Fallen strawberry guava fruit is consumed by feral pigs, birds, and rats and the seeds are then dispersed through their excrement (State of Hawaii 2010). The remaining fruit is left on the ground to rot, which hosts wild populations of fruit flies, such as the Oriental fruit fly and the Mediterranean fruit fly (State of Hawaii 2010). These wild populations of fruit flies are attributed with costing farmers millions of dollars annually in damage to fruit and vegetable crops (Johnson 2005). Millions of dollars more are spent annually to prevent the introduction of these fruit to the continental US through quarantine and eradication efforts (Johnson 2005). It is estimated by Roger Vargas (USDA ARS PBARC) that 95% of fruit fly populations developed from monotypic stands of strawberry and common guava in Hawaii (State of Hawaii 2010). Besides suppressing native species and providing nourishment for alien species, strawberry guava also negatively affects all of these species and more by damaging the
Fallen strawberry guava fruit is consumed by feral pigs, birds, and rats and the seeds are then dispersed through their excrement (State of Hawaii 2010). The remaining fruit is left on the ground to rot, which hosts wild populations of fruit flies, such as the Oriental fruit fly and the Mediterranean fruit fly (State of Hawaii 2010). These wild populations of fruit flies are attributed with costing farmers millions of dollars annually in damage to fruit and vegetable crops (Johnson 2005). Millions of dollars more are spent annually to prevent the introduction of these fruit to the continental US through quarantine and eradication efforts (Johnson 2005). It is estimated by Roger Vargas (USDA ARS PBARC) that 95% of fruit fly populations developed from monotypic stands of strawberry and common guava in Hawaii (State of Hawaii 2010). Besides suppressing native species and providing nourishment for alien species, strawberry guava also negatively affects all of these species and more by damaging the