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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Wapato, Washington » Temperate Tree Fruit and Vegetable Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #262533

Title: Before harvest survival of codling moth (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) in artificially infested sweet cherries

Author
item HANSEN, JAMES - Retired ARS Employee
item LEWIS, LAURA - Retired ARS Employee

Submitted to: Crop Protection
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/25/2011
Publication Date: 7/1/2011
Citation: Hansen, J.D., Lewis, L.R. 2011. Before harvest survival of codling moth (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) in artificially infested sweet cherries. Crop Protection. 30:1223-1226.

Interpretive Summary: In order for fresh fruits to be exported to Japan, they need to be free of codling moth larvae. The Systems Approach is a process that uses the accumulated effects of pest reduction to provide quarantine security. One element of this can be the suitability of the commodity as a food resource for the pest. This study demonstrates under field conditions that cherry fruits are inadequate for normal, healthy devolvement of codling moth. This concurs with previous studies on the host status of cherry fruits for codling moth and supports the Systems Approach for export security.

Technical Abstract: Prior to the 2009 season, sweet cherries, Prunus avium (L.) L., from North America were required to be fumigated with methyl bromide before being exported to Japan to eliminate possible infestation by codling moth, Cydia pomonella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). However, based on recent biological research on host status, a new procedure (the systems approach) was implemented relying on the cumulative effects of pre- and post-harvest practices to produce pest-free cherries for export. The objective of our study was to provide additional information to support the systems approach for codling moth in cherries. For four seasons, branches with cherry fruits were caged on trees and infested by released ovipositing codling moths into the cages. Fruits were sampled weekly for codling moth individuals at each life stage. Eggs were laid mostly on leaves with the seasonal average numbers per cage ranging from 141.6 to 617.0. Populations declined rapidly after egg eclosion, with <1.5% of the original cohort surviving to V-instars. Even after 8 weeks, none had formed cocoons or pupated. This failure of the codling moth to complete a life cycle under field conditions support previous life history studies and demonstrates that cherries are inadequate hosts for codling moth.