Carpphilus Beetle Preliminary Guidelines: Mnitring and Attract and Kill 2014/15 Seasn Dr Mfakhar Hssain Department f Envirnment and Primary Industries
HAL Prject N. AL12000 HAL Prject Title: Australian almnd industry liaisn and extensin prject PROJECT LEADER Ben Brwn Industry Develpment Manager Almnd Bard f Australia Inc PO Bx 2246 Berri SA 5343 T: +61 8 8582 2055 F: +61 8 8582 3503 admin@australianalmnds.cm.au KEY PERSONNEL Brett Rsenzweig Industry Develpment Officer, Almnd Bard f Australia Rss Skinner Chief Executive Officer, Almnd Bard f Australia J Pipps Cmmunicatins Manager, Almnd Bard f Australia Shannn Harkins Finance Manager, Almnd Bard f Australia Debbie McMahn Administratin, Almnd Bard f Australia ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This prject has been funded by HAL using the almnd industry levy and matched funds frm the Australian Gvernment. The prject team wuld als like t acknwledge the valuable and vluntary cntributins by industry members and stakehlders; in particular thse wh participate in the Plant Imprvement Cmmittee, Prductin Cmmittee, Prcessing Cmmittee, Industry Advisry Cmmittee, and ABA Bard. DATE OF REPORT September 2014 DISCLAIMER HAL and the Almnd Bard f Australia make n representatins and expressly disclaim all warranties (t the extent permitted by law) abut the accuracy, cmpleteness, r currency f infrmatin in this reprt. Users f this reprt shuld take independent actin t cnfirm any infrmatin in this reprt befre relying n that infrmatin in any way. Reliance n any infrmatin prvided by HAL is entirely at yur wn risk. HAL is nt respnsible fr, and will nt be liable fr, any lss, damage, claim, expense, cst (including legal csts) r ther liability arising in any way (including frm HAL s r any ther persn s negligence r therwise) frm yur use r nn-use f the reprt, r frm reliance n infrmatin cntained in the reprt r that HAL prvides t yu by any ther means. ii
Table f Cntents 1. Intrductin... 4 2. Definitins and equipment... 5 3. Carpphilus mnitring and management in almnds... 6 3.1. Mnitring methdlgy... 6 3.2. Attract and kill methdlgy... 7 3.3. Special nte n rchard hygiene... 8 iii
1. Intrductin Carpphilus beetles are serius pests f ripening stne fruit in Australia. Carpphilus davidsni Dbsn, C. mutilatus Erichsn and C. hemipterus (L) cause the greatest ecnmic damage in ripening fruit. Carpphilus are attracted t and penetrate ripening fruit, causing rapid breakdwn, which can result in substantial fruit lsses. Grwers have reprted annual lsses f up t 30% f the crp. The beetles als can cause indirect damage by serving as a vectr fr brwn rt inculum (Mnilinia spp.), which frequently develps at the sites f beetle entry. Carpphilus are highly active pests and can quickly mve between blcks and frm fruit t fruit within a crp. Damage by Carpphilus beetle is mst severe as the fruit ripens. Carpphilus spp. are gradually expanding their chice f hst fruits and have becme pests f new crps. In recent years grwers have indicated substantial crp lsses due t Carpphilus beetles in almnd. The use f synthetic aggregatin phermnes t attract and kill (A&K) Carpphilus beetles has shwn cnsiderable ptential fr management f this pest. A synthetic blend f fd attractant which was highly attractive t the beetles was develped by DEPI. It als prved a funnel trap is the mst prmising trap design fr use as an A&K trap. Stne fruit industries deplyed A&K traps t successfully cntrl Carpphilus. Based n the experience in stne fruit, there might be great ptential t use the A&K system t cntrl Carpphilus which is causing serius damage t almnds. Hwever, it is necessary t understand the fllwing t make this system sustainable: a) Spatial distributin f the Carpphilus beetles in the rchard (frm trapping). b) Species cmpsitin and successin f species ver the crp cycle (frm analysis f trap catches). c) Seasn lng study t understand ppulatin fluctuatins thrughut the seasn (frm seasn-lng trap data). Until we develp mre infrmatin and understanding abut the current mnitring and A&K systems, beetle behaviur and their interactin with the attractants in this new envirnment (almnds) it is difficult t frmulate detailed guidelines regarding management f this pest in almnds. The fllwing pints are prvided as an interim guide fr interested grwers. 4
2. Definitins and equipment Mnitring Trap: A trap that cntains synthetic c-attractant slutin r fermented apple juice (FAJ) and insecticide strip. N phermne. Attract and Kill Trap: A trap that cntains phermne, synthetic c-attractant slutin and insecticide strip. Treated blcks: Blcks that have A&K statins deplyed in them. Black funnel trap Phermne septum C-attractant slutin Insecticide strip 5
3. Carpphilus mnitring and management in almnds 3.1. Mnitring methdlgy Cnsidering the limited infrmatin regarding Carpphilus in almnds, we recmmend grwers begin t mnitr this pest using the synthetic c-attractant and managing traps with weekly servicing as detailed belw. Mnitring shuld start in early Octber and cntinue until harvest. The high trapping densities used in small stne fruit rchards (e.g. 1 trap/ha) are likely t be nt feasible in large almnd rchards fr ecnmic and management reasns. Therefre, its suggested grwers start with at least ne trap per rchard blck (apprx. 20 ha) t gain sme preliminary infrmatin n distributin f the pest within their rchard. Carpphilus have been fund in spring in almnd mummies n the grund near dripper lines where the mummies are kept mist. Inspectin f these mummies may help prducers t identify infested blcks and highlight areas where mnitring traps shuld be installed. High pririty blcks t mnitr are likely t include thse that experience excessive misture retentin and humidity such as lw lying areas and sites near dams and ther water surces. In additin, blcks with a histry f insect damage, hull rt and rchard hygiene issues shuld be given attentin. Traps fr mnitring shuld be lcated at least 15 metres inside the rchard blck. Once Carpphilus activity is detected n a prperty, traps that repeatedly catch zer beetles may be relcated t: Other areas within the same blck, t increase the chance f detecting Carpphilus htspts r Infested blcks t increase the trapping density arund the infestatin. Prcedure fr placing and servicing traps: Install traps n the suthern side f the tree in a shady psitin. Ram a metal star picket int the grund in the designated place and fit the metal ring t the picket s the trap will be abut 1.5 m abve the grund. Place the trap (cntaining jar with 250 ml c-attractant and insecticide strip) in the ring fitted n the metal star picket taking care nt t spill c-attractant. Fr weekly servicing: Wear latex glves. Carefully remve the trap frm the ring. Remve tp part f the trap. Remve cntainer with c-attractant slutin. Remve the net and pur used slutin int a separate cntainer (dn t thrw ut in the blck) and fill with 250 ml fresh c-attractant slutin and replace the net. Remve insecticide strip and retain. It s safer t use latex glves when handling insecticide. Fllw the prcedure belw t estimate Carpphilus ppulatins Brush ut the trap and make as clean as pssible (use a damp kitchen-clth if needed). Reinstate the cntainer with c-attractant slutin and reinstall insecticide strip. Recnnect the bttm f the trap t the tp and make secure. Place the trap in the ring. 6
Prcedure fr estimating beetle number: Use a small graduated tube fr estimating beetle number less than 1000. Use a large graduated tube where beetle number mre than 1000. Remve debris, big flies and ther big insects as much as pssible frm the trap. Use fine paint brush t cllect the beetles. Pur beetles carefully int the graduated tube using a funnel and avid any beetle lss frm spillage r wind. Gently tap the tube cntaining beetles n a hard surface t settle the cntents and recrd the beetle number crrespnding t the vlume f the beetles cllected. 3.2. Attract and kill methdlgy As the mnitring system is nt designed t cntrl Carpphilus, grwers wh are cncerned by the numbers they catch in mnitring traps may chse t emply the current A&K system, n the understanding it has nt yet been evaluated in almnds. The nly difference between the tw systems is the A&K traps include the lng-range aggregatin phermne as well as the synthetic c-attractant slutin and insecticide strip. Frm ur experience we fund that nce the beetle established in the fruit crp, they emit their wn phermne, which makes the crp far mre attractive than the traps. Therefre, we need t make sure the A&K traps are used well ahead and kill the maximum number f beetles befre fruit becmes susceptible t Carpphilus. This shuld stp fruit infestatin and beetle phermne prductin. As suggested earlier, successful use f A&K t prtect stne fruit relies n reducing beetle ppulatins t belw a threshld level befre fruit becmes susceptible t damage, i.e. befre ripening. This is likely t be equally imprtant fr almnds, althugh the threshld levels in the tw crps may be different. Preliminary bservatins indicate almnds becme susceptible t damage by Carpphilus at hull split (typically early January), which suggests A&K shuld be implemented by early December. Traps fr A&K shuld be placed in the apprpriate crner f the rchard blck, t allw fr the mst predminant wind t distribute the phermne int the blck. Assuming the predminant wind directin is suth t suth westerly, the trap shuld be lcated in the suth-west crner. In high-value stne fruit crps tw t three A&K traps are installed per hectare, but t d this in almnds wuld be very cstly. Until A&K fr Carpphilus is adapted and prven in almnds, it will be up t individual prducers t determine the level f investment they are willing t cmmit t assessing this apprach. Prcedure fr placing and servicing traps: Install traps n the suthern side f the tree in a shady psitin. Ram a metal star picket int the grund in the designated place and fit the metal ring t the picket s the trap will be abut 1.5 m abve the grund Place the trap (cntaining jar with 250 ml c-attractant and insecticide strip) in the ring fitted n the metal star picket taking care nt t spill c-attractant. Fr weekly servicing: Wear latex glves. Carefully remve the trap frm the ring. Remve tp part f the trap. 7
Remve cntainer with c-attractant slutin. Remve the net and pur used slutin int a separate cntainer (dn t thrw ut in the blck) and fill with 250 ml f fresh c-attractant slutin and replace the net. Remve insecticide strip and retain. It s safer t use latex glves when handling insecticide. Fllw the prcedure belw t estimate beetle attract and killed. Brush ut the trap and make as clean as pssible (use a damp kitchen-clth if needed). Reinstate the cntainer with c-attractant slutin and reinstall insecticide strip. Every secnd week, add a new phermne buttn, dn t remve the ld buttn. Recnnect the bttm f the trap t the tp and make secure. Place the trap in the ring. Prcedure fr estimating beetle number: Use a small graduated tube fr estimating beetle number less than 1000. Use a large graduated tube where beetle number mre than 1000. Remve debris, big flies and ther big insects as much as pssible frm the trap. Use fine paint brush t cllect the beetles. Pur beetles carefully int the graduated tube using a funnel and avid any beetle lss frm spillage r wind. Gently tap the tube cntaining beetles n a hard surface t settle the cntents and recrd the beetle number crrespnding t the vlume f the beetles cllected. 3.3. Special nte n rchard hygiene Sme almnd grwers and prcessrs dispse f rejected kernels, hulls etc. n their wn prperty. These dumps, particularly in damp areas, can prvide an imprtant resurce fr Carpphilus during winter and early spring if they ffer gd prtectin and breeding sites. Similarly, fallen almnd mummies, especially in the tree lines are suitable fr these beetles t feed and breed. A cursry inspectin has in fact fund large numbers f Carpphilus in these situatins. These dumps and mummies might be the nly widely available resurces fr the pest during early spring and it is likely the ppulatins f Carpphilus they supprt culd cntribute significantly t levels f the pest in rchards as the new almnd crps becme susceptible t damage. Management f almnd waste and mummies shuld be cnsidered as an imprtant aspect f the verall management f Carpphilus. 8