Congelados
Ago. 5, 2013EE.UU: nueva mosca de la fruta amenaza berries de Minnesota
A harmful new fruit fly is threatening Minnesota’s berry crops. The tiny spotted wing Drosophila is native to Asia. It was first found in the U.S. in 2008, in California, and quickly caused sizeable losses along the West Coast. The pest’s first arrival in Minnesota was detected late last summer, and the state’s raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, grapes, cherries and plums are all vulnerable, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reported on July 17.
“It’s somewhat of a silent infestation,” said entomologist Mark Asplen of the University of Minnesota. “The flies lay their eggs inside the fruit, the eggs hatch and the larvae start feeding on the fruit from the inside. The fruit becomes this kind of mushy mass. There’s no human health issue with this. It’s more of a quality of the fruit issue.”
Asplen said the maggots hit fall raspberries hard last year. Some pick-your-own growers had a 50 percent loss and had to shut down, he said.
Officials urge berry and grape growers to check for the pests and take action, but they concede the fly is so new to Minnesota that there’s a lot they still don’t know.
The key, Asplen stressed, is detecting the problem early.
State and university officials recommend a three-pronged strategy to fight back. Berry growers should set up monitoring traps; dispose of overripe fruit, which is most attractive to the pests; and contact the Minnesota Department of Agriculture for details on how to control the pests with insecticides.
Source: aberdeennews.com
Publication date: 8/5/2013