Project Number: 5352-22000-019-00
Project Type: Appropriated

Start Date: Apr 20, 2010
End Date: Dec 27, 2010

Objective:
Objective 1: Develop new knowledge of life history, behavior, genetics, physiology, and ecology of codling moth (CM), leafrollers, pear psylla, cherry fruit fly, apple maggot, secondary pests, and their natural enemies that provide opportunities for new and improved biorational management of tree fruit insect pests. Objective 2: Develop monitoring methods and techniques that provide information to growers on the presence and threat level from pear psylla and CM. Objective 3: Develop biorational and sustainable methods for control of CM, leafrollers, pear psylla, and fruit fly pests of tree fruits. Objective 4: Develop and refine postharvest treatments for quarantine and phytosanitation pests to maintain or increase domestic and foreign markets of deciduous tree fruit. Objective 5: Develop and evaluate multicomponent systems approaches where accumulative effects of different processes suitable for commercial operations reduce or eliminate postharvest arthropod insects.

Approach:
Objective 1: Determine foods used by fruit flies in nature. Determine local movement patterns of fruit flies. Evaluate nutritional requirements of fruit flies. Characterize pear psylla behavioral responses to psylla and pear odors. Determine impact of insecticides on codling moth development by looking at mating and oviposition following exposures. Anthocorid predators of psylla will be studied to determine behavioral, morphological, and molecular differences among species. Monoclonal antibodies and PCR techniques will be used to identify pear psylla consumed by predators. New methods for moving and stabilizing genes will be evaluated for use against codling moth. Objective 2: Formulations and chemicals for feeding attractant and kairomone lures will be tested for fruit flies. Arena and flight tunnel assays, GC-EAD and GC-MS will be used to isolate and identify new kairomonal attractants and pheromones for psylla and codling moth. Objective 3: New formulations will be developed for virus and nematode pathogens of insects. Baits and insecticides will be modified and formulated for killing fruit flies. Dispensers, formulations, and strategies for codling moth mating disruption will be evaluated. Objective 4: Basic and applied studies will be conducted to determine the efficacy of postharvest treatments to control various arthropod pests on temperate tree fruits. Tests will be conducted on the most susceptible and resistant life stages. Treatments will be deemed suitable if they provide control with acceptable fruit quality. Phytotoxic effects of insect control treatments will be measured in collaboration with other research facilities. Objective 5: The cumulative impact of pest management, harvesting, sorting, culling, detection, packing, and storage operations on postharvest pests will be assessed. These processes include, but are not limited to, field control, host status, commodity sorting and culling, pest detection and computerized selection, inspection, baths and packing lines and storage conditions. Postharvest treatments will be added during the postharvest process. Replacing 5352-22000-017-00D (4/10).