October 10, 2007 - 12:00am
By Leigha Kemmett
On Sept. 14, the panicle rice mite, a small pest native to Asia, was detected in several greenhouses part of the Guterman Greenhouse Complex at Cornell.
The greenhouses have since been quarantined by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, a subset of the United States Department of Agriculture. Two units within the Guterman Complex are fully quarantined, with access given only to specific authorized personnel. All other units have limited restrictions. Any person entering the greenhouse must don protective clothing, which is then sterilized after they exit to ensure that no mites escape the complex, according to Andrew Leed, CALS greenhouse manager.
Additionally, no plant material may be taken from any other research facilities on campus containing any rice.
