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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Wapato, Washington » Temperate Tree Fruit and Vegetable Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #199549
Title: Bin sterilization to prevent reintroduction of codling moth.

Author
item Hansen, James D
item Heidt, Mildred - Millie
item Anderson, Pauline

Submitted to: Journal of Agricultural and Urban Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/16/2006
Publication Date: 1/1/2007
Citation: Hansen, J.D., Heidt, M.L., Anderson, P.A. 2007. Bin sterilization to prevent reintroduction of codling moth. Journal of Agricultural and Urban Entomology 23(1)17-26.

Interpretive Summary: A serious problem to apple growers is reintroduction of codling moth to orchards by returning fruit bins containing overwintering larvae. Researchers at the USDA-ARS Yakima Agricultural Research Laboratory in Wapato, Washington, examined hot water baths as a method of control. Working with a local packing house, they demonstrated that submerging bins in an 80°C water bath would significantly reduce the larval population. This procedure, when adopted by other commercial facilities, will be an important component in the field control of codling moth.

Technical Abstract: An important source of reinfestation of codling moth, Cydia pomonella L. (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), is the return of fruit bins containing diapausing larvae. Laboratory tests, conducted to determine efficacious temperatures of hot water baths to prevent adult emergence, found baths at 80°C for > 30 sec were effective and adding a surfactant to the water bath slightly improved efficacy. A validation tests conducted at a packing house, using a 80°C submersion bath for bins, resulted in < 0.2% survival. This procedure should be an important component for field control of codling moth.