Queensland Fruit Fly and wine grapes - Information manual for Hunter Valley grape growers

Summary

Queensland fruit fly (QFF), Bactrocera tryoni, is the most serious insect pest of Australian horticulture.

QFF is found in parts of the Northern Territory, Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and occasionally in South Australia.

The damaging stage is the larva, which feeds within the fruit, leading to rotting inside the fruit.

Fruit can also rot through fungal decay around wounds in the fruit surface caused by the adult female stinging and laying eggs in the fruit.

Topics include:

• Grapes as a host for QFF
• Host list for QFF
• Lifecycle
• Seasonal lifecycle and climatic conditions
• Distribution
• Vinegar or ferment fly (Drosophilidae)
• Monitoring QFF in grapes
• Managing and controlling QFF in grapes
• Insecticide and protein bait sprays
• Maximum residue limits for grapes (MRLs)
• Vineyard and orchard hygiene
• Disposal of QFF-damaged fruit
• Biological control of QFF