Report of the APPPC Regional Training Workshop on Integrated Control of Fruit Fly, 9-11 May 2014, Bangkok, Thailand

<p>Tephritid fruit flies are becoming increasingly important, due to the economic importance of many species and their threat to fruit and vegetable production and trade worldwide.</p><p>At the 28th Session of the Asia and Pacific Plant Protection Commission (APPPC) in 2013, it was agreed that Thailand would host the training workshop on Bactrocera fruit fly surveillance, taxonomy and identification and area-wide management in tandem with the 9th International Symposium on Fruit Flies of Economic Importance in May 2014.</p><p>The workshop was held from 9-11 May 2014 in Bangkok, Thailand. Thirty-one (31) delegates from 17 countries and experts from IAEA, AIT, DOAE of Thailand and Mexico attended the workshop.</p><p>The key objectives were (i) to provide technical knowledge and training to field operations staff on surveillance and baseline data collection to plan integrated fruit fly management activities including SIT application, and (ii) to demonstrate surveillance techniques used in fruit fly detection and control programmes, including trapping materials for adult surveys, as well as levels of infestation by fruit fly lavae.</p><p>Main results:</p><p>The workshop increased knowledge of participants for fruit fly management especially for NPPOs to implement system approaches (ISPM 14) and establishment of pest free area for fruit fly for a specific targeted commodity production. It also contributed to pest surveillance (ISPM 6). The workshop also helped participants enhance impression on morphology of several typical species of fruit fly with highlighted specifications which could be useful reference for identification of these species. It also provided the participants with practical exercise on identification of genera Bactrocera. The participants also learned that massive release an augmentative release of parasitoids as well as quality control and cost reduction were main elements of successful biological control of fruit flies for suppression of population. The workshop&rsquo;s session of GIS demonstrated value of application as a useful tool for mapping the pest distributions based on surveillance. As well, the workshop highlighted the important role of AW approach in pest control, principles of AW, phased conditional approach, strategic options of AW-IPM and examples of use of SIT and farmer filed school approach at field level.</p><p>At the workshop, it was proposed that the networking of collaboration among countries in fruit fly management including information exchange and resource sharing be strengthened. Area-wide IPM should also be promoted in every country with financial and technical support. &emsp;</p>