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The fundamental goals of this project are to develop commercially viable methods for control and/or monitoring of the insect pest, navel orangeworm (NOW), which contributes to pre-harvest tree-nut damage and subsequent aflatoxin contamination. The methods are to be environmentally benign and not harmful to humans.<P> The objective entails development of semiochemical-based low-risk lure-and-kill control strategies against the NOW. The objectives will be investigated for up to two years.
Approach: Develop methods to control and/or monitor the insect pest navel orangeworm, and subsequent toxic fungi of almonds. Feeding damage of this insect leads to infection by aflatoxigenic aspergilli. The control and/or monitor methods for this insect are to be environmentally benign and employ semiochemicals to disrupt insect behavior. The project will run for two years of investigation with year one of the study being partially funded by Paramount Farming Company (PFC) / Suterra, and year two partial financial support to be determined by all parties involved and dependent upon results from year one.