Journal of Plant Pathology & Microbiology

Abstract

Pest Risk Analysis and Quarantine Precautions for Maize Importation into Ethiopia: A Case of Eleven Source Countries

Asela Kesho* and Worku Abebe

Maize improvement program in Ethiopia utilizes a large amount of germplasm from external sources. Seed samples were imported from eleven different countries Mexico, Kenya, Zimbabwe, India, Norway, Colombia, Thailand, Zambia, South Africa, Nigeria and Egypt from 2011 to 2020. During maize importation, regular inspection was carried out at Holetta Agricultural Research Center for freedom from pests of insects, pathogens and weed seeds. In order to be effective in this important regulatory pest management undertaking, this review attempts to provide a concerted approach for effecting pre- and post-entry regulatory measures for maize importation into Ethiopia based on pest risk analysis (PRA) to safeguard the country. A total of 18 pests (including 12 arthropods, 3 fungi, 1 bacterium, 1 virus and 1 Spiroplasma) are of quarantine concern when importing maize seed into Ethiopia from the eleven major germplasm source-countries considered in this PRA. Three fungi (Cocliobolus, Fusarium and Mycosphaerella), one bacterium bacterial wilt of maize (Pantoea stewartii) and the virus maize chlorotic dwarf virus and corn stunt Spiroplasma (Spiroplasma kunkelii) and also twelve arthropods are of quarantine concern to the country. The number and species of pests of quarantine concern for the country vary depending on country of origin the highest in Mexico with 11 pests followed by India (7 pests) and then Colombia (6 pests). The rest consists of only 1–5 pests of quarantine importance for Ethiopia. Therefore, this review describes quarantine precautions in the import control scenarios and presents PRA based on pathway analysis for importing maize seed into Ethiopia from eleven major source-countries. Generally, the importers of maize into Ethiopia need to strictly consider the information provided in this paper before, during and after arrival of maize samples for research.

Published Date: 2021-04-15; Received Date: 2021-03-25