Investigation on adulticide bait (Spintor-Fly®) to control the cherry fruit fly in Emilia-Romagna (North Italy). Trials 2010-2012

Abstract: In the Emilia-Romagna Region (Northern Italy) trials to develop new strategies for the control of cherry fruit fly have been carried out. The aim was to find an alternative to the active substances commonly used until recent years (e.g., dimethoate, phosmet) in Integrated Pest Management and to find an effective way to control cherry fruit fly in organic farming. For this reason field trials have been performed in 2010, 2011 and 2012 to evaluate the efficacy of a Spinosad-based adulticide bait (Spintor-Fly®) against Rhagoletis cerasi L. in cherry orchards. Together with trials to study the efficacy of the product in controlling cherry fruit fly, a demonstrative trial on 7.0 hectares with the use of a mechanical system of distribution to simplify the application of the product is described. The results obtained were positive in all years. Spintor-Fly proved to be very effective in controlling the pest. However, its use on a large scale could be limited by its low persistence (it must be applied at least weekly) and poor rainfastness. On the other hand the negative aspects are largely countered by the following positive advantages: high efficacy comparable to that of the best active ingredients available on the market, very low dose (5 l/ha/application), according to new EU directive (128/09), possible reduction of the number of sprays in the orchards provided with cover for rain (no risk of wash off), possibility to mechanize the spraying on large cherry orchards. So far the official registration of Spintor-Fly against cherry fruit fly in Italy is pending in order to correctly apply the product in the open field.