Assessment of lure and kill and mass-trapping methods against the olive fly, Bactrocera oleae (Rossi), in desert-like environments in the Eastern Mediterranean

• The concept of mass-trapping against the olive fly was tested in Tubas, Palestine.
• Mass-trapping was shown to effectively reduce olive fly damage.
• Mass-trapping effectiveness is linked to elevation above sea level.
• A low-cost mass-trapping device was tested and found effective.

Management of the olive fly using environmentally friendly methods includes strategies based on lure and kill and/or mass-trapping. Despite a wealth of studies related to the efficacy of different lure and kill and mass-trapping systems in several olive producing areas, there are few known regarding the performance of such systems in low input olive farms of the desert-like areas of the Middle East. The present study reports on the control of the olive fly using both lure and kill and mass-trapping devices in low-input farms in the region of Tubas, Palestine, between 2010 and 2012. The effect of environmental factors, such as elevation, on general patterns of olive fly infestation and the lure and kill system's performance was also studied. Our final goal included the development of a general strategy to produce organic olive oil using alternative olive fly control methods. Initially we used a commercially available lure and kill device, the Eco-Trap®. The Eco-Trap performed relatively well during the three years of study, significantly reducing olive fly damage levels. Eco-Trap effectiveness was more evident at elevation above 400 m, where damage in the region of Tubas was more intense than at lower elevations. In a subsequent trial we tested a low-cost mass-trapping device. This device demonstrated similar levels of protection to the one seen with the Eco-Trap. Results showed that lure and kill and mass-trapping tactics can be effectively applied in the region of Tubas, and that accessible devices can be adopted to reduce control costs. The results also showed differential levels of damage throughout the region, which were related to elevation above sea level. The possibility of applying a regional management concept throughout the area by a centralized organization, such as a farmer's union based on mass-trapping systems seems feasible and is discussed.