The sterile insect technique for use against the devastating European grapevine moth in Chile
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The European grapevine moth is an insect pest that develops on more than 200 plant species of various families. It is one of the most serious vineyard pests in the Mediterranean region and southern Europe.
In Chile, the European grapevine moth was detected for the first time in the Linderos area of the Metropolitan Region in April 2008. The pest, which is native to Europe, attacks the vineyards and its larvae, causing direct damage by feeding on the grape clusters. This decreases vineyard yields.
The pest’s potential direct economic damage to the production of table grape, wine, blueberries and plums has been estimated at over USD 75 million per year. In addition, indirect costs are associated with the pest control practices adopted by growers and with the additional costs for the postharvest treatments required to export table grapes.
To face this serious threat, the Agricultural and Livestock Service (Servicio Agrícola y Ganadero, SAG) of the Ministry of Agriculture of Chile declared that it would place the pest under official control. SAG requested support from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in developing and field-validating the sterile insect technique (SIT) against the invasive pest. SIT is an important component of the integrated management of the pest, aimed at its suppression and eradication.