JUNE 1, 2005
ISCA TECHNOLOGIES MAKES DONATION TO UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA COOPERATIVE EXTENSION FOR RESEARCH OF OLIVE FRUIT FLY CONTROL MEASURES

ISCA Technologies, Inc. (Riverside, CA) donated more than $1,000 of its olive fruit fly management products to the University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) in support of their research on olive fruit fly control measures in California. The products consisted of a range of its olive fruit fly management products such as the ISCA-Ball trap (ISCA’s improved version of the McPhail trap), torula yeast, olive fruit fly pheromone vials and yellow sticky traps.

The Olive fruit fly Bactrocera oleae, native to the Mediterranean region, was first detected in Los Angeles in 1998, since then it has spread to the rest of California. It is the most serious pest of olives. The larvae cause premature fruit drop and yield reduction. An infestation seriously affects oil volume, alters its color and increases acidity. The larger, earlier maturing olive varieties such as those grown in California, are preferred for egg laying. Without effective control measures, damage to olive fruit in infested areas is more than 90%.

California is the sole producer of commercial olives in the U.S. In 2002, California produced 103,000 tons of olives on 36,000 acres, down 23 percent from 134,000 tons the previous year. Production has ranged from 166,000 tons in 1996 to 53,000 tons in 2000.

“The support of companies like ISCA Technologies is important to our research. Without the cooperation of California’s olive growers and the supporting industries, it would be very difficult to do the kind of practical field trials we specialize in,” says Paul Vossen, UCCE Sonoma County.

Dr Reginald Coler, Vice President of ISCA Technologies, says : “Being a Californian integrated pest management company, we want to play a part to support and contribute to olive fruit fly research efforts. We have also been developing and testing various SPLAT (Specialized Pheromone and Lure Application Technology) attract and kill formulations for fruit flies, and the results have been promising. We hope to continue to work with UC Cooperative Extension entomologists to field test these formulations in 2006 and beyond. UCCE’s research programs for olive fruit fly control have yielded valuable and practical recommendations that have guided our product development and education efforts for olive fruit fly control. We wish UCCE a successful olive fruit fly research season.”

About University of California Cooperative Extension

University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources (ANR) serves every Californian by conducting agricultural research and delivering the results right to the people who farm. Our scientists study nutrition and educate the public about eating wisely. We protect and study vast wildlands, find ways to conserve natural resources and advise landowners who are managing so much of California's open spaces. University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE), ANR’s outreach arm, has farm, 4-H, and nutrition, family and consumer sciences advisors based in more than 50 county offices. In addition, Cooperative Extension specialists are headquartered at UC Berkeley, UC Davis, and UC Riverside, where they conduct research and coordinate advisors’ activities. As a land-grant institution, the Cooperative Extension mandate is tied to the welfare, development, and protection of California agriculture, natural resources, and people.

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