Environmental evaluation of hot water treatments to control Liriomyza huidobrensis infesting plant material in transit

Abstract

Though quarantine disinfestation treatments have been exempt from the methyl bromide phase out, it is still required to research and develop alternative treatments for fumigation of plant material in transit. This study investigated the ability of both the egg and pupal stages of the quarantine pest, South Americian leafminer, Liriomyza huidobrensis to survive submersion in water heated to temperatures between 40 and 50 °C for varying periods of time. Large reductions in egg viability were recorded. However, the treatments also resulted in unacceptable levels of damage to the host plant material. Damage was uneconomically viable. Pupae were all killed exposure to water at 44 °C for 20 min. Incubation of insect and plant material at either 5 or 20 °C for 24 h before submersion in the hot water did not significantly alter the pests' ability to survive the treatments. The potential of hot water treatments to act as an alternative to methyl bromide fumigation for disinfecting plants in transit is discussed.

Environmental evaluation of alternative chemicals to methyl bromide for fumigation of quarantine pests in transit

“…The replacement of methyl bromide, classed as one of the most efficient soil fumigants, for the last 50 years (Giannakou and Karpouzas 2003) with alternative chemical treatments poses a major problem for the treating of many insect pest species and also quarantine insects in transit. The development of non-methyl bromide quarantine treatments will allow horticultural growers to eliminate the use of an environmentally damaging chemical while still protecting the industry from losses that could be caused by the introduction of new pests and diseases (Cuthbertson et al 2009a(Cuthbertson et al , 2012a. (Fig.…”

“…As for egg infestation, chrysanthemum plants were exposed to 50-100 mixed sex L. huidobrensis adults, again within a separate culture cage, all of which were more than 24 h post-eclosion (Cuthbertson et al 2009a). After a 24 h egglaying period, the flies were removed and the plants were incubated for 3 days at 22°C, 65 % r.h. prior to exposure to the various fumigants in order for the second instar stage to develop.…”

“…These include; heat treatments, hot water treatments, composting, extreme controlled atmospheres and alternative fumigants (Walters 2001;Cuthbertson et al 2009a). The aim of this study was to further investigate the use of phosphine and several natural plant volatiles as alternatives to methyl bromide for plant quarantine treatments against three plant pests; L. huidobrensis, Bemisia tabaci and F. occidentalis.…”

How to Start with a Clean Crop: Biopesticide Dips Reduce Populations of Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) on Greenhouse Poinsettia Propagative Cuttings

“…In addition, good coverage to target pests on the underside of the foliage is very difficult to achieve, and systemic insecticides are not taken up by the plants due to the lack of a root system [10]. Potential technologies to suppress pest populations on propagative plant material or cut flowers include non-chemical options such as heat treatments [11,12], irradiation [13] and controlled atmosphere [14,15,16]. Chemical options to mitigate B. tabaci such as immersion (dipping) of poinsettia propagative cuttings in conventional pesticides have proven effective [17,18], but worker exposure to the insecticides and waste disposal remain problematic, as well as pest resistance and the potential negative effects of pesticide residues on biocontrol agents.…”

Chemical compatibility testing of the entomopathogenic fungus Lecanicillium muscarium to control Bemisia tabaci in glasshouse environment

“…The development of control strategies for non indigenous insects within the UK is limited by legislation which precludes the intentional release of quarantine pests into ordinary experimental glasshouses (Williams and Walters, 2000;Cuthbertson et al, 2009a). As no outbreak site was identified for testing the efficacy of L. muscarium against B. tabaci, a designated quarantine glasshouse at The Food and Environment Research Agency, York, was used for experimental purposes.…”