In an effort to receive advanced warning of destructive pests that could wreak havoc on native plantings, researchers from Europe, the United States and China are growing "sentinel trees" in strategic locations around the world.
"Sentinel nurseries represent one potential mechanism to address the current lack of knowledge about pests in the countries from where live plants are shipped and the threats they represent to native flora and crops in importing countries," researchers from universities in Italy, China and Switzerland said in a study published in Plos One.
As global trade intensifies, the risk for accidental import and exposure to new invasive pests is a constant worry for entomologists and arborists. Cases past and present illustrate the desperate need for new tactics to prevent future losses.
