Spotlight Stories
CDFA Specialty Crop Block Grant Funded Study to Demonstrate the Use of Hot Water in Pest Eradication
Hot water treatment of plant material for the elimination of endemic and invasive pests is not a new concept, and it is widely used in Hawaii. Although plants treated in this manner in Hawaii meet phytosanitary requirements in California, hot water treatment of ornamental plants is not practiced in California. The preferred methods for eradication of arriving invasives or nursery cleanliness standards are pesticide applications or plant destruction, which pose undue economic burden on the producer. Potentially, pesticide applications can pose an unnecessary impact on the environment depending on the magnitude of the eradication effort for some pests. UCCE San Diego has been funded by a CDFA Specialty Crop Block Grant (# 10.170) to demonstrate the economic and environmental benefits of hot water pest eradication. This project is collaborative between local and state regulatory agencies, universities, and cooperating growers.
We'll be posting progress updates as they become available so check back soon!
If you're interested in some of the research that's already been done in Hawaii follow the links below:
