Application of the augmentorium strategy for management of olive fruit fly and other olive pests : potential and challenges

Authors: DESURMONT, GAYLORD - European Biological Control Laboratory (EBCL); TANNIERES, MELANIE - European Biological Control Laboratory (EBCL); Manoukis, Nicholas

Submitted to: Biological Control
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/20/2026
Publication Date: 1/21/2026
Citation: Desurmont, G., Tannieres, M., Manoukis, N. 2026. Application of the augmentorium strategy for management of olive fruit fly and other olive pests : potential and challenges. Biological Control. 213:105971. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocontrol.2026.105971.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocontrol.2026.105971

Interpretive Summary: The study explores how augmentoria, simple tent-like structures that trap pests while allowing their natural enemies to escape, could be adapted for managing the olive fruit fly (Bactrocera oleae) in olive production. Augmentoria have already been successfully used in tropical fruit farming and are particularly beneficial for small-scale agriculture due to their low cost and simplicity. Size differences between the olive fruit fly and its natural enemies were shown to occur across various olive-growing regions, suggesting that an effective net design would be broadly applicable. However, the main challenge of this approach is the labor-intensive collection of infested olives, which could limit large-scale adoption. As a potential addition or alternative, the authors propose using companion trees within olive orchards as natural augmentoria. The extension of the concept to other olive pests is discussed, emphasizing its adaptability and potential for sustainable pest management.

Technical Abstract: Sustainable agricultural practices and Integrated Pest Management (IPM) minimize reliance on synthetic pesticides by promoting environmentally friendly pest control strategies. A promising but often overlooked example of such a strategy is the augmentorium, a tent-like structure designed to trap pests while allowing their natural enemies to escape and multiply. Augmentoria have been successfully deployed to control fruit flies in tropical crops and is particularly effective in small-scale farming due to its simplicity and low cost. Here we explore the possibility of expanding the application of the augmentorium to olive production and management of the olive fruit fly, Bactrocera oleae, among other pests. We review the requirements for successful implementation, including the presence of effective natural enemies and practical integration into farming practices, and investigated size differences between B. oleae and its main natural enemies for optimal net design. Data show that the natural enemies present in different regions of olive production worldwide share a similar size difference with the olive fruit fly, suggesting that augmentoria would be applicable in these regions. The biggest challenge to implementation may lie in the harvest of infested olive fruits, which is time and labor intensive. We suggest that the use of companion trees in olive orchards may serve as natural augmentoria and act as an alternative to the tent-like structures. We then discuss further exploration of the augmentorium idea for other olive pests, highlighting its adaptability and potential for sustainable pest management across diverse systems.