High dilution of Staphysagria and fruit fly biotherapic preparations to manage South American fruit fly, Anastrepha fraterculus, in organic peach orchards
L. C.D. Rupp , M. I.C. Boff , P. Boff , P. A. de S. Gonçalves & M. Botton (2012)
Abstract
The peach, Prunus persica, is an important economic crop in southernBrazil,where family farms are predominantly small. The South American fruit fly, Anastrepha fraterculus is a limiting factor to increased production in orchard crops. Increased organic production in Brazil has stimulated research to find ecological based pest management. This research was carried out in order to evaluate the efficacy of preparations at high dilution in managing A. fraterculus in organic peach orchards. Experiments were conducted under field conditions in randomized blocks during 2003/04 and 2004/05. Treatments consisted of A. fraterculus nosodes and Staphysagria homeopathic preparations, both at two high dilution levels, 3CHand 6CH (centesimal hahnemannian dilutionmethod), applied at two spray intervals, 5 and 10 days, and a control. Fruit losses due to A. fraterculus infestation varied from 40 to 98.3%. Although therewere significant differences among treatments in the first harvest of two of the three experiments therewere no significant differences in the second harvest of any of the experiments. None of the homeopathic preparations reduced the incidence of infested fruit significantly below that of the water control in any of the three experiments. Further studies must combine other strategies such as bagging fruits and planting of early season cultivars.Variation on high dilution potency, dose, and frequency of application must also be considered.
Keywords: agro-homeopathy; Anastrepha fraterculus; high dilution preparations; plant protection; Prunus persica; Staphysagria