D3074: Automated scouting, data visualization, and a growing degree day model enhances filbertworm (Lepidoptera : Tortricidae) monitoring in Oregon hazelnuts

Filbertworm (FBW), Cydia latiferreana Walsingham, is a native Tortricid moth and key insect pest of Pacific Northwest hazelnuts. Adult moths lay their eggs on leaves or developing nut clusters throughout the summer months. Upon emerging, the neonate larvae tunnel through the husk and micropyle, until they reach the kernel. Larvae feed on the developing kernel, causing direct damage and rendering the nut unsalable. Filbertworm infestations can create a substantial loss of product and revenue, as current processor thresholds are approximately 1%. Aside from the loss of a salable crop, FBW monitoring and management can be costly in both product costs and labor hours. Trap automation represents a solution to labor expenditures associated with monitoring, while also providing real-time pest pressure data. In this work, approximately 95 “smart traps” were deployed across nearly 5,000 acres of hazelnut orchards in the Oregon Willamette Valley to monitor for FBW. Trap catch data were aggregated in FMC’s Arc farm intelligence Scouting Efficiency Mobile Application to allow growers and crop advisors to visualize pest pressure. The trap catch data were also used to evaluate the predictive power of an established growing degree day model. By combining smart trapping technologies, the Arc farm intelligence application, and growing degree day models, growers can make informed decisions to employ management techniques at the proper time and location in their orchard.