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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Wapato, Washington » Temperate Tree Fruit and Vegetable Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #200249
Title: Cold storage to control codling moth larvae in fresh apples

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

Submitted to: HortTechnology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/1/2006
Publication Date: 4/1/2007
Citation: Hansen, J.D., Watkins, M.A., Heidt, M.L., Anderson, P.A. 2007. Cold storage to control codling moth larvae in fresh apples. HortTechnology 17(2)195-198.

Interpretive Summary: Codling moth is a key pest of apple in the Pacific Northwest. Researchers at the USDA-ARS Yakima Agricultural Research Laboratory in Wapato, Washington, examined if cold storage at 1.1°C would be sufficient to control codling moth larvae in post harvest apples. Feeding late instars and younger diapause-destined (an overwintering state) larvae were dead by the twelfth and seventh week, respectively. Thus, a control program using cold storage is feasible to assure that fruits are free of live larvae and that the export markets remain open.

Technical Abstract: Codling moth, Cydia pomonella L. (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), found in exported apples, Malus sylvestris (L.) var. domestica (Borkh.) Mansf., can disrupt international markets. Cold storage at 1.1°C was examined for possible control on three physiological larval states in ‘Fuji’ apples: diapausing (overwintering), diapause-destined, and nondiapausing. All nondiapausing larvae were dead within twelve weeks, diapaused-destined larvae were controlled by the seventh week, yet, more than half of the original populations of diapausing larvae were still alive after eleven weeks. Because the diapaused destined larvae were younger than the nondiapausing larvae, they may have been more susceptible to cold. Because larvae normally diapause outside the fruit, cold storage would not be applicable for controlling larvae in this state.