The susceptibility of olive cultivars to the olive fruit fly, Bactrocera oleae (Rossi) (Diptera: Tephritidae),\ud has seldom been studied. This article examines factors associated with olive fruit fly infestation\ud of 16 commonly planted Sicilian olive cultivars. Total infestation data were simultaneously correlated\ud with categorical and quantitative factors using ordinal logistic regression. When all factors were\ud included in the analysis, year, sampling date, cultivar, and fruit color were highly significant, but the\ud quantitative factors fruit volume, fruit elongation, and fruit hardness were not. When the analysis\ud was repeated excluding cultivar, all quantitative factors were significant, and elongation and volume\ud were highly significant. Spherical, large, and hard fruit seemed to be preferred by B. oleae over fruit\ud that are elongate, small, and soft. Therefore, fruit color, elongation, volume, and hardness provide\ud useful information regarding the susceptibility of cultivars. In both organic and conventional olive\ud cultivation, information about olive cultivar susceptibility to olive fruit fly will help orchard managers\ud to produce quality oil and table olives while reducing treatments for olive fruit fly control

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The family Tephritidae (Diptera) includes species that are highly invasive and harmful to crops. Due to globalization, international trade, and human displacement, their spread is continuously increasing. Unfortunately, the control of tephritid flies is still closely linked to the use of synthetic insecticides, which are responsible for detrimental effects on the environment and human health. Recently, research is looking for alternative and more eco-friendly tools to be adopted in Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs. In this regard, essential oils (EOs) and their main compounds represent a promising alternative to chemical insecticides. EOs are made up of phytoconstituents formed from the secondary metabolism of many plants and can act as attractants or toxics, depending on the dose. Because of this unique characteristic, EOs and their main constituents are promising tools that can be used both in Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) programs and in the “lure and kill” technique, exploiting the attractiveness of the product in the former case and its toxicity in the latter. In this article, current knowledge on the biological and behavioral effects of EOs and their main constituents on tephritid fruit flies is reviewed, mainly focusing on species belonging to the Anastrepha, Bactrocera, Ceratitis, and Zeugodacus genera. The mechanisms of action of EOs, their real-world applications, and challenges related to their use in IPM are critically discussed.

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Tests on the effect of clays (kaolin and bentonite) and copper products (hydroxide and oxychloride) in the control of olive fruit fly, Bactrocera oleae (Rossi), and Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), were carried out from 2003 to 2006 in olive groves and in organic citrus orchards (satsuma, clementine, 'Navelina' orange). Results demonstrate an efficacy of kaolin products in reducing attacks of B. oleae on olives and those of C. capitata on citrus fruits; in olive groves the clays gave similar or better results than copper hydroxide. Bentonite AG/8W showed a significant reduction in punctures by C. capitata. Bentonite products and BPLK kaolin are washed off by rainfall more easily than Surround WP kaolin. In contrast to the effect of copper hydroxide on B. oleae in olive groves, no tested copper product showed a significant reduction in C. capitata punctures on citrus fruits. Clays are very useful tools to control tephritid and other insects and are also environmentally friendly, but currently, they are not permitted as products for plant protection in European and Swiss organic farming.

Control of the plum fruit moth, Grapholita funebrana Treitschke (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), has been mainly based on the use of chemical insecticides, which can cause undesirable side effects, leading to a growing interest towards alternative sustainable strategies. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the mating disruption technique on G. funebrana infestation in plum orchards, by comparing the number of male captures in pheromone-baited traps, and evaluating the damage to fruits in plots treated with the pheromone dispersers and in control plots. The study was carried out in 2012 and 2014 in three organic plum orchards, on the cultivars Angeleno, Friar, President and Stanley. To evaluate the pheromone emission curve of the dispensers from the openings to the end of the trials, a chemical analysis was carried out by solid phase micro-extraction followed by gas chromatography, followed by mass spectrometry. In all years and orchards the mean number of males caught in traps placed in the treatment plots was always significantly lower than untreated plots. Pheromone emission from the dispensers was highest at the opening, and was still considerable at 54 days of field exposure, while it significantly decreased after 72 days of field exposure. Cultivar was confirmed to be an essential factor in determining the fruit infestation level. Pheromone treatment significantly reduced fruit infestation, but not economic damage.