Progress 05/01/02 to 04/30/07
Outputs
Progress Report Objectives (from AD-416) Develop new methods and approaches to manage cherry fruit flies and cherry orchards. Approach (from AD-416) Discover insect life history traits that are vulnerable to manipulation and conduct experiements to reduce fly populations. Documents Trust with WTFRC. Log 21913. Formerly 5352-22000-013-53T, 03/03. Formerly 5352-22000- 015-24T (6/05). Significant Activities that Support Special Target Populations This report serves to document research conducted under a Trust agreement between ARS and Washington State Tree Fruit Research Commission. Additional details of research can be found in the report for the parent project 5352-22000-017-00D 'Management of Insect Pests of Temperate Tree Fruit Crops'. : A series of field tests were conducted to determine the attractiveness of different baits for cherry fruit fly. Tests were also conducted to determine if the baits were effective against larvae in fruit. We found that flies fed on all three baits (GF-120, Nu-Lure, and Mazoferm) mixed with insecticides, but that the flies were no more attracted to them than to water. When the baits were sprayed on whole trees, infestations of cherries with larvae were greatly reduced but not eliminated. The results of this study are important in that they indicate the bait sprays tested are not attractive to flies and that they work because flies find and feed on them through normal foraging on leaves and then die. This mechanism is apparently sufficient to kill most flies, but because infestations need to be eliminated, the attractiveness of baits may need to be increased to optimize effectiveness. ADODR STATEMENT: Monitoring of activities and progress on this project was accomplished by direct supervision of on site employees, and use of e- mail and telephone to communicate with off site collaborators.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
|
Progress 10/01/05 to 09/30/06
Outputs
Progress Report 4d Progress report. This report serves to document research conducted under a trust agreement between ARS and the Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission. Additional details of research can be found in the report for the parent CRIS 5352-22000-017-00D Management of Insect Pests of Temperate Tree Fruit Crops 1. Food sources of cherry fruit flies on cherry trees were determined. The fly is currently managed using food-attractant bait sprays and understanding the feeding ecology of the fly may help improve the use and effectiveness of baits. Personnel at the USDA, ARS laboratory in Wapato, WA observed the behaviors of flies in naturally infested cherry trees and showed that flies fed mostly on sugars and undefined matter on leaf surfaces, apparently indiscriminately, but also fed on cherry juice in fruit and splattered on leaves, on extrafloral nectaries, and on bird droppings. These findings are important because they suggest that any number of bait
sprays work because flies find them through chance encounters, but that baits which are more attractive than natural substrates may be most effective. 2. The effects of feeding history on fly responses to baits were determined. Cherry fruit flies are managed using food-attractant bait sprays and understanding the feeding ecology of the fly may help improve the use and effectiveness of baits. Personnel at the USDA, ARS laboratory in Wapato, WA observed the responses of flies fed on protein and sugar and sugar alone to protein bait droplets. Flies fed protein and sugar did not respond as often to bait drops as flies fed sugar alone. Mortality of flies fed on protein and sugar and then exposed to bait drops mixed with insecticide was significantly lower than of flies fed on sugar alone. These findings are important because they suggest the feeding history of flies affects their responses to baits sprayed on trees. Baits that entice even protein-fed flies to feed on small amounts of
baits may be more effective at low volumes (decreasing the insecticide load in the environment) than baits that are not attractive to protein- fed flies. 3. Effects of newer insecticides on the mortality of adult and larvae cherry fruit flies were determined. The fly is currently managed using food-attractant bait sprays with the insecticide spinosad, but overuse of this material may have side effects on non-target organisms. Personnel at the USDA, ARS laboratory in Wapato, WA conducted experiments to determine insecticide effects and showed that spinosad and imidacloprid were similarly and highly toxic to adult flies, but that they also reduced emergence of larvae from fruit by causing high mortality of the egg or larval stages. These findings are important because they suggest that these newer and environmentally soft insecticides can achieve control through effects on both adults and larvae and thus can potentially replace organophosphate insecticides as pre- and post-harvest
sprays.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
|
Progress 10/01/04 to 09/30/05
Outputs
4d Progress report. This report serves to document research conducted under a trust agreement between ARS and the Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission. Additional details of research can be found in the report for the parent CRIS 5352-22000-017-00D Management of Insect Pests of Temperate Tree Fruit Crops. 1. It was found that cherry fruit flies constantly move among cherry leaves, feeding almost entirely on surfaces of the leaves during early and mid season. At the same time, it was found that flies are not highly attracted to bait sprays in nature and that flies find bait droplets primarily through normal movement. The new information on how flies find baits may facilitate the development of improved bait chemistries to make them more attractive to the flies. 2. It was found that three fresh commercial baits (GF-120, Nulure, and Mazoferm) applied to backyard cherry trees suppressed infestations of fruit flies in fruit, but that they did not eliminate them.
This information will be useful in developing new methods to apply the baits to improve control. 3. It was found that several newer insecticides increased mortality of adult cherry fruit flies as well as eggs and larvae of flies. These insecticides had previously been assumed to have effects on adults only. This new information provides an explanation for how these insecticides control fly populations and may result in newer and even safer insecticides for fly control.
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 ARS and the Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission. Additional details can be found in the report for the parent project, 5352-22000-015- 00D, Research/Management of Insects and Tree Fruit. We determined that cherry fruit flies respond to several food bait sprays and that bait sprays are effective in preventing flies from laying eggs in fruit and ultimately in causing high fly mortality. This information helps growers choose methods for fly control that do not require the use of organophosphate insecticides.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
|
|