Developing and Implementation of Decision Support System (DSS) for the Control of Olive Fruit Fly, Bactrocera Oleae, in Mediterranean Olive Orchards

Abstract

Modern agriculture requires technology to give precise measures about relevant parameters such as pest control. Here, we developed a decision support system (DSS) based on semi-automatic pest monitoring for managing the olive fruit fly Bactrocera oleae (Rossi), in Mallorca (Balearic Islands, Spain). The DSS was based on an algorithm that took into account spatial and temporal patterns of olive fruit fly population in an orchard where all trees were georeferenced, thus precise treatments against the pest were conducted through a location aware system (LAS). The olive fruit fly adult population was monitored by using ad hoc off-the-grid autonomous electronic traps.The results were compared with those obtained with conventional methods. For a pilot trial, we selected an olive-producing orchard, where from June to October 2015, three plots using LAS management and three plots under conventional control (NO-LAS plots) were compared. Spray threshold considered both adult population and fruit damage. An additional non-sprayed plot was selected for assessing biological control due to the parasitoid, Psyttalia concolor (Szépligeti). Results showed that the use of DSS reduced by 36.84% the volume of insecticide used in LAS compared to NO-LAS plots. Accordingly, time and distance needed for spraying were also reduced. Adult olive fruit fly population was lower in the LAS plots when compared with the NO-LAS plots; conversely, fruit infestation was higher in LAS compared with NO-LAS. The implementation of LAS and DSS at field level allowed real-time monitoring of adult olive flies, thereby increasing the accuracy and precision of sprays in time and space and decreasing impact on natural enemies.

Long‐term automatic trap data reveal factors affecting diurnal flight patterns of the Mediterranean Fruit fly

“…An SDSS, known as 'MedCila', was developed for medfly control in citrus orchards in Israel (Cohen, Cohen, Hetzroni, et al, 2008), resulted in reduction of 8% of spraying action . Additional decision support systems based on daily camera-trap data in different crop have been proved helpful in the management of fruit flies like the medfly (Sciarretta et al, 2018), the European Cherry Fruit Fly, Rhagoletis cerasi (Diptera: Tephritidae) (Ioannou et al, 2019), and the B. Oleae (Miranda et al, 2019). Developing of integrative approach that incorporate models of age-structured and flight activity within SDSS can not only contribute to the schedule of the optimal day for baited-spinosad treatment, but also to the schedule the optimal time of day.…”

Climate Change and Major Pests of Mediterranean Olive Orchards: Are We Ready to Face the Global Heating?

“…The implementation of a decision support system (DSS), together with reliable monitoring of the pest, allows bridging the gap between prediction models and extension services and technically supports the olive farmers in suggesting suitable management for the orchard [ 40 ]. In accordance with this, scheduled calendar treatments are abandoned, and chemical applications are reduced in time and space in favor of integrated pest management [ 40 , 94 ] ( Figure 1 ). Furthermore, the recent development of advanced data process technologies allows monitoring and managing insect pests following an ecofriendly approach [ 90 ].…”

A real-time remote surveillance system for fruit flies of economic importance: sensitivity and image analysis

“…Automation of agricultural processes and decision making in agriculture has advanced at enormous steps during the last decade (Jung et al 2021). Within these advances, automation of insect-monitoring and decision-making in pest management has been amply developed, and novel instruments (i.e., sensors), principles and agricultural applications were recently developed and communicated (e.g., Deqin et al 2016;Goldshtein et al 2017;Potamitis et al 2018;Ioannou et al 2019;Miranda et al 2019;Nestel et al 2019;Sciarretta et al 2019;Cardim Ferreira Lima et al 2020;Preti et al 2021;Schellhorn and Jones 2021). Moreover, some of these electronic traps have achieved commercialization, (see for instance the RapidAIM, https:// rapid aim.…”

“…Other type of sensors include those based on the acquisition of images from the insect pest (Preti et al 2021). Prototypes of these smart traps used to monitor FF include, within others, those tested for the oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (Deqin et al 2016), the Ethiopian fruit fly, Dacus ciliatus (Nestel et al 2019), the Mediterranean fruit fly (medfly), Ceratitis capitata (Sciarretta et al 2019) and the olive fruit fly, B. oleae (Miranda et al 2019).…”