Experiments for the control of olive fly using a “push-pull” method

Abstract: Push-pull strategies involve the action of stimuli that make the protected cropunsuitable to the insect pest that is at the same time attracted by a luring source. An experiment tocontrol the olive fly was carried out during 2007 and 2008 in a 4ha olive grove in Sassari(Sardinia). The field was split up into 2 plots, one treated with Dimethoate and the other protectedwith a kaolin-based formulation (2-3 applications) and lure and kill traps. In this last push-pullplot, the rows of trees were treated alternatively, two by two, either with kaolin (ovipositiondeterrent) or with traps (attractant). Olive fly adults were monitored by yellow sticky traps andthe olive infestation was recorded in the insecticide-treated plot and in rows treated with kaolin orwith traps. In both years, adult captures were higher in plants with lure and kill traps than in thosetreated with kaolin or in the Dimethoate-treated plot. The number of oviposition stings was lowerin the push-pull plot than in the insecticide treated plot. At harvest, the percentage of wormyolives was 4.94 and 4.37% in 2007, and 10.2 and 7.5% in 2008 in push-pull and Dimethoateplots, respectively. Olive infestation was always greater in plants protected with lure and kill trapsthan in the kaolin sprayed trees.