Periodic Reporting for period 3 - FF-IPM (In-silico boosted, pest prevention and off-season focused IPM against new and emerging fruit flies ('OFF-Season' FF-IPM))
Reporting period: 2022-09-01 to 2024-02-29
Alien, invasive pests’ and new emerging ones are threatening the fresh fruit and vegetable production and trading in Europe and elsewhere. Fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae, FF), including highly pestiferous and aggressive invasive species, such as the Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata, Cc), the Oriental Fruit fly (Bactrocera dorsalis, Bd) and the peach fruit fly (Bactrocera zonata, Bz). Cc are currently expanding their geographic distribution from the coastal warmer areas of the Mediterranean parts of Europe to northern and more continental areas thus posing an additional havoc to deciduous fruit production in these areas. On the other hand, Bd and Bz are frequently intercepted in European ports of entry and have been detected in a few European countries. The recent outbreak of B. dosalis in the area of Campania, Italy and the additional detections in other parts of the country together with further detection in Austria, France and Belgium strongly support the timely operation and execution of the FF-IPM project. Becoming established, both Bd and Bz, are expected to cause major economic damage to European fruit and vegetable growers and to the trading sector. The risks of arrival, establishment and range expansion of the above invasive FF are expected to escalate because of global climate change, increased trading, and human mobility. The ban of neonicotinoids, which is one of the main control tools against FF in Europe, poses an additional burden on fruit growers in Europe. FF-IPM aimed to “develop holistic knowledge-based approaches, innovative tools and services, to empower stakeholders across all sectors along the fruit production and processing chain to (a) dynamically address the impending risks of FF invasion, and (b) efficiently apply FF management throughout a spatial and seasonal continuum in a comprehensive, multi-actor and locally-adapted manner”. All objectives of the project were fully achieved and there is a list of tools and strategies developed that can be used to address the ongoing invasion of B. dorsalis in Europe and the range expansion of Ceratitis capitata in norther European countries. In addition, they support EU operation to prohibit invasion of B. zonata.
O1. To create a fundamental paradigm shift in FF IPM towards “OFF-Season” management of emerging pests
• A database of overwintering traits of the 3 FF species was developed.
• A database of plastic and adaptive responses of Bd Bz and that of several geographically isolated Cc populations to thermal and hydric stress became available to FF-IPM partners.
• Technical and socioeconomic analysis of the FF-IPM population management scenarios tested was achieved for 9 pilot sites in Greece, Italy and Spain.
O2. Enhancement of the ON Season FF management capacity was documented
• A decision support tool for the IPM of Cc was achieved and a database of IPM related parameters was developed for 6 pilot sites. The VirtualFarm Decision Support and Service (DSS) Toolbox prototype was obtained and tools and services for local pest-site-climate-IPM emulation developed.
• A list of socio-economically acceptable “OFF-Season” IPM interventions was obtained.
• Documentation of ‘OFF-Season” IPM scenarios, and OFF plus ON Season scenarios was pilot tested in 3 countries with success.
O3. Enhance the capacity to manage the phytosanitary risks of FF invasions
• Interception and detection tools (2 e-traps to detect adults and identification algorithms, 2 multi-entry keys to identify adults and larvae, molecular ID tools) developed and available to stakeholders.
• Thorough climatic population modelling was accomplished using the CLIMEX platform for all 3 target species and a list of dynamic risk maps produced. A Pan European Alert system, spatial detection optimization strategies and a tool to assist and optimize deployment of trapping detection systems was developed.
• A database of major stakeholders was compiled. The tools developed to assist pre-border, border and post-border management of FF invasion were presented and used in training activities.
• Factors affecting establishment success were studied for Cc, Bd and Bz as well as the dispersal potential of Cc and Bd under different thermal acclimation regimes and ambient temperatures. The possible role of fruitlets of different fruit species to breed the spring generation of Cc and the genetic relatedness of Cc population, using high resolving molecular tools were studied.
O4. Enhance implementation of EU plant health policy and provide knowledge-based support to policy related stakeholders
• Technical advisory notes were developed for different tools as part of the exploitation strategy.
• Several different approaches were used to receive feedback from stakeholders and end-users (online tool padlet; targeted interviews; workshops).
• The European and national legislation and international and regional standards in FF management were reviewed to identify possible obstacles for the use of the FF-IPM developed tools and strategies and a list of recommendations for policy related bodies were generated.
• Wide communication and dissemination of the results of the project (60 events, 6 webinars, 25 training modules, 10 newsletters). External events, stakeholder meetings and workshops attracted 1200+ participants and fostered further engagement.
• A database of overwintering traits of the 3 FF species was developed.
• A database of plastic and adaptive responses of Bd Bz and that of several geographically isolated Cc populations to thermal and hydric stress became available to FF-IPM partners.
• Technical and socioeconomic analysis of the FF-IPM population management scenarios tested was achieved for 9 pilot sites in Greece, Italy and Spain.
O2. Enhancement of the ON Season FF management capacity was documented
• A decision support tool for the IPM of Cc was achieved and a database of IPM related parameters was developed for 6 pilot sites. The VirtualFarm Decision Support and Service (DSS) Toolbox prototype was obtained and tools and services for local pest-site-climate-IPM emulation developed.
• A list of socio-economically acceptable “OFF-Season” IPM interventions was obtained.
• Documentation of ‘OFF-Season” IPM scenarios, and OFF plus ON Season scenarios was pilot tested in 3 countries with success.
O3. Enhance the capacity to manage the phytosanitary risks of FF invasions
• Interception and detection tools (2 e-traps to detect adults and identification algorithms, 2 multi-entry keys to identify adults and larvae, molecular ID tools) developed and available to stakeholders.
• Thorough climatic population modelling was accomplished using the CLIMEX platform for all 3 target species and a list of dynamic risk maps produced. A Pan European Alert system, spatial detection optimization strategies and a tool to assist and optimize deployment of trapping detection systems was developed.
• A database of major stakeholders was compiled. The tools developed to assist pre-border, border and post-border management of FF invasion were presented and used in training activities.
• Factors affecting establishment success were studied for Cc, Bd and Bz as well as the dispersal potential of Cc and Bd under different thermal acclimation regimes and ambient temperatures. The possible role of fruitlets of different fruit species to breed the spring generation of Cc and the genetic relatedness of Cc population, using high resolving molecular tools were studied.
O4. Enhance implementation of EU plant health policy and provide knowledge-based support to policy related stakeholders
• Technical advisory notes were developed for different tools as part of the exploitation strategy.
• Several different approaches were used to receive feedback from stakeholders and end-users (online tool padlet; targeted interviews; workshops).
• The European and national legislation and international and regional standards in FF management were reviewed to identify possible obstacles for the use of the FF-IPM developed tools and strategies and a list of recommendations for policy related bodies were generated.
• Wide communication and dissemination of the results of the project (60 events, 6 webinars, 25 training modules, 10 newsletters). External events, stakeholder meetings and workshops attracted 1200+ participants and fostered further engagement.
• Unique sets of knowledge and datasets were generated on stress physiology, dispersion capacity of the three target species and factors such as the size of the founding population that regulate establishment and spread. Seasonal and spatial patterns of the genetic relatedness of Cc population established. The overwintering dynamics of Cc in cooler EU areas were determined. More than 30 high impact publications and many presentations in scientific meetings were performed.
• Novel interception, detection and trace the origin tools were developed and invasion success stories resolved. The completion of two morphological identification keys that are freely available, and the development of molecular identification tools such as the DNA barcodes for fruit flies that were provided in the EPPO-Q-Bank database have an impact on fast identification of intercepted specimens. Stakeholders are already using FF-IPM generated ID and detection tools.
• Biological control tools for off season IPM interventions were developed and tested individually and in combination. Off season IPM control of Cc is expected to contribute in pesticide use reduction and the “remediation” of commercial farms.
• Novel tools to address invasive FF pre-at and post border were developed and an operational Pan European alert system is currently in place. Response to fruit fly invasion can be shortened by adopting these tools.
• Insights on detecting low density population were acquired and new detection strategies developed. Development of new detection strategies contribute to optimized resource use for surveillance and faster responses.
• The social and economic evaluation of customized in silico generated scenarios, the OFF and OFF and ON season IPM for Cc management that were developed and successfully pilot tested look very promising on reducing pesticides used contributing towards meeting the goals of the new EU policy. Farmers have already accepted to adopt the FF-IPM generated scenarios for Cc management.
• Novel interception, detection and trace the origin tools were developed and invasion success stories resolved. The completion of two morphological identification keys that are freely available, and the development of molecular identification tools such as the DNA barcodes for fruit flies that were provided in the EPPO-Q-Bank database have an impact on fast identification of intercepted specimens. Stakeholders are already using FF-IPM generated ID and detection tools.
• Biological control tools for off season IPM interventions were developed and tested individually and in combination. Off season IPM control of Cc is expected to contribute in pesticide use reduction and the “remediation” of commercial farms.
• Novel tools to address invasive FF pre-at and post border were developed and an operational Pan European alert system is currently in place. Response to fruit fly invasion can be shortened by adopting these tools.
• Insights on detecting low density population were acquired and new detection strategies developed. Development of new detection strategies contribute to optimized resource use for surveillance and faster responses.
• The social and economic evaluation of customized in silico generated scenarios, the OFF and OFF and ON season IPM for Cc management that were developed and successfully pilot tested look very promising on reducing pesticides used contributing towards meeting the goals of the new EU policy. Farmers have already accepted to adopt the FF-IPM generated scenarios for Cc management.