03 Mar Olive IPDM Best Practice
Ref: [1]IPDM Project Resources and how to access them by Robert Spooner-Hart et al (2020).
Ref: [2]Olive IPDM Best Practice Manual – by Robert Spooner-Hart et al (2020).
Ref: [3]OliveCare® Best Practice Checklists: Integrated Pest and Disease Management (IPDM).
The recommended approach to pest and disease management for olives is integrated pest and disease management (IPDM). Based on ecological principles, it encourages reduced reliance on pesticides through the use of a number of control strategies in a harmonious way to keep pests and diseases below the level causing economic injury. It came out of the realisation that too heavy reliance on pesticides (particularly those with broad-spectrum activity) can cause major problems, notably:
- effects on human health and safety
- environmental contamination
- pesticide resistance in target and non-target organisms
- resurgence of secondary pests
- plant damage or yield loss (phytotoxicity)
- residues on fruit and products, with national and international consequences.
There is also general community concern about the use of pesticides, particularly on foods, especially those, such as olive products, reported to provide health benefits. The major components of IPDM systems are:
- Identification of pests, diseases and natural enemies
- Monitoring of pests, diseases, damage and natural enemies
- Selection of one or more management options on the basis of monitoring results and action thresholds, from a wide range of pesticide and non-pesticide options
- Use of selective pesticides targeted at the pest or disease—for instance, pesticides that will interfere least with natural enemies, targeted only at infested trees or parts of trees.
- Continuous review of management success, and incorporation of new information and techniques.
IPDM programs commonly utilise or support biological control provided by natural enemies such as predators, parasites, insect diseases and non-pathogenic antagonistic or competitive microorganisms. These natural enemies may be encouraged or introduced onto groves.
Programs invariably involve cultural control strategies to minimise pest and disease entry and their spread in space and time. Cultural controls include protocols of entry to and movement around farms; sanitation (practices to prevent the spread of pests and diseases by removing diseased/infested plant material and by decontaminating equipment); manipulation of the field environment to discourage pests and diseases, such as maintaining optimum plant health, opening tree canopies to increase air movement and reduce humidity; eliminating of alternative hosts for pests; or growing nectar- and pollen-producing plants within the grove or surrounding areas to encourage natural enemies. IPDM may also involve the use of tolerant or resistant plant varieties, where available. Chemical pesticides, whether conventional or organically acceptable, are used judiciously and thus play a supportive role.
Remember that ‘happy trees are healthy trees’ – pests and disease outbreaks may indicate your olive grove is under stress – humid weather, water stress, soil nutrient deficiencies, tree canopy out of control, natural beneficial organisms present in low numbers, etc.
According to Dr Vera Sergeeva (Olivera)[4], “plants suffering a nutrient stress will be more susceptible to pests and diseases, while adequate crop nutrition makes plants more tolerant of or resistant to pest or disease. Healthy trees, early spotting of hatching insects and thorough early spray treatment can help growers beat olive lace bug. Grove monitoring is essential.
OLB does not “just happen”; OLB hibernates in and around the grove as adults and eggs in protected places. In spring the eggs hatch, and go through several wingless stages (instars) before turning into the winged adults which spread across the grove and lay more eggs. The full life cycle is short, only 12 to 23 days, so growers have to move quickly to stop them.”
Pest Control – IPM in Operation:
- Olive Lace Bug (OLB) as an example
- Three main ideas to try:
- Natural resistance of the olive tree
- Encourage natural predators
- Spray, carefully, if you must
Natural Resistance of the Tree
- A healthy tree rejects pests
- Even if the neighbouring tree is covered in OLB
- Give tree help: Stress makes it vulnerable
- Enough water: Adequate nutrition (including Mg)
- Open up trees: Stress the pests! Sprays penetrate
Opening up trees, doesn’t work for trees that are straddle harvested.
- Protect with hedges: Space between tree blocks?
- Healthy soils make for heathy trees
- Growers are reporting good results using Bioactive Soil Solutions on our sandy loam soil.
Encourage Predators
- Make predators welcome: Understand threats
- Insects and birds: Where is OLB coming from?
- Break up dense monoculture: New thinking
- Plant flowering shrubs and plants as hosts
- Import Beneficials: But they don’t like dust
- Ground cover, hedges – clean air, barriers to OLB
- If you spray, treat hot-spots: Beneficials survive
Spray carefully, if you must spray:
- Understand pest and disease life-cycles:
- Spray if really necessary? Healthy trees, few problems?
- One Spray enough? Can you limit to spot-sprays?
- Catch early – sprays will be more effective
- Understand the Spray and its effect:
- Is it legal in your state?
- Does it kill beneficials – even if it is organic?
- When do you spray again – do observe critical life cycle times and resistance management strategies.
Olive Pest Control Options:
Always use chemical control options in accordance with permit / label conditions:
Ref: https://australianolives.com.au/chemical-permits/
Always regularly monitor weather conditions and groves for pest and disease symptoms.
Rotate available chemical control options as part of a resistance management strategy.
Approved Agri-chemicals for use on olives: Olive Lace Bug Froggattia olivinia.
Currently the following formulations are approved by the Regulator for use on olives for the control of Olive Lace Bug Froggattia olivinia.
Group 1B: Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors (Organophosphates)
- PER13999 (Version 6) Dimethoate Permit to 31 March 2021: contact and systemic Group 1B organophosphorus insecticide,
Permit: http://permits.apvma.gov.au/PER13999.PDF
Maximum of 4 applications per season. Withholding Period: 42 days.
Note: Also permitted for control of Green Vegetable Bug and Rutherglen Bug on olives (not usually a problem).
Group 3A: Sodium channel modulators (Pyrethroids)
- PER81949 Esenvalerate (Sumi-Alpha-Flex) Permit to 31 December 2023: broad spectrum Group 3A synthetic pyrethroid insecticide,
Permit: https://sumitomo-chem.com.au/sites/default/files/literature/per81949.pdf
Use: Maximum of 4 applications per season. Withholding Period: 14 days. Demonstrated efficacy but disruptive to beneficials.
- PER81870 Pyrethrum (Pyganic): Permit to 31 Oct 2019, broad spectrum Group 3A organic pyrethroid insecticide, (organic certified),
Permit: http://permits.apvma.gov.au/PER81870.PDF
Use: Maximum of 2 consecutive sprays. Withholding Period: 1 day – trial work currently underway for label registration.
Group 4A: Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) competitive modulators (Neonicotinoids)
- PER14897 Clothianidin (Samurai) Permit to 31 March 2023: systemic Group 4A neonicotinoid insecticide,
Permit: http://permits.apvma.gov.au/PER14897.PDF
Use: Apply one spray only at the nymphal stage. Withholding Period: 56 days
- NEW PER 89943 Trivor Insecticide (acetamiprid + pyriproxyfen) Permit to 31 January 2024, Group 4A (Neonicotinoid) and Group 7C (Insect Growth Regulator) for OLB and Scale.
Permit: http://permits.apvma.gov.au/PER89943.PDF .
Use: Maximum of 2 applications per season. Withholding Period 28 days
Group 4D: Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) competitive modulators (Butenolides)
- Pending: Flupyradifurone (SIVANTO) – (Xylem mobile) foliar contact agent and in soil systemic Group 4D butenolide systemic insecticide– IPM compatible – work contracted April 2018, due for completion June 2021 – for OLB control.
Technical Info: https://www.sivanto.bayer.com/doc/Technical-Information-SIVANTO.pdf
Anticipate Use: maximum of 1 application per season. withholding Period: 20 days – TBC.
Group 7C: Juvenile hormone mimics (Pyriproxyfen)
- NEW PER 89943 Trivor Insecticide (acetamiprid + pyriproxyfen) Permit to 31 January 2024, Group 4A (Neonicotinoid) and Group 7C (Insect Growth Regulator) for OLB and Scale.
Permit: http://permits.apvma.gov.au/PER89943.PDF .
Use: Maximum of 2 applications per season. Withholding Period 28 days
Organic and other “soft” control options for OLB:
- PER14414 (Natrasoap®) fatty acids – K salt Permit to September 2023: Contact agent.
Permit: http://permits.apvma.gov.au/PER14414.PDF
Use: Apply at the first nymphal instar stage and repeat 7-10 days apart. Withholding Period: Nil
Note: Many growers report that Natrasoap® and its equivalent – potassium salts mixed with oil products to be ineffective.
- Potassium carbonate and potassium bi-carbonate are foliar nutrients that may have incidental contact agent pest control properties.
- Horticultural spray oils are simple, easy to use safely, and are kinder to beneficial insects, but they do depend on the spray fully “wetting” the instars and insects. Since the instars and insects live on the underside of olive leaves, the spray equipment must be set up carefully to saturate the undersides of the leaves right across the tree.
Label:http://websvr.infopest.com.au/LabelRouter?LabelType=L&Mode=1&ProductCode=59092
Note: Paraffinic and vegetable oils (including olive oil) – contact agents – potential low toxicity organic options – however there are implications for use of vegetable oils on EVOO fatty acid profile.
- Biologicals including the native green lacewing Mallada signata
Technical: https://bugsforbugs.com.au/wp-content/uploads/Tech-sheet-Lacewings-150920.pdf
Orders: https://bugsforbugs.com.au/product/lacewing/
Note: The native green lacewing Mallada signata is commercially available. [1]Robert Spooner hart says he “has several times observed in the field lacewing larvae attacking nymphal stages of OLB (including with carcases on their back). But this has been rare, and I have been through many populations of lace bug with no obvious signs of predation, except for occasional spiders”.
OLB Pesticide Options & Resistance Management:
If the same or similar pesticides are regularly used on a crop there is a risk that the pest will become resistant to these chemicals, as a consequence their efficacy declines.
A resistance management strategy involves the rotation of use of approved pesticides from difference chemical groups – hence the need to have approved alternative control options available.
Ref: [5]CropLife Australia Insecticide Resistance Management Strategies.
Ref: [6]IRAC Mode of Action Classification Scheme (Issued March 2020).
Suggested resistance management strategy for the control of olive lace bug:
(Assuming the Australian olive industry has legal access to the above Group 1B, 3A, 4A, 4D, 7C pesticides)
- DO NOT apply consecutive sprays of solo products containing Group 4A, consecutive sprays include mixtures containing Group 7C pesticides.
- Consecutive application includes from the end of one season to the start of the following season.
- DO NOT apply consecutive sprays of solo products containing Group 1B, Group 3A, Group 4D pesticides.
- Rotate use of products from Group 1B, Group 3A, Group 4A or Group 4D pesticides, as well as pursuing other soft / biological control option.
Approved Agri-chemicals for use on olives: Black Scale Saissetia oleae
Currently the following formulations are approved by the Regulator for use on olives for the control of Black Scale Saissetia oleae
Group 4A: Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) competitive modulators (Neonicotinoids)
- PER 89943 Trivor Insecticide (acetamiprid + pyriproxyfen) Permit to 31 January 2024, Group 4A (Neonicotinoid) and Group 7C (Insect Growth Regulator)
Permit: http://permits.apvma.gov.au/PER89943.PDF .
Use: Maximum of 2 applications per season. Withholding Period 28 days
- Control of Use Vic Only: Bayer Confidor 200 SC Insectcide, Group 4A Insecticide (neonicotinoid),
Group 7B: Juvenile hormone mimics (Fenoxycarb)
- Registered fenoxycarb (Insegar): Group 7B insect growth regulator,
Label: https://www.syngenta.com.au/product/crop-protection/insegar-wg
Use: Maximum of 2 applications per season. Withholding Period 56 days
Group 7C: Juvenile hormone mimics (Pyriproxyfen)
- PER 89943 Trivor Insecticide (acetamiprid + pyriproxyfen) Permit to 31 January 2024, Group 4A (Neonicotinoid) and Group 7C (Insect Growth Regulator)
Permit: http://permits.apvma.gov.au/PER89943.PDF .
Use: Maximum of 2 applications per season. Withholding Period 28 days
- Registered pyriproxfen (Admiral), Group 7C Insecticide,
Label: https://sumitomo-chem.com.au/sites/default/files/sds-label/admiral_adv_label_0.pdf
Use: Maximum of 2 applications per season. Withholding Period: 7 days
Organic and other “soft” control options for Black Scale:
- Biological control options: Black scale has been the subject of biological control projects in the Australian citrus industry since 1902. From 1902 to 1947, 24 species of beneficial insects (22 parasites, two predators) were released for its control.
- These included Metaphycus anneckei in 1902 from South Africa and M. helvolus 1943–47 from the USA. From 1998 to 2003, M. helvolus and M. lounsburyi were released in citrus as part of a Horticulture Australia Ltd-funded project.
- Surveys as part of a Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation project in WA showed that the egg predator, Scutellista caerulea, is most common. M. helvolus and M. anneckei are poorly established.
- The effectiveness of S. caerulea is limited, because populations build up too late to prevent scale outbreaks.
- Establishment of M. helvolus and M. lounsburyi in olives is recommended. However, there may be problems in obtaining insects commercially for release.
- General predators such as lacewings and ladybirds also feed on black scale.
- Ant control is required where growers are interested in pursuing biological control, as ants harvest honey dew from black scale, and protect the scale from parasites and predators.
- Potassium carbonate and potassium bi-carbonate are foliar nutrients that may have incidental contact agent pest control properties
- Horticultural spray oils are simple, easy to use safely, and are kinder to beneficial insects, but they do depend on the spray fully “wetting” the instars and insects. Since the instars and insects live on the underside of olive leaves, the spray equipment must be set up carefully to saturate the undersides of the leaves right across the tree.
Label:http://websvr.infopest.com.au/LabelRouter?LabelType=L&Mode=1&ProductCode=59092
Note: Paraffinic and vegetable oils (including olive oil) – contact agents – potential low toxicity organic options – however there are implications for use of vegetable oils on EVOO fatty acid profile.
Note: There are currently no approved chemical control options for Armoured Scales.
However under Victorian control of agri-chemical use legislation, Victorian olive growers have broader use options.
Suggested resistance management strategy for the control of black scale:
Assuming the Australian olive industry has legal access to the above Group 4A, 7B and 7C pesticides
- DO NOT apply consecutive sprays of solo products containing Group 4A, consecutive sprays include mixtures containing Group 7C pesticides.
- Consecutive application includes from the end of one season to the start of the following season.
- Rotate use of products from Group 4A, Group 7B and Group 7C pesticides, as well as pursuing other soft / biological control option.
Approved Agri-chemicals for use on olives: Curculio Beetle / Apple Weevil (Otiorhynchus cribricollis)
Currently there is only one chemical approved and one pending approval by the Regulator for use on olives for the control of Curculio Beetle / Apple Weevil:
Group 3A: Sodium channel modulators (Pyrethroids)
- PER14791 Ver 3 Alpha-cypermethrin (Dominix) Permit to 30 November 2021, Group 3A Insecticide,
Permit: http://permits.apvma.gov.au/PER14791.PDF
Use: Maximum of 2 applications per season to trees of fruit bearing age. Butt drench only. Withholding Period: N/A
Group TBC:
- DC163 (BCS – coded product), Group TBC Insecticide .
Hort Innovation project ST17000 in progress to generate data for control of Apple Weevil (Curculio Beetle) in olives. Project completion expected in March 2022.
Non-chemical control options for Curculio Beetle / Apple Weevil:
Prune to keep branches from touching the ground; Barrier – a sticky barrier applied in a band around the trunk will stop the insects moving into the tree; fluffy Dacron trunk bands with and without “hot chilli” help exclude weevils from the canopy.
Approved Agri-chemicals for use on olives: Olive Bud Mite Oxycenus maxwelli
There are currently no approved chemical control options for Olive Bud Mite Oxycenus maxwelli.
Group 23: Inhibitors of acetyl CoA carboxylase
- Pending: New Label Registration: Spiromesifen (Oberon) Miticide / Insecticide, translaminar, systemic, IPM compatible Group 23 Insecticide.
Hort Innovation project ST19020 (AgVet grant) pending approval to generate data for a new registration to control Olive Bud Mite in olives.
Anticipated Use: Maximum of 2 applications per season. Withholding Period 30 days – TBC
However under Victorian control of agri-chemical use legislation, Victorian olive growers have broader use options.
Organic and other “soft” control options for Olive Bud Mite:
Wettable sulphur has proven effective when applied before olive flowers bloom, but damage to the tree can occur at temperatures above 32.2°C. For high temperatures, dusting sulphur is safer to use than wettable sulphur.
- Horticultural summer oils should be considered and may be less disruptive to natural enemies because they have a shorter residual time than sulphur products. Oils should be applied to well-watered olive trees when the temperatures are cooler.
- Natural enemies of the olive bud mite have been reported but are not known in the United States. In Australia, some phytoseiid mites, like Euseius elinae (Schicha), prey on the olive bud mite. Also, lady beetles (Stethorus) act as a biological control. In Argentina, a stigmaeid mite, Agistemus aimogastaensis, was discovered as a predator of the olive bud mite (Leiva et al. 2013).
Approved Agri-chemicals for use on olives: Ants Hymenoptera: Formicidae.
Currently there are two chemicals approved for the control of Ants in olive groves.
Group 1B: Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors (Organophosphates)
- PER14575 Chlorpyrifos (Lorsban) Permit to 31 March 2022, Group 1B Insecticide,
Permit: http://permits.apvma.gov.au/PER14575.PDF
Use: Apply to ground and a butt treatment. Maximum of 2 applications per season to trees of fruit bearing age. Butt drench only. Withholding Period: N/A
Also approved for control of African Black Beetle and Light Brown Olive Moth (LBAM) on olives (not usually a problem).
Group 7C: Juvenile hormone mimics (Pyriproxyfen)
- Registered Pyriproxyfen (Distance Plus Ant Bait®), Group 7C Insecticide,
Label: https://sumitomo-chem.com.au/sites/default/files/sds-label/distance_plus_0217.pdf
Use: DO NOT apply directly to crop plants. Apply to inter-row areas only. DO NOT exceed 3 applications per year and a minimum of 3 months between each treatment. Withholding Period: N/A
Organic and other “soft” control options for Olive Bud Mite:
- Ants can be deterred from climbing the trees with the use of a sticky band traps. High populations of ants may interfere with the predators and reduce their performance.
- Ants are frequently associated with Black Scale infestations. High levels of ant activity on trees often indicate significant populations of honeydew- producing insects. Ant activity can therefore be a useful indicator of which trees to check more closely for these and other pests. An exception is that ant activity may be high during flowering when the ants are attracted to nectar.
Note: There are many other approved baits to control ants in non-cropping areas eg around sheds and other buildings:
Minor use permits for the olive industry
The Hort Innovation Olive Fund supports the submission of applications for new and renewed minor agri-chemical use permits for the industry, as well as data generation activities to support chemical permits and registrations, and strategic agrichemical reviews. Together these efforts provide industry access to safe, relevant and effective chemicals for the management of pests, weeds and diseases.
Olive minor use permits on the AOA website are current to 31 December 2020
(Right click on the above link and select open hyperlink to open in your browser)
Hort Innovation has recently announced a new APVMA Permit for the control of 2 important insect pests of olives: Olive Lace Bug (OLB) and Scale Insects including Black Scale of olives:
Trivor Insecticide is a unique insecticide combination of acetamiprid (Group 4A – Neonicotinoid) and pyriproxyfen (Group 7C – Insect Growth Regulator), that provides rapid and extended control or suppression of many key pests that attack horticultural crops.
PER 89943 Trivor Insecticide (acetamiprid + pyriproxyfen), new permit to 31 January 2024, is for the control of Olive Lace Bug (OLB) and Scale Insects in olive groves.
Note: This is an Interim Permit as the registrant ADAMA will be seeking a label registration in the future for the crops covered under this permit as part of the AgVet Grant funded project (ST16006).
Trivor Label: https://www.adama.com/documents/1380147/6123331/Trivor+Web+Label+July+19.pdf
Trivor SDS: https://www.adama.com/documents/1380147/3260181/Trivor%C2%AE+SDS.pdf
Trivor Permit: http://permits.apvma.gov.au/PER89943.PDF
[1] IPDM Project Resources and how to access them: https://olivebiz.com.au/webinar-ipdm-project-resources/
[2] Olive IPDM Best Practice Manual: https://olivebiz.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Best-Practice-Manual-REVISED.pdf
[3] OliveCare® Best Practice Checklists: Integrated Pest and Disease Management (IPDM): https://australianolives.com.au/olivecare-best-practice-checklists/
[4] Dr Vera Sergeeva (Olivera): http://olivediseases.com/biography/
[1] Robert Spooner-Hart personal communication
[5] Fungicide Activity Group Table (Valid as at 10 June 2020): https://www.croplife.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/2020-Insecticide-Resistance-Management-Strategies.pdf
[6] IRAC Mode of Action Classification Scheme (Issued March 2020): https://irac-online.org/modes-of-action/