Sterile Insect Technique
Environmentally-friendly Population Suppression of False Codling Moth (FCM)
The sterile insect technique is a sustainable option & used world-wide as a successful method of pest population suppression.
XSIT is a highly effective organic and scientific approach to suppression of FCM, where data analysis and meticulous quality control form part of every step of the process to ensure sustained and consistent improvement of FCM suppression.
Downloads
Benefits
Sanitation Reports
Weekly sanitation gradings & communication are sent via WhatsApp. Once harvest is completed, out of season fruit grading will be done to assist with orchard stripping to prevent carryover of infested fruit for next season.
Infestation Monitoring
Infestation monitoring “the good old way” at each one of our SIT programme delta trap stations from December to August to assist with your FCM management practices.
Moth Flight Activity
We provided both area & sub-area reports on FCM activity.
Access to outside of orchard newsletter showing pressure in the surrounding environments in each sub-area.
Market Access
Weekly hot spot identification & communication.
SIT is an area-wide technique which requires releases on all cultivars that are a host to T. leucotreta. It is vital to cover all possible areas which may harbour FCM, so that an area of low-pest-prevalence may be attained below economic thresholds.
Our Approach
Delta Trap
For effective control of wild FCM, an overflooding ratio of 10 sterile adults to one wild adult (10:1) per trap is recommended. The adult female emits a pheromone in order to attract males for mating. The higher the amount of sterile adults in relation to the wild population, the less likely a wild male and female will find each other for a successful mating.
Release Vehicles
The release of sterile FCM is executed over contracted areas from September to June. Releases take place with R22 helicopters and per hand.
Monitoring
XSIT has a team of skilled monitoring personnel who monitor this ratio on a weekly basis.
This data is used to manage the program.