Controlled atmosphere treatment for control of grape mealybug, Pseudococcus maritimus (Ehrhorn) (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae), on harvested table grapes

Controlled atmosphere (CA) treatments with ultralow oxygen (ULO) alone and in combinations with 50% carbon dioxide were studied to control grape mealybug, Pseudococcus maritimus (Ehrhorn) on harvested table grapes. Two ultralow oxygen levels, 30 and <0.01 μL L−1, were tested in both ULO and ULO + 50% CO2 treatments. The ULO treatments with the lower oxygen level were more effective than the ULO treatments at the higher oxygen level. The ULO + 50% CO2 treatments were more effective than the ULO treatments. Grape mealybug eggs were significantly more tolerant of ULO and ULO + CO2 treatments than nymphs and adults. A 14 day ULO treatment with 30 μL L−1 O2 at 2 °C did not achieve 100% mortalities of any life stage. In the presence of 50% CO2, the 14 d treatment achieved complete mortality of all life stages of the grape mealybug. A 3 d ULO treatment with <0.01 μL L−1 O2 at 2 °C resulted in 93.3% mortality of nymphs and adults. The 3 d ULO treatment in combination with 50% CO2 treatments, however, achieved complete control of grape mealybug nymphs and adults and caused 70.5% relative egg mortality. Complete egg mortality was achieved in a 10 d ULO + 50% CO2 treatment with <0.01 μL L−1 O2 at 2 °C. Both the 14 d CA treatment with 30 μL L−1 O2 and 50% CO2 and the 10 d CA treatment with <0.01 μL L−1 O2 and 50% CO2 were tested on table grapes and grape quality was evaluated after two weeks of post-treatment storage. The CA treatments did not have a significant negative impact on grape quality and were safe for table grapes. The study indicated that CA treatments have potential to be developed for postharvest control of grape mealybug on harvested table grapes.