2009 Annual Report 1a.Objectives (from AD-416) Determine the associations of navel orangeworm (NOW) (flight, oviposition, wounding of nuts by larvae and adult moths) with aflatoxigenic fungi Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus. Also determine the ability of NOW to vector propagules of A. flavus/A. parasiticus, when nuts become susceptible to infestation by NOW, and compare the vectored fungi with those producing aflatoxins in nuts. 1b.Approach (from AD-416) Larvae and pupae from nut mummies from the trees and the ground and NOW moths will be collected periodically from commercial pistachio and almond orchards and the insects plated on specific media to determine the levels of contamination. Strains of A. flavus/A. parasiticus isolated from NOW will be compared with those isolated from infected nuts. Pea size and crinkled pistachio (NOW-damaged and non-damaged, stained, and not stained) will be plated periodically to determine their infection by Aspergillus spp. To determine when nuts become susceptible to NOW we will do periodic bagging of pistachio clusters and almonds with NOW. All the isolates of S, L, and M strains of A. flavus and A. parasiticus will be identified based on previously published research. Documents SCA with Kearney Hort. Station. 3.Progress Report One ARS entomologist and one plant pathologist, UC Davis, based in Parlier, CA are collaborating on determining the relationship between navel orangeworm damage and aflatoxin contamination of pistachios in the San Joaquin Valley. More than 50,000 navel orangeworm adults were collected using female baited traps in Madera and Fresno counties and a subsample of these adults was plated in order to identify the species of Aspergillus on their bodies. The prevalence of aflatoxin-producing Aspergillus varied during the season, increasing in September coincident with harvest. Cooperator activity was monitored by reports at stakeholder meeting, presentations made to the California Pistachio Research Board, telephone conversations and e-mail.