DEVELOP POSTHARVEST TREATMENTS TO CONTROL OLIVE FRUIT FLY IN OLIVES

Project Director
YOKOYAMA V Y

Recipient Organization
AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH SERVICE
(N/A)
PARLIER,CA 93648

Performing Department
(N/A)

Non Technical Summary
(N/A)

Animal Health Component

(N/A)

Research Effort Categories

Basic

20%

Applied

20%

Developmental

60%

Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)	Subject of Investigation (SOI)	Field of Science (FOS)	Percent
503	2299	1130	100%

Knowledge Area
503 - Quality Maintenance in Storing and Marketing Food Products;

Subject Of Investigation
2299 - Miscellaneous and new crops, general/other;

Field Of Science
1130 - Entomology and acarology;

Goals / Objectives
The objective of this cooperative research project is to develop quarantine treatments and control strategies to control olive fruit fly in olives.

Project Methods
Quarantine treatments and strategies will be developed to control olive fruit fly in olives to reduce economic losses of the fruit and to allow regional shipments of harvested fruit. New control strategies including attract and kill traps, bait stations, and plastic film bin liners will be investigated as methods to reduce adult and larval populations. Biological control agents will be investigated including a newly discovered parasite and a cold tolerant parasite as methods to reduce populations in regions with high infestations. The physical factors that limit insect growth including temperature and humidity will be studied in the laboratory to determine the effect of weather on the distribution of olive fruit fly in California and potential growth of populations in regions with a high production of canning olives. Quarantine treatments previously developed including low temperature storage regimes and brine solutions will be supported with further research to control larval populations in the fruit. Previous observations and laboratory investigations to study insect-host interactions will be continued to determine factors that affect fruit susceptibility to attack. Documents Trust with CA Olive Committee. Log 17296. Formerly 5302-43000-027-05T (2/03).

Progress 04/06/00 to 04/01/05

Outputs
4d Progress report. This report serves to document research conducted under a trust agreement between ARS and the California Olive Committee. Additional details of research can be found in the report for the parent CRIS 5302-43000-030- 00D Chemically Based Methods as Alternatives to MB for Postharvest and Quarantine Pests, and additionally CRIS 5302-43000-031-00D Alternatives to Chemical Control for Stored Product and Quarantine Pests of Fresh/Dried Fruits and Nuts. This project relates to the objectives of the parent projects by development of alternatives to methyl bromide and alternatives to chemical pest control. The biology of olive fruit fly, a recently introduced pest in California, and an imported parasitoid, Psytallia cf. concolor, was studied in laboratory and greenhouse tests at the USDA, ARS, San Joaquin Valley Agricultural Sciences Center, Parlier, CA, in collaboration with the California Olive Committee, Fresno, CA, and the USDA, APHIS, PPQ, MOSCAMED, Guatemala. Results showed great potential for biological control of olive fruit fly by P. cf. concolor. The parasitoid was also found to attack walnut husk fly which is a pest of walnuts, but did not attack a seedhead fly that is used for biological control of yellow star thistle. Genetic studies showed that the parasitoid was a unique and pure strain from Kenya. A laboratory colony of olive fruit fly was obtained to rear the parasitoid for releases in infested olive orchards. This research helps protect the canned olive and olive oil industry in California valued at $90 million annually.

Impacts
(N/A)

Publications

Progress 10/01/03 to 09/30/04

Outputs
4. What were the most significant accomplishments this past year? This report serves to document research conducted under a trust agreement between the ARS and the California Olive Committee. Additional details of research can be found in the report for the parent project 5302-43000- 030-00D Chemically Based Methods as Alternatives to Methyl Bromide for Postharvest and Quarantine Pests and additionally project 5302-43000-031- 00D Alternatives to Chemical Control for Stored Product and Quarantine Pests of Fresh/Dried Fruits and Nuts. Olive fruit fly is an accidentally introduced exotic pest in California that has caused severe losses of olives used for oil in coastal areas and threatens the production of canning olives in the interior valleys. The life cycle of olive fruit fly was studied in laboratory and greenhouse tests in collaboration with the California Olive Committee, to determine survival and longevity under different climatic conditions that simulated regions where olives are grown for canning and oil. Olive fruit fly thrived in cool, moist conditions that were similar to coastal climates, and that warm, arid conditions such as found in the interior valleys of California where commercial canning olives are grown, were detrimental to pest survival. Knowledge of the effect of climate on pest populations will support development of control programs in commercial olive orchards that minimize costly spray programs and emphasize non-chemical practices such as sanitation to reduce pest damage.

Impacts
(N/A)

Publications