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Oriental Fruit Fly (OFF) Certification Program for Fresh Produce (fruits and vegetables) and OFF-host Ornamental Plants in the Quarantine Area Jonathan H. Crane, Tropical Fruit Crop Specialist and Daniel Carrillo, Entomologist – Tropical Fruit Crops, UF/IFAS TREC and; Jeff Wasielewski, Tropical Fruit Crops Agent, Miami-Dade Co. Extension/UF/IFAS There are three options for fresh produce movement within and to the outside of the Quarantine Area (QA):

1. The fruit and vegetables are processed (juiced, frozen, etc.) inside the QA or taken (under compliance agreement) directly to a processing plant outside the QA to be immediately processed.

2. Produce are subject to an approved post-harvest treatment included in the USDA Treatment Manual (http://www.aphis.usda.gov/import_export/plants/ manuals/ports/downloads/treatment.pdf). Approved postharvest treatments must be specific for the OFF (Bactrocera dorsalis) and the specific crop. The postharvest treatment must be applied either inside the QA or taken to a treatment plant (under a compliance agreement with the OFF Eradication Program).

3. A 30-day pre-harvest bait treatment along with OFF monitoring by the OFF Eradication Program. Note: if an OFF is trapped on or near your site (within 1.5 sq. mile) any time during the 30 day pre-harvest period you will not be allowed to harvest.

There is one option for nursery growers with OFF host plants. All nurseries with host fruit plants must (a) sign a compliance agreement, (b) remove fruit from OFF host plants and (c) soil drench all plants and soil at risk of being exposed to OFF according to the compliance agreement with an approved pesticide (Warrior II with Zeon Technology®; 22.8% ai) prior to movement. PLEASE CONTACT THE OFF Eradication Program for the Special Local Needs (SLN) Label.

Options for Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Growers inside the Quarantine Area OPTION 1: Quarantine treat produce or process produce. SEE Sections B, C and D of the Compliance Agreement.

1. Fruit are subject to approved post-harvest treatment included in the USDA Treatment Manual. Approved postharvest treatments are specific for OFF (Bactrocera dorsalis) and the specific

Tropical Research and Education Center 18905 SW 280 St. Homestead, FL 33031 Tel: 305-246-7001 Website: http://trec.ifas.ufl.edu

Miami-Dade County Extension 18710 SW 288 St. Homestead, FL 33030 Tel: 305-248-3311 Website: http://miami-dade.ifas.ufl.edu/

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crop. Movement of the produce to the treatment facility must be under a limited permit compliance agreement with the OFF Eradication Program. The producer and treatment facility must be under a compliance agreement.

2. The produce (fruit or vegetable) must be processed – i.e., frozen, pulped, juiced, etc. Movement of the fruit to the processing facility must be under a limited permit compliance agreement with the OFF Eradication Program. The producer and processing facility must be under a compliance agreement.

OPTION 2: Thirty-day pre-harvest GF-120 bait-pesticide treatment or Malathion-Nu-Lure bait treatment and OFF trapping program for fresh fruit and vegetables (SEE Section B and C of the Compliance Agreement details)

1. You must sign a compliance agreement with the OFF Eradication Program at 1-888-397-1517. 2. Keep detailed records of your bait-pesticide (i.e., GF-120 or Malathion-Nu-Lure) purchases,

use rates, use pattern and dates of application. 3. Pesticide application must be made every 6-10 days (that’s 4 applications within a 30 day

period). Bait-pesticide applications must continue as long as the harvest season continues for the farm. For example, a grove with alternating rows of ‘Loretta’ and ‘Choquette’ avocados would need to bait-pesticide treatments of the grove from 30 days prior to the ‘Loretta’ harvest period (~August 25th) through their harvest period for ‘Choquette’ (~early November). Pesticide bait applications may be witnessed by someone from the OFF Eradication Program.

Examples of 30-day timeline for bait-pesticide applications and OFF trapping/monitoring

Day 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

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7-day * * * * H

8-day * * * * H

9-day * * * * H

* = bait-pesticide application every 6 to 10 days (6-7 days preferred)

H = harvest

More than 10 day interval not acceptable

In addition to the bait-pesticide application procedures all producers must follow the compliance agreement (limited permit) for moving produce from their farm in and out of the quarantine area.

4. Depending upon your grove site there will be a buffer zone that must be treated as well – OFF Eradication Program will define any needed buffers.

5. OFF Eradication Program will take care of OFF monitoring/trapping. 6. There are two approved bait-pesticides for the OFF 30-day certification program: GF-120

(organically certified) and the other is a mixture of Malathion plus Nu-lure. Not all crops are listed on the Malathion products available – if your crop is not listed on the Malathion label it is illegal to use on your crop. Therefore, it is recommended you use the GF-120 since it is legal to use on all crops.

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There are two bait-pesticides available for the 30-day preharvest certification protocol: GF-120 NF Naturalyte Fruit Fly Bait is a mixture of spinosad and fruit fly bait and a mixture of Malathion plus Nu-lure Insect Bait. They must be applied as a low volume application per acre either as a hand-wand type spot-spray or with ultra-low volume application equipment. Hand-wand type spot-spray equipment includes 2-4 gallon back-pack and 1 to 5 gallon (pump-up) sprayers. Some larger capacity spray equipment (sometimes called ultra-low volume) may be adjusted or retooled to apply large droplet sizes and 40 gallons of material per acre or less – however, contact the OFF Eradication Program at 1-888-397-1517 staff to be sure it meets the application requirements for the harvest certification program. Bait-Pesticide: GF-120 NF Naturalyte Fruit Fly Bait (EPA Reg. No. 62719-498). This is a mixture of spinosad and fruit fly bait and is a very low volume hand-wand type spot-spray application. This is NOT a high volume air-blast or high volume hand-gun type application. You must follow the label directions on the concentrations and mixing. The fruit fly bait in GF-120 NF only attracts fruit flies within several yards of the application – hence fear that the bait will bring in OFF from long distances is not warranted. The GF-120 rate to use is 20 oz of GF-120 NF mixed with 30 oz of water (this is a dilution rate of 1:1.5) per acre. The reason for this rate and dilution is (a) this is the most effective concentration (i.e., attracts and kills OFF better); (b) the efficacy of GF-120 lasts longer at this rate and; (c) at this dilution rate (1:1.5) the material is least affected by rain. The benefit to the producer is (a) to carry and spray the 20 oz GF-120 plus 30 oz water per acre volume is less weight to carry and faster than hauling and spraying large volumes of material by hand. In the Application Directions for GF-120 please note: 1. Use a large spray droplet size (4-6 mm). So set your nozzle tip or use nozzle tips that provide

large droplets. 2. Calibrate your spray equipment to deliver sufficient amounts with every burst of spray so that you

can distribute 50 oz of material (20 oz GF-120 + 30 oz water) throughout an acre of plants. 3. Direct the spot spray to one to two spots (areas) on the inner canopy of the plant – spraying the

underside of leaves on the inside of the canopy. This reduces the direct sun exposure and reduces the potential for washing off of the material by rainfall. The idea is to create an area where an OFF would feed on the bait/insecticide and perish. This is not a contact pesticide.

4. The pattern of application throughout the treated acre may depend upon plant type and size and plant spacing. The perimeter and inside the planting should be sprayed. The main goal is to be sure to spot spray distribute (apply) the 50 oz of material (20 oz of GF-120) throughout 1 acre. For example for tree crops, spot treat every 3rd or 4th tree around the perimeter and then inside the acre, spray every 5th tree in every 4th row. For example for vegetable crops, spot treat every 25 ft to 50 ft around the perimeter and then inside the acre, spray every 5th or 6th row, every 50 ft down the row. To be most effective the pattern should change slightly with each successive application.

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One acre example of spot treatment pattern (slight spot location change with each application)

Bait-Pesticide 2: Malathion plus Nu-lure Insect Bait mixture. This is also a low volume application and may be made like the GF-120 spot treatment type application or with spray equipment that is capable of applying 40 gallons of material or less per acre with the proper droplet size. Contact the OFF Eradication Program at 1-888-397-1517 staff to be sure it meets the application requirements for the harvest certification program.

1. The only approved bait to mix with Nu-Lure Insect Bait for the OFF is Malathion (the label

mentions others but these are not approved for this program). 2. The water used for the solution should be buffered to pH 7.0 with an available buffer material. 3. There are numerous Malathion brands with different amounts of active ingredients. Use a

Malathion product labeled for your crop, however, you must apply 0.18 lbs of active ingredient (ai) per acre. This will vary by the Malathion formulation you purchase.

a. GOWAN Malathion 8 label for example: avocado, up to 4.7 pints per acre may be used. However, that would equate to 4.75 lbs ai – way too much for the bait-Malathion treatment. Calculate the correct amount using the pounds of Malathion per gallon listed on the product purchased. The rate to use is of 0.18 lb of Malathion active ingredient per acre – see example calculation below -

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Examples of Malathion product rates and Nu-Lure rates plus water for 1 acre.

Brand

Malathion rate per acre for bait application Rate of Nu-Lure Bait Amount of water

Malathion 8 Aquamal 2.9 oz 9.6 oz 10-40 gal GOWAN Malathion 8

Flowable 2.9 oz 9.6 oz 10-40 gal

Cheminova Malathion 57% 4.6 oz 9.6 oz 10-40 gal

4. The most important component to their use is to follow the label directions on the rates allowed per application, number of applications allowed per year, and the application interval. If the interval is long (e.g., every 30 days) or the number of applications allowed in a year too low (i.e., less than 4) then the Malathion would have to be rotated with the GF-120 applications.

5. You must mix the Malathion with Nu-Lure Insect Bait – again you must follow the label for proper use and rates. The Nu-Lure rate is 9.6 fluid oz per acre.

6. Mix the Malathion plus the Nu-Lure in 10 to 40 gallons of water and apply the entire amount as a spot spray (like the GF-120) throughout the acre. Using the example above, mix 2.9 oz of GOWAN Malathion 8 Flowable plus 9.6 fluid oz of Nu-Lure Bait.

7. Apply this mix as a spot spray in a similar pattern to the GF-120 NF application. 8. Growers with crops not on a Malathion label – should use the GF-120 NF. 9. NOTE: The effectiveness of Nu-Lure may be decreased or slowed when applied over copper

spray residues or when sprayed in tank mixes with copper. In addition to the bait-pesticide application procedures all producers must follow the compliance agreement for moving produce from their farm in and out of the quarantine area. (c://ext/2015/handouts/OFF/Oriental fruit fly spray applications final 9-14-15.doc)