Mass-rearing and release of a locally adapted female-only strain of Trichogramma nr. platneri for supplemental control of codling moth in coastal organic apple orchards
Sean Swezey, University of California, Santa Cruz

Previous research has been done with coastal apple growers in support of pheromone-based codling moth management and organic growers are now using this method of pest control. However, in some orchards, mating disruption and other organic methods cannot alone keep codling moth damage at a manageable level. The addition of a locally-adapted egg parasitoid released at egg-laying of the first codling moth generation could make an economic difference for local organic apple growers in terms of lowered codling moth infestation at harvest. The information gathered in this study about flight and parasitism of codling moth eggs after parasitoid release in organically-managed orchards was made available to the public through the annual “Moth Madness” growers meeting sponsored by the California Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF) Watsonville Lighthouse Farm Breakfasts in March 1996 and 1997, and in articles in the Santa Cruz Sentinel and Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems (CASFS) newsletter Cultivar. The principal investigator now makes mass-reared parasitoids available, at cost, to local commercial organic apple growers, upon request.
Region
Western
Topic
Insect/Pest Management
Category
Vegetables/Fruits
Date Range
2000 and earlier
Funding Amount
$4,862
Funding Year
1995Location
Santa Cruz, California
Collaborators
Jim Rider, Watsonville, California
Juanita Leatherman, Soquel, California