Participatory olive fly monitoring

Sant’Anna School – Val Graziosa Farmer Cluster

Participatory olive fly monitoring aims to support the olive grower in determining the presence of the fly in the olive grove, and the level of infestation of the first summer generation.

Participation in monitoring is possible through the use of a special app: https://poderi.app/#farms. The olive grower has had constant feedback from researchers at the Sant’Anna School.

To determine the level of infestation of the first summer generation, the olive grower must observe a certain amount of olives (usually 100/ha) and detect any oviposition bites of the fly. This is done in the field, without the olives being removed from the tree, using the app. Sampling should be done once a week.

For the presence of the fly, its flight should be monitored instead, using special pheromone, canopy traps. The olive grower will have to count the flies on the trap and take a photo, all to be reported on the app once a week. The traps were provided by Sant’Anna School, in the number of 3 traps per sampling area.

Below is the video tutorial that was disseminated to olive growers before starting the trial, during a demonstration meeting.