New Zealand hearing on agents to combat tomato, potato, capsicum and tamarillo pest

Date:04-19-2016

The New Zealand Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) proposes a hearing on an application to introduce a parasitic wasp as a biological control agent to combat a psyllid that attacks tomatoes, potatoes, capsicums and tamarillos. The hearing will be held on 4 May, 2016.

The application, from Horticulture New Zealand Inc, on behalf of a number of growers’ industry groups, seeks approval to release the psyllid parasitoid Tamarixia triozae (the wasp) to kill the tomato potato psyllid or TPP (Bactericera cockerelli). This application was made under the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms (HSNO) Act 1996.