Efficacy of Nitric Oxide Fumigation for Controlling Codling Moth in Apples

Abstract

Nitric oxide (NO) fumigation under ultralow oxygen (ULO) conditions was studied for its efficacy in controlling codling moth and effects on postharvest quality of apples. NO fumigation was effective against eggs and larvae of different sizes on artificial diet in 48 h treatments. Small larvae were more susceptible to nitric oxide than other stages at 0.5% NO concentration. There were no significant differences among life stages at 1.0% to 2.0% NO concentrations. In 24 h treatments of eggs, 3.0% NO fumigation at 2 °C achieved 100% egg mortality. Two 24 h fumigation treatments of infested apples containing medium and large larvae with 3.0% and 5.0% NO resulted in 98% and 100% mortalities respectively. Sound apples were also fumigated with 5.0% NO for 24 h at 2 °C to determine effects on apple quality. The fumigation treatment was terminated by flushing with nitrogen and had no negative impact on postharvest quality of apples as measured by firmness and color at 2 and 4 weeks after fumigation. This study demonstrated that NO fumigation was effective against codling moth and safe to apple quality, and therefore has potential to become a practical alternative to methyl bromide fumigation for control of codling moth in apples.

Nitric oxide fumigation for postharvest pest control on lettuce

“…The result was consistent with the results of an earlier study in which NO fumigation had no negative effects on postharvest quality of 10 fresh products, including lettuce when the fumigation was terminated properly with a N 2 flush . In addition, previous studies demonstrated that NO fumigation for control of western flower thrips and codling moth preserved postharvest quality of strawberries and apples, respectively . Such benefit was not evident for lettuce in the present study since there was no significant difference in lettuce quality between the NO fumigation treatment and the control 14 days after fumigation.…”

“…Small‐scale laboratory NO fumigation treatments were also demonstrated to be safe to all fresh products tested to date . NO fumigated strawberries and apples also have better postharvest quality as compared with untreated controls . In addition, NO fumigation does not leave any toxic residues on fresh products and therefore is safer to fresh products than most other fumigants.…”

Fytosanitaire na-oogst behandel- en detectietechnieken voor plaagorganismen in tuinbouw

“…Dit kan voorkomen worden door aan het einde van de behandeling te flushen met stikstof (Liu 2013). Er worden ook positieve effecten beschreven van NO op na-oogst kwaliteit, omdat het gas ook antagonistische effecten vertoont bij de ethyleen biosynthese (Manjunatha et al 2010), (Liu et al 2016). …”

“…Voor grotere effectiviteit van het NO-gas is het goed om lage zuurstofwaarden aan te houden. De zuurstofwaarden die in (Liu 2013, Liu et al 2016) genoemd worden zijn echter wel zeer laag (<50 ppm = 0.005% O 2 ). Dit is in praktijk moeilijk haalbaar.…”

Procedures of Laboratory Fumigation for Pest Control with Nitric Oxide Gas

“…For example, western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis , and lettuce aphid, Nasonovia ribisnigri , can be controlled in 2 and 3 h with 2.0% and 1.0% NO fumigation, respectively, at 2 °C 6 . NO fumigation is also much faster than phosphine fumigation which is the main methyl bromide alternative treatment and can take over ten days to control some pests 4 6 9 10 .…”