Location: Commodity Protection and Quality Research
2020 Annual Report
Objectives
Objective 1: Develop practical, systems-based strategies, for management of pests of fresh fruit and high valuable durable commodities (e.g., navel orangeworm in
almonds, pistachios and walnuts, mealybugs on table grapes, codling moth in walnuts, tephritid fruit flies in fruit) through all aspects of production, distribution, and marketing that enhance production and commodity quality.
Subobjective 1A: Characterize the biotic and abiotic factors that affect the
insecticides used to control navel orangeworm in tree nuts in order to optimize
their efficacy and minimize non-target impacts on human health and environmental
quality.
Subobjective 1B: Characterize and optimize semiochemical strategies for monitoring
and control of key dipteran and lepidopteran pests in the context of minimizing
preharvest and post-harvest chemical treatment requirements.
Subobjective 1C: Characterize and optimize control strategies, utilizing the
physiology of key lepidopteran, coleopteran and dipteran pests, in the context of
minimizing preharvest and post-harvest chemical treatment requirements.
Subobjective 1D: Develop an overall metric of treatment efficacy, via combining the
individual contributions from preharvest and post-harvest processes, to evaluate
systems-based strategies for insect control in fresh and durable commodities.
Objective 2: Develop new treatment technologies or modify existing protocols for
post-harvest treatment of pests, such as the Indianmeal moth and the red flour
beetle, with the objective of minimizing negative effects to the environment and
food quality, while maintaining the positive sensory qualities and marketability of
these commodities.
Subobjective 2A: Develop technologies to reduce, or eliminate, atmospheric emissions from ventilation effluent following post-harvest fumigations.
Subobjective 2B: Develop treatments for novel post-harvest applications involving
fresh and durable commodities.
Subobjective 2C: Improve semiochemical-based strategies for controlling stored
product insect pests in post-harvest scenarios.
Objective 3: Develop treatment technologies for action agencies that require
alternatives to methyl bromide for phytosanitary and quarantine treatment of pests
such as the codling moth, spotted wing drosophila, and Fuller rose beetle. Conduct
research to support USDA-APHIS negotiations with trade partners as well as research on the fate and transport of post-harvest agrochemicals, thereby enhancing the competitiveness of U.S. agriculture in the global marketplace.
Subobjective 3A: Develop post-harvest treatments for quarantine purposes that
minimize reliance on post-harvest methyl bromide (MeBr) fumigations.
Subobjective 3B: Obtain sorption and depuration data related to post-harvest
fumigations to serve as physicochemical basis for regulation related to nontarget
human ingestion and inhalation exposures.
Subobjective 3C: Identify agrochemical use strategies and novel technologies to
ensure foodstuff residues are compliant with importer regulations.
Approach
The first objective has four subobjectives focusing on navel orangeworm, fruit fly, Indianmeal moth, and assorted pests through production, packing and shipping as well as damage prediction. These goals will be attained using a collaborative and multidisciplinary research approach combining chemical analysis, insect physiology, population dynamics, damage prediction and assessment of natural enemies. These elements will then be integrated into a systems approach that can be applied from the field through all channels in production and export.
The second objective, which has three subobjectives, is focused on the development
of new technologies and/or modifications of existing protocols for post-harvest
treatment of insects such as Indianmeal moth and red flour beetle. Particular
emphasis will be placed on reducing fumigant emission into the atmosphere and the
development of new fumigation protocols that retain commodity quality. Strategies
employing semiochemicals instead of fumigants will be investigated for control of
Indianmeal moth in warehouses.
The final objective has three subobjectives and is focused on control of quarantine
pests in recently harvested commodity in storage. Sorption and depuration data will
be obtained to help quantify nontarget human exposure in order to improve worker
safety. These strategies ensure that foodstuff residues are compliant with importer
regulations.
Progress Report
This bridging project began in July 2020 and continues research from expired project 2034-43000-040-00D, which is currently undergoing NP304 Office of Scientific Quality Review. For additional information, please see the expired project's report.
Accomplishments
