ALM originated in Europe and was first detected stateside in Pennsylvania in 2015. The flies moved into New York and New Jersey in 2016. It has since been detected in Connecticut, Massachusetts and Maryland. There is no well-tested method to prevent or mitigate ALM infestation and the fly threatens to move South and West. The Cornell research team is identifying effective insecticides for both organic and conventional allium crops. This project is also developing best practices for predicting and scouting for ALM and arming growers with the latest information on the pest and effective tactics for controlling crop damage.
“Based on funding from the FFAR ROAR program, we were able to rapidly conduct field research that led to identifying effective insecticides that prevent economic damage on both organic and conventional allium crops,” said lead investigator Dr. Brian Nault. “Growers now have tools to combat this pest; however, more research is needed to optimize insecticide use and to identify non-chemical management strategies.”
Cornell University and the New York Farm Viability Institute together contributed $65,000 to FFAR’s grant for a $130,000 total investment in controlling the emerging pest and protecting farm operations from damage.