Location: Commodity Protection and Quality Research
Project Number: 2034-43000-043-006-T
Project Type: Trust Fund Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Oct 1, 2018
End Date: Sep 15, 2023
Objective:
The project has a long-term goal to ensure pest-free security and food safety of tree nuts in postharvest marketing channels via the development of efficient, economical, and environmentally benign treatments. The short-term goal is to conduct confirmatory postharvest fumigation trials to control navel orangeworm, Mediterranean flour moth, and almond moth using patented United Phosphorus Inc. delivery technology.
Approach:
Utilize a cooperative effort between USDA-ARS, USDA-APHIS, California industry, and foreign counterparts to address pest-related barriers to export. Particular attention will be paid to the expansion and retention of export markets for the California almond and walnut industry. Pests will be targeted with postharvest techniques as outlined as objectives. Conduct commercial-scale studies to confirm treatment efficacy. Whenever possible, treatment parameters will be tailored to infrastructural and logistical requirements of industry with priority given to those that minimize interruption conventional methods of production, storage, and distribution.
1) Comparatively evaluate susceptible versus resistant populations of cigarette beetle and tobacco moth at steady-state phosphine concentrations to identify the “sweet spot”, or optimal concentration range for shortest time to control. In particular, identify the tolerance of fourth instar larvae of cigarette beetle relative to cigarette beetle eggs. Demonstrate efficacy that achieves international phytosanitary standards.
