By By Patricia Bianca S. Taculao
Like humans, plants also suffer from diseases and pests which is sometimes caused by importing agricultural commodities from infected areas. In order to contain this, the Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Plant Industry-National Plant Quarantine Services Division (BPI-NPQSD) issued a “plant quarantine” to prevent the entry and spread of pests and diseases.
To inform the public about the pests and diseases that could infest or infect their plants, the BPI-NPQSD released information about insect pests, bacteria, and viruses through a series of posts called “Unwanted: The Philippines’ Most Unwanted Plant Pests.”
Some of the pests to keep an eye out for, according to the DA-BPI NPQS Division, are Alternaria Japonica, Diaspidiotus perniciosus, Hyphantria cunea, Lily Mottle Virus, Tobacco Rattle Virus, and Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus.
These pests and diseases are classified as “regulated quarantine pests” since their presence in the Philippines may cause a negative impact to farmers and to the agriculture industry as a whole.
If any of these pests or diseases are spotted the BPI-NPQS Division encourages people to inform them by reporting to the nearest Plant Quarantine Station in the area or by sending an email to [email protected] or calling (02) 8251-2267.
Similar to the NPQS Division of the DA-BPI, another organization known as the Philippine Association of Entomologists, Inc. is also releasing information about the different pests that pose a threat to agriculture.
Check out the PAE’s (https://www.facebook.com/PAEKulisap1968) and DA-BPI’s NPQS Division’s (https://www.facebook.com/BPI.NPQSD.PH/) social media sites to get familiarized with the pests to keep an eye out for.
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