Recap of October First Friday with Florida First Detector
On October 7th, we covered resources for identification of plant problems. This was the second class in our First Friday series that built upon the basics of invasive species that we learned in September.
We started by covering many of the important agencies and groups involved in invasive species issues. Tis included the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS), Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey Program (CAPS), Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS), National Plant Diagnostic Network (NPDN), Sentinel Plant Network (SPN), Protect U.S. and land grant institutions like the University of Florida.
Sample submission is super important to the early detection of invasive pests and pathogens! When you submit a sample and it gets identified as an invasive species, it can trigger a rapid response. If it is a known priority pest, the appropriate agencies are notified to create a plan and respond.
If the population of the invasive species is small, they may work to first quarantine, and then eradicate the pest. Eradication can take a lot of time, money and other resources. If eradication is successful, they will continue to monitor the area and be on the look out for new introductions.
If the detection of the invasive species is not early enough, the population may already be well established in an area. This still may lead to quarantines, but eradication may not be possible. Instead, the agencies shift to monitoring and management of the pest. If there is not many effective management strategies, the agencies may start research to better identified control techniques.
Many of these agencies, including the University of Florida/IFAS, have a lot of great resources for diagnostics of plant problems and invasive species. When something seems weird or unusual, there is a chance it is a newly introduced, potentially invasive pest. When in doubt, submit a sample!
Resources for Diagnostics of Plant Problems
- UF/IFAS Diagnostic Services (Plant Disease, Insects, Nematodes, Soil/Water, Plant/Weed, etc.)
- Distance Diagnostic and Identification System
- Your Local County Extension Office
- FDACS Sample Submission
Resources on Invasive Species
- Florida Invasive Species Council
- Cooperative Invasive Species Management Areas
- Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey
- National Plant Diagnostic Network
- National Invasive Species Information Center
- Protect U.S.
Want to watch the recording?
What is the upcoming schedule?
We are meeting online via Zoom from 12:00PM-1:00PM on the First Friday of every month from Sept 2022-Aug 2023. Please visit this blog for registration information and the upcoming schedule.
Questions?
Contact Dr. Morgan Pinkerton, morgan0402@ufl.edu
Or
Visit the Florida First Detector Website