PEST INFORMATION, DETECTION AND SURVEILLANCE PROJECTS OF THE CENTER FOR PLANT HEALTH SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY OF USDA-APHIS

This paper provides a brief overview of the Center for Plant Health Science and Technology (CPHST) of the United States Department of Agriculture and presents selected CPHST projects dealing with the collection, dissemination, or management of information for the purpose of safeguarding against the entry or spread of exotic plant pests. The projects include projects supporting pest identification (IDTools, IDSource, ID Image, ID Mobile), a remotesensing insect smart trap, pest prioritization, pest prediction (NAPPFAST), the Global Pest and Disease Database (GPDD), and pest biosurveillance (EPICA). The objective of this paper is to raise awareness for CPHST projects and to provide ideas for collaborative efforts among the Caribbean countries and between the Caribbean countries and the United States