1. Control of bean thrips in navel oranges using ethyl formate fumigation for export to Australia
Beth Mitcham , Veronique Bikoba
Bill Biasi, and Francine Pupin
Department of Plant Sciences
University of California, Davis
Joseph Morse, UC Riverside
In cooperation with:
Kathie Blyskal and Alfred Hanson, Sunkist Growers
The Linde Group

2. Ethyl Formate Natural plant volatile
Registered for use in Australia and New Zealand by Linde Corporation as VapormateTM in formulation with CO2
Previously registered in US for control of insect pests in raisins, but registration expired in the 1980’s
Registration is being pursued by Linde Corporation

3. VapormateTM Fumigation
Laboratory System for
VapormateTM Fumigation

4. Laboratory
Fumigation System

5. Mortality of Bean Thrips after 1 hour VapormateTM Fumigation of Navel Oranges Lab Tests
Treatment
Rep
Conc. EF (%)
Untreated Control
Vapormate 1
1.5%
n =66
100%
n = 177 2 0%
n = 50
n = 115 3
14.5%
n = 62
n = 320

6. Lab Test Methods 1 hour fumigation with 1% Vapormate at 50°F
Evaluations:
Initial
after 3 wks 41°F
after 5 55°F
after 2 68°F

7. Laboratory Test

8. Laboratory Test
1=none; 2=very slight; 3= slight damage; 4= moderate damage

9. No damage (1)
Very slight damage (2)
Slight damage (3)
Moderate damage (4)
Severe damage (5)
Very severe damage (6)

10. Orange Cove/Sanger Navels-Lab
Quality Evaluated after 3 41F
plus 5 55F & 2 68F
Untreated Control
Fumigate Before Storage
Fumigate After Storage

11. Quality Evaluated after 3 wks @ 41F
Gillete Navels-Lab
Quality Evaluated after 3 41F
plus 5 55F & 2 68F
Untreated Control
Fumigate Before Storage
Fumigate After Storage

12. Harding & Legget Navels-Lab
Quality Evaluated after 3 41F
plus 5 55F & 2 68F
Untreated Control
Fumigate Before Storage
Fumigate After Storage

13. Small Degreening Rooms at Sunkist Growers

15. Semi-Commercial Test Method
1% Vapormate for 1 hour at 50°F
Evaluations:
Initial
after 3 wks 41°F
after 5 55°F
after 2 68°F

16. Mortality of Bean Thrips after 1 hour Fumigation with VapormateTM Sunkist Test
Conc. EF (%)
Untreated Control
Vapormate 1
13.7%
n = 145
100%
n = 417

17. Sunkist Test

18. Sunkist Test
1=none; 2=very slight; 3= slight damage; 4= moderate damage

19. Villa Park – Semi-Commercial Test
Quality Evaluated after 3 41F
plus 5 55F & 2 68F
Untreated Control
Fumigate Before Storage
Fumigate After Storage

20. San Antonio – Semi-Commercial Test
Quality Evaluated after 3 41F
plus 5 55F & 2 68F
Untreated Control
Fumigate Before Storage
Fumigate After Storage

21. Golden Valley – Semi-Commercial Test
Quality Evaluated after 3 41F
plus 5 55F & 2 68F
Untreated Control
Fumigate Before Storage
Fumigate After Storage

22. Mandarin Lab Test Methods to Determine Fruit Tolerance
1 hour fumigation with 1.5% Vapormate at 50°F
8 replications of control and 16 replications for Vapormate trt.
3 weeks shelf life at 68°F with weekly visual evaluation

23. Tolerance to Vapormate (1.5%)
W. Murcott Mandarin
Tolerance to Vapormate (1.5%)

24. Year 3 Commercial trials
Treat fruit in packed boxes with static fumigation in marine container
Confirm bean thrips mortality with large number of insects
Confirm fruit tolerance with many grower sources
Develop mortality curves for adult bean thrips
Prepare report for APHIS

25. Vapormate Delivery System

26. Potential for Vapormate
Needs to be registered in U.S. or
Needs to be approved for bean thrips control in Australia and New Zealand
Already registered there
Develop efficacy data for review
True of other alternative fumigants as well.
GRAS compound
Effective against Light Brown Apple Moth

27. Mortality of the California Red Scale
(Aonidiella aurantii) 3 weeks after a
3-hour Fumigation with Ethyl Formate
EF concentration (%)
Instar
0.75%
1.5%
3.0%
First
99.8
100
Second
98.8
Third
99.9
Mature third
99.5
Y. Aharoni, Y. Nitzan, and A. Copel. (1987) Tropical Science (27)

28. Questions??