuttings ....................................................................................................................................... 33

Plants ............................................................................................................................................... 35 Plants in potting mix ................................................................................................................... 35 Bare-rooted plants ...................................................................................................................... 38

Related material .................................................................................................................................. 40 Contact information ............................................................................................................................ 40 Document information ....................................................................................................................... 40 Version history .................................................................................................................................... 40

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This is a CONTROLLED document. Any documents appearing in paper form are not controlled and should be checked against the IML version prior to use.

Plant exports guide—horticulture inspection techniques Version no.: 2 Date published: 17/07/2018 2 of 40

Purpose of this document This document has been written for authorised officers (AOs) as a reference guide on techniques to use when inspecting horticulture for export.

Inspection environment The following table illustrates and describes common elements of the inspection environment.

What does this look like Description

Registered establishments

All horticulture is inspected indoors in export registered establishments, with the exception of large nursery stock where the inspection may occur outside provided an exemption to the legislation has been granted.

Registered establishments for horticulture are typically packhouses or warehouses.

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What does this look like Description

Inspection benches

Registered establishments provide an inspection bench for AOs to conduct the inspection on.

Inspection benches have a smooth, flat surface that is easy to clean. They may have a section of rollers at the back for easy movement of boxes.

Benches should be white and as such may be covered with white paper, plastic or have a white tray on top.

They should be fit for purpose, that is, big enough to allow the AO to inspect the commodity required.

Lighting

The inspection bench should be adequately lit so that pests and visible signs of diseases can be easily seen.

Lighting can be natural or artificial.

It should be at least 600 lux, which is achieved by having three fluorescent lights 1.2 metres above the inspection bench.

Bench-stand lights

If there is insufficient ambient lighting or ceiling lighting, bench-stand lights may be available that can be directed over the inspection bench. These can usefully include a magnifying glass (for example, a maggylamp).

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What does this look like Description

Floor-stand lights

Some large or heavy commodities (for example, cabbages, pumpkins and watermelons) may not be able to be raised onto inspection benches. If there is insufficient ambient lighting or ceiling lighting, floor-stand lighting may be available that can be directed over the bulk bins to ensure an effective inspection.

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Pest and disease symptoms, and contaminants The following list describes some common pest and disease symptoms and contaminants to look for.

• Honeydew – sticky, sugary liquid secreted by sap-feeding insects • Sooty mould – fine black substance often secondary to honeydew • Webbing • Chewed commodity • Rot • Soft spots • Holes • Stings • Speckling on the leaf or blemishes on product • Uneven yellowing of leaf or spots on product – virus • Rolled leaves • Leaf spotting – may be yellowish, dark brown, black and possibly with yellow halo – bacteria • Water-soaked areas on leaf – bacteria or fungus • Powdery appearance – fungus or mildew • Galls – gall wasp or nematodes • Soil • Weed seeds • Leaf matter

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General inspection techniques The following table illustrates and describes general inspection techniques for all commodities.

What does this look like Description

Handling packaging

Different types of packaging are handled in different ways.

Telescopic cartons can be turned over with the product left in the lid and then transferred back to the inner carton during inspection.

Inner bags and punnets are opened to allow for proper inspection.

Sterile flasks are not opened.

Inspecting packaging

The outside and inside of the packaging is inspected for pests and contaminants.

Often the sample package contents is emptied onto the inspection bench or into a tray, then the packaging is inspected for live insects and debris, particularly under the flaps of a carton.

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What does this look like Description

Surface inspection

Insects may be present on the surface of commodity or in the lids of boxes and punnets.

These areas are inspected for contamination when first opening a package, and before handling the product.

Commodity inspection

The entire external surface of the product is inspected by turning it over, one unit at a time.

Any recesses on the outside of the commodity is checked.

The AO looks for signs of pest and disease symptoms, and contaminants.

Pieces of product are not rolled along the inspection bench as a means of inspection.

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What does this look like Description

Focus on sheltered sites

The AO examines sheltered sites in detail making sure they have adequate light to penetrate into these areas.

Pest insects can be hidden under sepals, in cavities, under buttons or deep within long necked flowers.

Fine forceps may be used to check sheltered sites such as the calyx end of fruits, under sepals and any indented areas in the product.

Shaking and tapping technique

A commodity is visually inspected before any tapping or shaking is done to minimise the risk of spreading fungal spores and pests.

The shaking and tapping is performed over a sheet of white paper, with bunches or leafy commodities tapped or shaken to dislodge insect pests and other debris.

While holding flowers by their bases, the AO gently taps the foliage and flowers by hand, to knock out debris or insects onto the white paper.

Sufficient force is used to dislodge risk material but care is taken to avoid unreasonable damage during the inspection.

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What does this look like Description

Commodity abnormalities

Cutting or destructive sampling is conducted when an AO detects indicators of pests.

Internal inspection of commodities

Insects may be found within the flesh or within a large seed of the product.

When there are indicators of internal feeders, the commodity is cut open to inspect for internal feeding insects such as fruit fly or caterpillars.

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What does this look like Description

Cuts

There are two cutting methods used to expose internal pests: slicing or a conical cut.

Conical cut

A conical cut is used to avoid damaging the pest if there is one inside the area of physical damage.

An incision is made around the symptomatic area in the shape of a cone and the piece removed for inspection.

Slicing

Slicing is a cutting method used where small slices are made to progressively expose the site.

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What does this look like Description

Inspecting cuts

The exposed interior of the fruit and the excised piece are examined for internal pests or disease symptoms.

Using a magnifying lens

A magnifying lens of at least 10x magnification is used for detailed inspections of small pests and commodities with small sites that might harbour pests and disease (for example, around calyces).

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What does this look like Description

Inspecting debris

Any remaining debris on the inspection bench or inside the packaging is checked for pests.

Paper sheets to collect debris

White paper can be used to collect insects and debris during inspections.

A white background allows insects to be seen more easily under low magnification.

Folding the paper in four, then opening it out again will help collect insects and debris in the centre of the paper.

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What does this look like Description

Determining if an insect is alive

Cold temperatures reduce insect activity. If fruit has been kept chilled and is still cold, any pests detected are set aside and allowed to warm up to determine if the pest is alive.

Insects can be put on a white piece of paper with a circle drawn around them. A light can be placed over the top of the insect to warm it up. If the insect is alive and moves within the circle it can be easily seen.

To ensure the insect does not escape, the AO should place a clear container over the top to keep it secure.

A hand lens may also be used to ensure insects are alive.

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Fruit and vegetables Citrus This group includes grapefruit, kumquat, lemon, lime, mandarin, orange, pummelo, tangelo, tangerine and tangor for consumption.

The following table illustrates and describes additional inspection techniques for fresh fruit in the citrus group.

What does this look like Description

Ten percent of the calyces (buttons) are lifted, using a knife, to look for things such as eggs, mites, mealybugs and fullers rose weevil.

All recesses, such as the ‘navel’, particularly in the navel variety of orange, are inspected.

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Grape This group includes fresh grapes for consumption.

The following table illustrates and describes additional inspection techniques for grapes.

What does this look like Description

Most cartons of grapes contain sulphur dioxide (SO2) pads on the inside of the carton, on top of the commodity. These can be irritating on exposure in a confined inspection area or harmful to asthmatics.

AOs may choose to wear a disposable face mask and gloves during the inspection.

The internal packaging is inspected for pests and contaminants.

As grapes can be packed directly into their export packaging in the vineyard, leaf and plant matter may be present and are considered contaminants.

One bunch of grapes will be picked up at a time and inspected.

The bunch is turned over in the palm of the hand to allow it to fall open. The inside of the bunch is inspected for signs and symptoms of infestation.

Grapes should not be broken off a bunch and counted as additional bunches in the inspection count.

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What does this look like Description

Tight bunches are cut open to allow for proper inspection.

A tool called snips, commonly used in the tablegrape industry, can be used to cut bunches to minimise damage to the grapes.

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Mango This group includes fresh mangoes for consumption.

The following table illustrates and describes additional inspection techniques for mangoes.

What does this look like Description

The same varieties of mango should be identified in the same package.

If mango seed weevil is suspected, the AO will ask the client to cut the fruit and seed in half longitudinally so that the inside of the seed can be inspected.

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Berry This group includes fresh berries including lychees, achacha, blackberries, blueberries, boysenberries, fresh currants, gooseberries, mangosteen, pomegranates, rambutans, raspberries, strawberries and youngberries for consumption.

The following table illustrates and describes additional inspection techniques for fresh fruit in the berry group.

What does this look like Description

The packaging is inspected for live pests and contaminants by turning the package to view all sides.

The punnet is opened and the commodity emptied onto the inspection bench.

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What does this look like Description

All recesses on the outside of the fruit are checked for pests and disease symptoms.

For strawberries and some other berries, lightly rubbing the calyces together can help to dislodge pests.

For lychees to the USA: A sample must be cut/cracked open to inspect for internal pests.

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Stone, pome and tropical fruit This group includes almond fruit, apples, apricots, avocadoes, bananas, carambola, cherries, chestnut fruit, custard apples, fresh dates, dragonfruit, durian, eggplant, feijoa, figs, guava, jackfruit, jujube dates, loquats, nashi pears, nectarines, olives, papaya, passionfruit, pawpaw, peaches, pears, persimmons, pineapple, pistachio fruit, plumcotes, plums, prickly pears, quinces, tamarillos and tomatoes for consumption.

The following table illustrates and describes additional inspection techniques for avocadoes

Avocados The following table illustrates and describes additional inspection techniques for Hass avocado to Japan.

What does this look like Description

During inspection it is important to verify that all packages contain only Hass avocados.

A Hass avocado has pebbly and thick skin. It has an oval shape and turns from green to purplish-black when is ripe.

Hass avocados can be medium to large, ranging from 142 to 340 g.

Hass avocados have the most distinctive colour and will be deep green to purple black when ripe. A black avocado will likely be overripe.

All avocados from the inspection lot should be inspected for hard condition.

Hard condition means the fruit is deliberately detached from healthy branches of living trees and they don’t have signs of softening, spotted areas or broken skin.

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What does this look like Description

Pest damage

Fruit fly stings

Sign of soft rot

Examples of nonconformities

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Stone fruit This group includes, apricots, nectarines, peaches, plums and cherries. The following table illustrates and describes additional inspection techniques for stone fruit.

What does this look like Description

The indented tray and inside of the packaging is inspected for sign of damage by fruit fly.

Internal damage is not seen unless the fruit is opened.

For China market, peaches, plums and apricots must be cut and examined to verify fruits are free from codling moth (Cydia pomonella) larvae.

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The following table illustrates and describes additional inspection techniques for other tropical fruit group.

What does this look like Description

All recesses are inspected including within leaf growth (for example in pineapples).

Tight bunches of bananas may need to be broken open to allow for adequate inspection inside the bunch.

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Cucurbits and chilli This group includes capsicum, chillies, choko, courgettes, cucumbers, melons, pumpkins, squash and zucchini for consumption.

The following table illustrates and describes additional inspection techniques for cucurbits and chilli.

What does this look like Description

Melons and pumpkins are often presented in bulk bins.

Due to their weight and size the client should provide assistance to the AO during the inspection.

All recesses are examined, including under the calyx lobes and blossom ends of fruit.

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Dried fruit This group includes dried fruit including apples, apricots, bananas, cranberries, currants (Ribes spp. and Vitis spp.), dates, figs, goji berry, kiwifruit, mangoes, oranges, peaches, pears, pineapple, prunes, raisins, rockmelon, strawberries and sultanas for consumption.

The following table illustrates and describes additional inspection techniques for dried fruit.

What does this look like Description

Even if the punnet, box or bag is clear it is opened to allow proper inspection of the packaging and the commodity.

Any plastic lining is replaced to allow repacking of the product as it is inspected.

All recesses are inspected for pests and contaminants.

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Root vegetables This group includes artichokes (Jerusalem), beetroot, carrots, galangal, garlic, ginger, kohl rabi, kumera, mushrooms, onions, parsnips, potatoes, radishes, rutabaga, salsify, spring onions, swedes, sweet potatoes, topinambour, truffles, turmeric and turnips for consumption.

The following table illustrates and describes additional inspection techniques for root vegetables.

What does this look like Description

Inspection benches may be specifically designed to assist with rebagging commodities such as onions and potatoes.

Further investigation or internal inspection is only undertaken if signs of pests or disease are observed.

For garlic, the bulbs are broken in half by placing a knife into the bulb and twisting apart. One’s fingers can be used to pull the remaining cloves apart.

For onions, the layers at the top of the onion can be peeled back to reveal the first one or two layers or white flesh.

This group may be more susceptible to soil contamination depending on the processing that occurs after harvest.

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Leafy vegetables This group includes alfalfa, arugula, artichokes (globe), asparagus, bamboo shoots, beans, bok choy, broccoflower, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, celeriac, celery, chard, chicory, corn, cress, edible fresh and dried flowers, endive, fresh herbs, horseradish, kale, leeks, lettuce, mache, mizuna, mustard, okra, pak choy, peas, rhubard, shallots, shiso leaves, silverbeet, shoots, snowpeas, spinach, sprouts, sweetcorn, tatsoi, tendrils, watercress and witloof for consumption.

The following table illustrates and describes additional inspection techniques for leafy vegetables.

What does this look like Description

Some leafy vegetables require the tap and shake technique.

The bunch is held upside down, above the bench, and tapped firmly to dislodge any pests.

The outer stalks or leaves are pulled back and inspected for pests, disease and contamination.

For commodities with large leaves or stems, such as spinach, further leaves or stems may need to be removed.

This group may be more susceptible to soil contamination as some commodities are difficult to clean.

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Nursery stock Bulbs, corms and tubers This group includes bulbs, corms, rhizomes, runners, stolons, tubers, peat and mushroom growing substrate for propagation.

The following table illustrates and describes the inspection techniques for bulbs, corms and tubers.

What does this look like Description

The packaging is first checked for live pests and contaminants by turning the package to view all sides.

The packet is then opened.

The commodity is inspected over an inspection tray.

The AO focuses on the presence of soil, pests, disease or contaminants under loose material or around the neck of bulbs.

The outer surface are examined, including all recesses and areas around the neck and root systems, if applicable.

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What does this look like Description

The outer layers are pulled back for inspection, if necessary.

If physical damage is seen, including rot or decay, the area is carefully cut open to examine for internal pests or disease.

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Cut flowers and foliage This group includes dried and fresh cut flowers and foliage for ornamental display.

The following table illustrates and describes the inspection techniques for fresh and dried flowers and foliage.

What does this look like Description

Attention is paid to all surfaces of the flower head, especially under petals and sepals, and the underside of leaves.

One piece of product is inspected at a time.

The outer petals are pulled back on flowers to allow for inspection inside the flower.

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What does this look like Description

If physical damage, including rot or decay and signs of infestation such as galls are seen, the area is carefully cut open to examine for internal pests or disease.

If galls are present, the AO cuts it open and the inside of the gall is examined for live pests.

Each unit or a bunch of units is held upside down above the bench and tapped firmly to dislodge any pests.

Any loose material and debris left on the inspection bench is checked.

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Tissue cultures and cuttings This groups includes budwood, cuttings, pollen and tissue cultures for propagation.

Tissue cultures

The following table illustrates and describes the inspection techniques for tissue cultures.

What does this look like Description

The outside and inside of the outer packaging is examined for signs of infestation or contaminants.

Sterile flasks are not opened.

One flask, tube or jar is picked up at a time and inspected for fungal and bacterial growth and evidence of pests.

The flask, jar or tube is examined from all sides.

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What does this look like Description

Each flask is held up to the light and the substrate (usually agar) inspected for discolouration that might indicate contamination or disease.

Some agar contains nutrients or charcoal that colour the compound.

Some importing countries require a certain type of medium.

The medium is examined from the bottom.

Cuttings

The following table illustrates and describes the inspection techniques for loose cuttings.

What does this look like Description

Loose cuttings may or may not have leaves.

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What does this look like Description

Attention is paid to all surfaces of the flower head, especially under petals and sepals, and the underside of leaves.

One cutting is picked up at a time and the surface examined.

A magnifying lens of at least 10x magnification can be used for detailed inspections of commodities with small sites that might harbour pests and disease.

The lower portion of the stem is inspected for callus or roots, and for pests or symptoms such as galls.

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Plants This group includes advanced plants, advanced runners, rooted cuttings, trees and tubestock for propagation.

Plants in potting mix

The following table illustrates and describes additional inspection techniques for plants in potting media.

What does this look like Description

When inspecting large commodities outdoors, for example trees, the AOs ensures that the area is clean and free from risk of cross contamination or infection from surrounding areas.

The inside of the packaging is inspected for pests and contaminants.

The pot is also examined.

One plant is inspected at a time—starting from the bottom, at the root ball, and focusing on all external surfaces.

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What does this look like Description

The potting medium is examined for signs of pests or disease.

Some importing countries have specific conditions for potting mix.

The stem or trunk is examined for eggs, webbing, frass, breathing holes, and tracks under the surface of bark. Close attention is paid to damaged areas, knots and loose bark.

A hand lens can be used to inspect stems, branches, leaves (including the underside), buds and flowers.

The AO looks particularly for egg masses, larvae and small arthropods, as well as for symptoms of disease.

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What does this look like Description

A magnifying lens of at least 10x magnification is used for detailed inspections of small pests and commodities with small sites that might harbour pests and disease.

Particular care is taken when examining buds, noting some pests such as mites are very small.

Live and dead branches are inspected for evidence of pests. Spiders might be under bark and on smaller branches.

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Bare-rooted plants

The following table illustrates and describes the inspection techniques for bare-rooted plants.

What does this look like Description

The packaging is inspected for pests and contaminants.

One plant is inspected at a time for pests and signs of infestation.

The root mass is examined for pests, signs of pests such as galls, disease symptoms and other contaminants.

Spiders might be under bark and on smaller branches.

The stem or trunk is examined for eggs, webbing, frass, breathing holes, and tracks under the surface of bark. Close attention is paid to damaged areas, knots and loose bark.

A magnifying lens of at least 10x magnification is used for detailed inspections of small pests and commodities with small sites that might harbour pests and disease.

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What does this look like Description

A hand lens can be used to inspect stems, branches, leaves (including the underside), buds and flowers.

The AO looks particularly for egg masses, larvae and small arthropods, as well as for symptoms of disease.

Particular care is taken when examining buds, noting some pests such as mites are very small.

Live and dead branches are inspected for evidence of pests. Spiders might be under bark and on smaller branches.

For large plants the AO will, if possible, spread white paper on the floor, lean the plant over the paper and tap it firmly to dislodge any insects.

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What does this look like Description

Any debris that falls on the white paper is inspected.

The AO regularly inspects the bench top for pests throughout the inspection.

Related material • Export Control Act 1982 • Export Control (Orders) Regulations 1982 • Export Control (Plants and Plant Products) Order 2011 • Manual of Importing Country Requirements (MICoR – Plants) • Plant exports operations manual (PEOM):

o Guideline: Inspection of horticulture for export o Work instruction: Inspecting horticulture for export using end-point sampling o Work instruction: Inspecting horticulture for export using in-line sampling o Reference: Plant exports guide—equipment o Reference: Plant exports guide—sampling horticulture o Reference: Plant exports guide—specimen collection

Contact information • Authorised Officer Program: [email protected] • Horticulture Exports Program: [email protected]

Document information The following table contains administrative metadata.

Instructional Material Library document ID

Instructional material owner

IMLS-12-3281 Director, Horticulture Exports Program, Plant Export Operations Branch

Version history The following table details the published date and amendment details for this document.

Version Date Amendment details

1.0 22/09/2017 First publication of this reference.

2.0 17/07/2018 Expand additional inspection techniques for stonefruit, mangoes, avocados and tropical fruit inspection.