ALTERNATIVES TO CHEMICAL CONTROL FOR STORED PRODUCT AND QUARANTINE PESTS OF FRESH/DRIED FRUITS AND NUTS

The primary goal of the project is to develop non-chemical quarantine and postharvest control strategies for fresh and stored products that reduce losses caused by insects and other arthropods. Success of the project will result in reduced use of chemical pesticides, decreased environmental contamination, improved product quality, expanded export markets and elimination of trade barriers based on insect infestation. To meet this goal, six objectives have been identified: 1) Develop alternative physical controls including in-depth studies of treatment biology. 2) Develop basic biological and environmental data necessary for modeling survival, development, and reproduction of pest and beneficial populations as related to alternative treatment thresholds. 3) Develop innovative systems approaches and integrated pest management control strategies. 4) Develop pathogens and parasitoids as insect control agents. 5) Develop basic information on host-plant relationships and interactions to eliminate or reduce the need for specific quarantine treatments. 6) Develop detection systems based on physical properties, volatile chemicals, or biochemical probes to use these systems to make informed treatment decisions or separate uninfested commodity.Formerly 5302-43000-026-00D (4/03).