We are investigating the release of natural enemies for lygus control to maintain soft controls in orchards under mating disruption. Natural enemy populations will be monitored to identify establishment in key areas. Using a multi-faceted approach to reduce codling moth populations increases the success of mating disruption and its adoption. One measure of risk reduction is to continue to have good control under mating disruption, to avoid having field failures due to increase on codling moth populations, and to maintain a minimum of OP use in orchards under mating disruption. Activity Post-harvest control of codling moth using sanitation techniques.
Sanitation is recommended when high codling moth populations are found at harvest and.
Presently, sanitation is achieved by knocking down the pears by hand. We are in the process of requesting a Special Local Need for the use of Ethephon, a reduce-risk plant hormone that accelerate the ripening of pears remaining on the tree after harvest making them unsuitable for codling moth larval survival. Post-harvest sanitation is highly selective and prevents codling moth outbreaks the next year. This is part of a multi-faceted approach to maintain populations of codling moth at low levels increasing the effectiveness of mating disruption, avoiding field failures and dependency on organophosphate use. Post-harvest sanitation with liquid lime sulfur or urea accelerates the decomposition of the leaves eliminating the winter host.