Within the framework of the execution of the Technological Program (PTEC) for Export Fruit Growing in the Central-South Zone of Chile, called “TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT FOR EXPORT FRUIT GROWING THAT RESOLVES TECHNOLOGICAL CHALLENGES IN THE TERRITORY INCLUDED BETWEEN THE REGION OF LOS MAULE AND THE REGION OF LOS LAGOS ”, the Foundation for Fruit Development (FDF) is developing, as executor, the project“ Development of integrated pest management for export fruit growing, with the incorporation of natural enemies, with a focus on controlling pests of quarantine importance ” , which has as general objective "Reduce the risk of rejections in the phytosanitary inspection by pests of quarantine importance through the development of an integrated technological package in pest control that involves monitoring systems and release of natural enemies. This project has a total cost of 214 million pesos, of which 150 million are contributed by the Production Development Corporation (CORFO) and the balance by the executor and the Association of Fruit Exporters of Chile AG (ASOEX) as associated.

As of the execution date of this project, it was possible to collect and compile national and international information on the different biological control options for pests that affect kiwis, blueberries and raspberries. In addition, a guide for monitoring and recognition of pests was developed, adjusted to the needs detected associated with kiwi, blueberry and raspberry crops.

Meanwhile, to start the field studies, 26 orchards have been selected through a database of regional SAGs with orchards that present greater rejection problems, which have been monitored in the 2018/2019 season through pheromone traps, food traps and prospecting. field.

At the same time, it has been possible to obtain from the national market 4 natural enemies that have been tested in the laboratory, for which at least 4 repetitions of effectiveness treatments have been carried out under different pests with their respective biological controller.

In this way, Goniozus legneri for moth larvae and Trichogramma nerudai for moth eggs have been evaluated in blueberries. In raspberry Orius tristicolor has been evaluated for the control of Thrips and in kiwi Neoseiulus spp. and Chrysoperla defreitasi to control Brevipalpus chilensis. Additionally, a search is being carried out for potential biological controllers already present in a natural way, by collecting biological material from the field, detecting the ability to be a biological controller in the field, and carrying out breeding and maintenance foot tests throughout the project.

The activities to be carried out include continuing to carry out tests of biological controllers to validate what was obtained in the 2018-2019 season, in the selected orchards of the kiwi, blueberry and raspberry species, both in the Maule region and in the Araucanía region, these tests are carried out in conjunction with a historical climatological survey of the orchards under study, graph and interrelation between hosts and detected pests, in conjunction with the results obtained when releasing natural enemies. All of the above in order to obtain an Integrated Technological Package in pest control, to be transferred to kiwi, blueberry and raspberry producers through a specific strategy.

CETP

The l Technological Program (PTEC) for Export Fruit Growing in the Central-South Zone of Chile, is coordinated by the Foundation for Fruit Development (FDF) and has the collaboration of the Production Promotion Corporation (Corfo), the Ministry of Agriculture, the Association of Fruit Exporters of Chile (Asoex), in addition to the blueberry and kiwi committees, as well as the Fruit Technology Consortium, the Institute of Agricultural Research (INIA), the University of Concepción and the University Catholic from Chile.

This technological program seeks to support the development, growth and competitiveness of the fruit producer and exporter sector, offering tools that allow facing the challenges of the industry, especially those derived from Climate Change, and the requirements of international markets and consumers.

According to Sergio Maureira, Director of this PTEC, it is a comprehensive project that includes different views of those who make it up. “The program officially began in 2017, and through it we developed nine projects for three fruit species, which are blueberries, raspberries and kiwis, as well as cross-cutting projects that benefit the entire industry. In order to visualize its progress, we hold meetings periodically, where professionals from the different entities that comprise it participate, and in which we review the progress that exists in the projects ”, he closed.