Research
AREA WIDE MANAGEMENT OF QUEENSLAND FRUITFLY UPDATE
Stopping fly migration
By Penny Measham
Summerfruit have different harvest windows – some early , some late . Some are harvested before fruit fly numbers build up . But that doesn ’ t mean you can forget about the flies – fruit fly management needs to consider fly movement and behaviour for the entire year – pre-harvest and postharvest . Any fruit left on trees after harvest creates a risk . They may still attract flies , or allow maggots to develop , and that can increase the Qfly population going into winter .
Dr Penny Measham is a Brisbane-based researcher and the Queensland Fruit Fly Area Wide Management Coordinator at Horticulture Innovation Australia . For more information please contact : penny . measham @ horticulture . com . au | P : 0417 525 904
Hygiene is a critical tool in fruit fly management . In susceptible perennial crops , a small number of fruit left on trees has the potential to significantly increase fly populations . It is therefore really important that fruits left after harvest are removed from trees . Other late season and post-harvest treatments will help reduce fly numbers on your own orchard in the current season , but remember that flies move . The local fly population will build up over the remaining warmer months if there are nearby places or orchards that allow them to breed or overwinter .
Are there other fruit orchards nearby ? Or backyard fruit trees ? If fly populations can build up in other areas then they can re-enter your orchard the next spring – flies move !
Dispersal and movement of flies over large distances is rare . But , smaller scale
24 Australian Stonefruit Grower | December 2016 summerfruit . com . au