Fig Day 2006

2005 Research: Monitoring, Sanitation, and Insect Pest

Management in Figs

Chuck Burks1, David Brandl1, Themis Michailides2, and Mark Doster2

1USDA-ARS, Parlier, CA2UC Kearney Agricultural Center, Parlier, CA

Background: previous findings

Two pests collectively responsible for majority of damage:

Nitidulid beetles (driedfruit beetle + C. freemani + C. mutilatis)

Navel orangeworm (NOW) Nitidulids generally cause greater loss

than NOW, but... Depends on year and location

Characteristics of NOW and nitidulids

AdultNeonate larvaStage entering fig

Yes, adults long-livedNo, adults short-livedFeeds as adult

Aggregation pheromone, attractive to both sexes, but outcompeted by ripe fruit

Sex pheromone, attractive to males only, no food co-attractant and not outcompeted by food

Pheromone biology

Nitidulids (Coleoptera)NOW (Lepidoptera)Insect Pest (Order)

2005 ResearchObjectives Examine association of trap counts with damage (can we predict

damage?) (Madera County) Examine association of infestation in breba crop with infestation of

fall crop (potential of sanitation for reduction of loss) (Madera County)

Compare efficacy of current and candidate insecticides against infestation by nitidulids and NOW (UCKAC)

Items to note: Dependent on two sampling and evaluation effortsone in

Madera County, and one at Parlier First of these recently completed; second in early stages Analysis and conclusions presented today are preliminary and

tentative

Fall Harvest, Madera County 50-fig samples taken from windrowed figs at 16

points in a 40-acre plot Conadria sampling schedule (BU, AR, IR)

Week 1: week of Mon 8/15 Week 2: week of Mon 8/22 Week 3: week of Mon 9/5

Calimyrna sampling schedule Arnold Ranch: Weeks of 8/22, 8/29, 9/5, and 9/19 Other sites (BU, IR, A12, A18): Weeks of 8/22, 9/5,

and 9/19

Infestation by nitidulid beetles in fall 05 Calimyrna harvest samples

Nitidulid infestation high compared to previous years

Greater infestation at two sites

8/22 8/29 9/5 9/12 9/19

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A12 A18 AR Bu IR

Infestation by lepidoteran larvae in fall 05 Calimyrna harvest samples

NOW responsible for a majority of these infestations

Low compared to nitidulids in 05 and leps in some previous years

Increases with later harvest

08/22 08/29 09/05 09/12 09/19

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0%

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4% A12 A18 AR Bu IR

Damage by pest category: comparison of 2005 and previous years Pooled data for all

harvests for year Nitidulids and navel

orangeworm cause most damage

Considering all years and locations, nitidulids show greater potential for damage (# of defects) compared to navel orangeworm

2002

0%

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30%

NitidulidsNavel orangeworm DrosophilaMixed Other

2003

0%

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30%

2004

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BU AR IR A12 A18 AGLD

2005

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30%

Comparison of insect pest damage, to Calimyrna and Conadria figs

Generally much greater damage in Calimyrnas

Greater similarity between amount of Conadria damage at these three sites

Possibly greater proportion of damage due to navel orangeworm in Conadria compared to Calimyrna

Buchanan Hollow

0%1%2%

10%15%20%

NitidulidsNavel orangewormDrosophilaMixed Other

Arnold Ranch

0%

1%

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Indian Ranch

0%1%2%5%

10%15%

Calimyrna Conadria

1) Monitoring for DFP and NOW and association of trap counts with damage

Monitoring occurred in 40-acre plots of Calimyrna and Conadria figs described for the fall harvest

Four trap for each species place at even intervals and monitored through the growing season Yards west to east

0 110 220 330 440

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Navel orangeworm trapsNitidulid traps

Traps used for monitoring

Navel orangeworm:Live females as a pheromone source.

Nitidulid beetles:Rubber septa containing commercial aggregation pheromone, fermenting fruit co-attractant, and a Vapona kill strip.

Nitidulid Trapping Data

6/1 7/1 8/1

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60A12 A18 Ar Bu IR

Association of nitidulid trap counts with fig damage Significant

correlation with first harvest, but not w subsequent harvests

Orchard history and manager experience a more useful guide

Harvest 1

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6%

Harvest 2

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Harvest 3

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Pooled Harvests 1-3

Cumulative counts (x 1,000)20 30 40 50 60

0%4%8%

12%16%

NOW Trapping Data

6/1 7/1 8/1 9/1 10/1

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A12 A18 Ar Bu IR

Association of NOW trap counts with fig damage

Sumflt2 vs Prop3

Cumulative count NOW males captured end of flight 2

400 600 800 1000 12000%

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Cumulative count NOW males captured end of flight 3

1000 2000 3000 40000%

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4%

2) Examine association of infestation in breba crop with infestation of fall crop

Fifteen trees chosen at random from within 40-acre plots of Conadrias at Buchanan Hollow, Arnold Ranch, and Indian Ranch

Samples of 15 breba figs each taken from top of canopy, bottom of canopy, and orchard floor on four sampling dates: 6/20, 6/28, 7/11, and 7/25

All figs transported back to our laboratory for analysis of stage of development/decay and for insect infestation

Full counts taken on 6/28

Density of breba figs at selected locations

4112.4b254.4bIndian Ranch

9529.1ab395.6abBuchanan Hollow

12120.4a569.4aArnold Ranch

Brebas on groundBrebas in treeLocation

Nitidulidsbreba infestation and infestation of nearby Calimyrnas in fall crop

Based on breba count multiplied by infestation...

2.6, 5.6, and 4.6 infested brebas per tree for AR, BU, and IR, respectively

These data suggest association of nitidulid load in Conadria brebasand subsequent damage in nearby Calimyrnas (not surprising), but...

They do not support hypothesis that low breba load means less damage to fall crop Calimyrnas

Nitidulids per tree in breba crop Conadrias2 4 6

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3) Compare efficacy of current and candidate insecticides against infestation by nitidulids and NOW

Treatments: Water only, Malathion, Success, Diazonon, and Intrepid (highest label rate)

Applied to 20 single-tree plots on 7/26 and 8/9 Harvested figs weeks of 8/15, 8/22, and 8/29 All assessment in our laboratory Currently have assessed 352 of 4,637 figs (all

from first week

Nitidulid data, UCKAC figs

16%b67Intrepid

20%b35Diazinon

54%a85Success

54%a57Malathion

55%a108Control

% InfestnTreatment

Based on evaluation of only 8% of sample, all from week 1

Thank you!