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Published on: May 6, 2012
Crop losses due to olive moth mediated by ethylene
Pedro Ramos1, Raquel Rosales, Ibrahim Sabouni
1Department of Plant Physiology, University of Granada, Fuentenueva s/n, 18071 Granada, Spain.
Background:
Studies for nine years in southern Spain on the olive moth, Prays oleae Bern., have tested the possibility of altering oviposition behaviour on newly formed olive fruits by means of a single ethylene application.
Results:
A single spraying of ethylene on the olive trees at the beginning of fruiting significantly decreased the olive moth egg populations and consequent the olive fruit fall. At the same time, no negative effect was found in the activity of natural oophagous predators of the olive moth.
Conclusions:
The ethylene treatments against P. oleae yielded substantial economical benefits each year (a mean of euro526 ha(-1)), benefits that fluctuated depending on the olive crop and on the annual fruit fall caused by this major pest.
