Pesticide residue free fruits: the aim of Trentino apple production system.

Chemical analyses performed in 2011 on the 575 samples of apples in Trentino (Italy), there are in average 3.24 active ingredient per sample. Moreover, in 98% of the samples with detectable residues, the level did not exceed 30% of the official MRL This result is achieved thanks to the implementation of the guide lines for integrated production by the 8000 fruit growers, to an extension service which justifies the need of the treatment and gives advice on which pesticide fit better for the time-pest combination, to the systematic check up of the sprayers, to the correct sizing of mix volumes to spray according to the size of the canopy, to the selection of active ingredients based on their residual activity in field tests, and to the systematic monitoring of the level of residues found on representative samples of the product at harvest. With these assumptions, the next goal is to eliminate all traces of insecticides and acaricides now present only in 30% of the samples. This aim could be achieved by extending the use of pheromone mating disruption to control fruit feeding Lepidoptera, as well as by promoting the use of short persistent residue products during the final part of the season. Results of some of the experimental field trials are presented and discussed.

Evaluation of an aerosol emitter for mating disruption of Cydia pomonella in Italy.

Some techniques have been developed to disrupt mating (MD) of codling moth (CM) by treating orchards with pheromone. Synthetic pheromone is applied to the crop as a formulation that is designed to protect these generally labile compounds from degradation while gradually releasing pheromone into the atmosphere. In Trentino South Tyrol MD has been adopted successfully (24,500 ha, i.e. 73% of the apple area) to control CM in heavily infested areas; while in areas with low pest pressure, less pesticides are usually applied (2-3 per year) and as a consequence, pheromone mating disruption is not considered economically convenient. Hand applied sealed plastic tubes and plastic ampoules are the two pheromone formulations more widely used. A new pheromone-based control technique, called Puffer, has been recently proposed. Puffers are battery-powered devices that release pheromone from pressurized aerosol cans every 15 minutes for 12 hours or 30 min for 24 hours. During each puff a quantity of 6.95 mg a.i. is emitted. The high release rate of pheromone per puff from aerosol dispensers is thought to compensate for their low application densities (2-2.5 puffer/hectare). Results of three year field trials carried out in Trentino-South Tyrol demonstrated the potential of Puffer as effective tool to control the moth.

Control of Lobesia botrana (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) by biodegradable ecodian sex pheromone dispensers.

Mating disruption with a high density of sex pheromone dispensers is a new strategy recently developed for the control of the moth Lobesia botrana (Denis & Schiffermüller) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). Ecodian LB dispensers, made of low-cost biodegradable material, were formulated with 10 mg of (E,Z) -7,9-dodecadienyl acetate and placed at a rate of 1,600 dispensers per ha. Seasonal dispenser performances were studied using different methods. The female attractiveness disruption and the efficacy of the method were evaluated in the field. The release rates of field-aged Ecodian LB dispensers, measured directly by solid phase microextraction, was comparable with that of the standard monitoring lure after 50-60 d of field exposure and significantly lower beyond 60 d; however, at the end of the season, it was approximately 46 times higher than that of a calling L. botrana female. Electroantennographic recordings showed that dispensers of different field age strongly stimulated male antennae. In a wind tunnel test, dispensers elicited close-range approaches and direct source contacts irrespective of their age. In fields treated with Ecodian dispensers the attractiveness of traps lured with calling females and monitoring baits was significantly reduced. Our data suggest that Ecodian dispensers are active sources of pheromone throughout the season. The efficacy of Ecodian strategy for L. botrana control was comparable with standard mating disruption and curative insecticides.

Control of Cydia pomonella L. and Cydia molesta (Busck) (Lepidoptera Tortricidae) in pome-fruit orchards with Ecodian sex pheromone dispensers.

A mating disruption approach using high densities of pheromone dispensers, has been recently proposed for codling moth, Cydia pomonella (L.), and oriental fruit moth, Cydia molesta (Busck.), (Lepidoptera Tortricidae), control. Ecodian Star dispensers, made of low-cost biodegradable material and easy to apply, were formulated with 10 mg of codlemone (E8,E10-12OH) and 10 mg of grapamone (Z8-12OH) and placed at a rate of 1,400-2,000 dispensers/ha. The pheromone release rates from new and field aged dispensers were evaluated by hexane extraction of the residual attractant (indirectly) and gas-chromatographic analysis. The release rate of field-aged dispensers decreased over time with a good linearity; they released a significant amount of synthetic sex pheromones over the entire season. Dispensers elicited close-range approaches of codling moth males in wind tunnel irrespective of their age. Field trials carried out from 2003 to 2004 confirmed the efficacy of Ecodian Star dispensers for codling moth and oriental fruit moth control, regardless the size of the treated area. Our results demonstrate that Ecodian dispensers achieved a good level of activity and longevity over the season. The potential of this strategy for the control of the moths is discussed.