NEW YORK (Reuters) - The cotton seed bug, a pest that has not been found in the United States, has been found for the first time in Florida, agriculture officials said.
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services said in a statement on Friday the pest was found by an inspector of the U.S. Agriculture Department among cotton plants in the Florida Keys.
"The cotton seed bug is a serious pest of cotton and we are hopeful it is contained on an island in the Keys, far away from the cotton production area," Florida Agriculture commissioner Charles Bronson said.
"Our inspection teams are currently in the field conducting a delimiting survey that will tell us if this pest has spread," he added.
The cotton seed bug attacks cotton and other plants in the cotton family including hibiscus and okra.
It is native to Africa, but has become established worldwide including in the Caribbean Basin and Puerto Rico.
The 4-5 mm (1/4 inch) insect feeds on cottonseed making the seeds less likely to sprout and reduces cotton oil quality.
A USDA report indicates cottonseed weight in Egypt decreased 2.5 to 15 percent due to this pest, creating significant revenue losses. Severe infestations may decrease germination by as much has 75 percent.
(Reporting by Rene Pastor; Editing by Marguerita Choy)
