Postharvest management of New Zealand flower thrips on export apricots using ethyl formate

Abstract

New Zealand flower thrips (NZFT Thrips obscuratus) is the most abundant pest on New Zealand apricots at harvest and is a quarantine pest for apricot export markets Ethyl formate (EF) is a Generally Recognised As Safe (GRAS) compound being investigated treatments against NZFT and their impact on apricot fruit quality in shipping containers NZFT adults and larvae on apricots were treated in field bins of apricots in a 282 m³ in Hawkes Bay and Central Otago respectively In Hawkes Bay the treatments resulted in 100 mortality of NZFT adults and larvae In Central Otago the treatments resulted in 100 mortality of NZFT adults and 98100 larval mortality Export grade apricot cultivars expressed no adverse effects on quality to this concentration of EFCO₂