Primi studi sulla biologia e sul controllo di Cydia funebrana (Treitschke) in susineti biologici siciliani

First studies on biology and control of Cydia funebrana (treitschke) in Sicilian organic plum orchards. Cydia funebrana (Treitschke), considered the key pest in the Sicilian plum orchards. Few studies were carried out in Sicily concerning C. funebrana life cycle, forecasting models and the effectiveness of some products permitted in organic plum orchards. In 2010 researches were carried out in three Sicilian plum orchards, two in Palermo Province (Monreale and San Giuseppe Jato) and one in Agrigento Province (Castrofilippo), in order to monitor the population, to evaluate damage levels caused by the plum moth and to estimate how many generations it could complete by Charmillot’s forecasting model. In addition, in San Giuseppe Jato, the effectiveness of mineral oil and Spinosad, products permitted in organic farming, was evaluated on three different plum cultivars, Angeleno, Friar and Stanley. Field data showed that the plum moth completes at least three yearly generations. Moreover, clear differences have been found among the cultivars compared in San Giuseppe Jato orchard, Angeleno being the most susceptible to the moth attack. Local plum cultivars in Monreale were more susceptible to plum moth attack than all the other ones. Charmillot's model about generation numbers by temperature records, provided an overestimate of the C. funebrana generations. The only orchard in which the infestation level was very low was that in Castrofilippo. Field trials did not show adequate efficacy of tested products to reduce C. funebrana damages.