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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Wapato, Washington » Temperate Tree Fruit and Vegetable Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #113044
Title: EFFECT OF COLD TEMPERATURE TREATMENTS ON THE MORTALITY OF THE ORIENTAL FRUIT MOTH

Author
item Hansen, James D

Submitted to: Horticulture Technology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/1/2002
Publication Date: 4/15/2002
Citation: Hansen, J.D. 2002. Effect of cold temperature treatments on the mortality of the Oriental fruit moth. Horticulture Technology. 12:203-205.

Interpretive Summary: Mexico has been an important consumer of domestic apples. However, concern about possible introduction of the oriental fruit moth has required the fruit industry to treat apples with cold temperatures at 3.3 deg C for at least 90 continuous days or 0.0 deg C for at least 40 continuous days. These storage durations are burdensome by adding expense to the product, reducing fruit quality, and restricting available market time. In this study, populations of three immature life stages of the moth were subjected to 3.3 deg C or near-freezing temperatures (1.1 deg C) on stored apples. It was discovered that all insects were destroyed at 3.3 deg C within ten weeks and at 1.1 deg C within six weeks. With reduced treatment times, a higher quality product is available for export for an expanded market time, thus benefitting both the American producer and Mexican consumer.

Technical Abstract: Two cold storage treatments were evaluated against eggs, early instar, and late instars of the oriental fruit moth, Cydia molesta (Busck) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). In the first treatment, life stages were treated for 13 weeks in cold storage at 3.3 deg C in replicated studies. In the second treatment, the same life stages were treated with air temperature slightly above freezing 0.7 +/ 0.4 deg C) up to seven weeks to simulate near commercial storage conditions. Weekly subsamples of the life stages were examined for survival. At 3.3 deg C, complete mortality was obtained for eggs and early instars by the eighth week, and for late instars by the tenth week. At near freezing temperatures, all eggs and early instars were destroyed by the fourth week, and late instars eliminated by the sixth week. This study demonstrated that the treatments were effective against the infesting life stages of the Oriental fruit moth.