The Control of Apple Maggots in Organic Orchards with GF-120 NF ...

The Control of Apple Maggots in Organic Orchards 

with GF-120 NF Naturalyte Fruit Fly Bait 

Julia Reekie and Eric Specht 

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Nova Scotia 

Kathryn Carter, Margaret Appleby and Hannah Fraser 

Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs 

Ken Wilson, Thornbury, Ontario 

Lindsay Pink, Markdale, Ontario

What is GF-120? 

• Spinosad bait produced 

naturally by the 

fermentation of the soil 

actinomycete 

Saccharopolyspora 

spinosa 

• Spinosad is a mixture of 

two most active naturally 

occurring metabolites 

(spinosyns A and D) 

• GF-120 is approved by the OMRI for use in organic 

production 

• It has been registered for use to control cherry fruit flies 

in cherries and blueberry maggots in blueberries 

• To date, it has not been registered for use in apples

Applying GF-120 

GF-120 has to be applied as 

soon as adult flies emerge 

• Rate=1.5 L/ha 

• Dilution 1:4 (GF-120: water) 

• Large droplet size (4-6 mm 

in diameter) 

• Uniform coverage is not 

critical 

• Repeat application 7 - 10 

days 

• Re-apply after a rain event

GF-120 Trials in 2007 

Results from 2007 trials: GF-120 is as effective as 

Surround WP in the control of apple maggot in 5 

trials conducted in 2007 

One exception: At the “Home” orchard in Ontario, low 

rate of GF-120 has significantly more infested 

apples than Surround WP 

Currently GF-120 is going through a label expansion 

for maggot control in apple crops

Objectives for 2008 trials 

To optimize the delivery of GF-120 for adequate 

apple maggot control 

Experiment. 1 Temporal strategies using two 

application intervals 

Experiment. 2 Spatial strategies practicing perimeter 

spray or spraying alternate rows 

Experiment. 3 Refine application methods for the 

maximum distribution of GF-120 within tree canopies 

and to prune large-sized trees for better penetration 

of GF-120 into inner tree canopies

Experiment 1 Temporal Strategies 

• A seedling mix research orchard in 

Nova Scotia 

• 4 replications of 2 application 

intervals (7-day and 14-day) 

• Control with no treatment (to 

indicate pest pressure) 

• Label rate of GF-120: 1.5 L/ha 

Row 

Tree 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 

1 Control C C C Rep 4 T2 T2 T1 T1 T1 T1 

2 C T2 T2 T2 T2 T1 T1 T1 Rep 1 

3 C C C C T2 T1 T1 T1 

4 C T2 T2 T2 T2 T1 T1 T1 T1 

5 C C C C T2 T2 T2 T1 T1 T1 T1 

6 C T2 T2 T2 T1 T1 T1 T1 

7 C C C C C T2 T2 T2 T1 T1 T1 T1 

8 C C T2 T2 T1 T1 

9 C C C C T2 T2 T2 T2 T1 T1 

10 C C T2 T2 T2 T2 T1 T1 T1 T1 

11 C C C C C T2 T2 T2 T2 T1 T1 T1 T1 

12 C C T2 T2 T2 T2 T2 T2 

13 C C C C T2 T2 T2 T2 T2 T2 T2 T2 

14 C C T2 T2 T2 T2 T2 T2 T2 

15 C C C C T2 T2 T2 T2 T2 T2 T2 

16 C C T2 T2 T2 T2 T2 T2 T2 T2 

17 C C C C T2 T2 T2 T2 T2 T2 T2 

18 C C T2 T2 T2 T2 T2 T2 

19 C C C C T2 T2 T2 T2 

20 C C C T1 T1 Rep 3 T2 T2 Rep 2 

21 C C C C T1 T1 T1 T1 T2 T2 

22 C C C T1 T1 T1 T2 T2 T2 

23 C C C C C T1 T1 T1 T1 T2 

24 C C C C T1 T1 T1 T2 T2 

25 C C T1 T1 T1 T1 T2 T2 T2 

26 C C C C T1 T1 T1 T2 T2 T2 

27 Rep 4 T1 T1 T1 T1 T1 T1 T1 T2 T2 T2 T2 

28 T1 T1 T1 T1 T1 T1 T1 T1 T2 T2 T2 T2 

29 T1 T1 T1 T1 T1 T1 T1 T2 T2 T2 T2 

30 T1 T1 T1 T1 T1 T1 T2 T2 T2 T2 

31 T1 T1 T2 T2 T2 T2 T1 T1 T1 

32 T1 T1 T1 T2 T2 T2 T1 T1 T1 T1 

33 T1 T1 T1 T1 T2 T2 T2 T1 T1 T1 T1 

34 T1 T1 T1 T2 T2 T2 T1 T1 T1 T1 

35 T1 T1 T1 T1 T2 T2 T2 T1 T1 

36 T1 T1 T2 T2 T2 T1 T1 T1 

37 T1 T1 T1 T2 T2 T2 T2 T1 T1 T1 

38 T1 T1 T2 T1 T1 

39 T1 T1 T1 T1 T2 T2 T2 T1 T1 T1 

40 T1 T2 T1 T1 T1 

41 T1 T1 T2 T2 T2 T1 

42 T2 

43 T2 T2 T2 

44 T2 T2 

45 T2 T2 T2 

46 T2 

47 T2 T2 

48 T2 

49 T2 

50

Experiment 2 Spatial Strategies 

• ‘McIntosh’ and ‘Cortland’ research orchards in Nova Scotia 

• 4 replications of 3 treatments: perimeter spray, spray alternate 

rows and spray all rows 

• Control with no treatment (to indicate pest pressure) 

• Label rate of GF-120: 1.5 L/ha 

WEST 

NORTH 

Tree Blk 4 Blk 3 Blk 2 Blk 1 

40 M M M M C C M 40 

39 C C M M C C M M C C M M C C M 39 

38 C C M M C C M M C C M M C C M M C C M M 38 





































ROW 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Experiment 3 Refine Application Methods 

• Commercial ‘McIntosh’ orchard in Ontario 

• 4 replications of 6 treatments: 

1. Low rate GF-120 (1.5 L/ha) applied with one pass to trees 

received standard pruning 

2. High rate GF-120 (2.25 L/ha) applied with one pass to trees 


3. Low rate GF-120 (1.5 L/ha) applied with two passes to trees 


4. High rate GF-120 (2.25 L/ha) applied with two passes to trees 


5. Low rate GF-120 (1.5 L/ha) applied with one pass to trees 

received extra pruning 

6. High rate GF-120 (2.25 L/ha) applied with one pass to trees 

received extra pruning 

• Control with no treatment (to indicate pest pressure)

Experiment 3 

Refine Application Methods 

(continued)

Assessment 

• At harvest, 6-10 trees from each 

experimental plot were sampled 

and from each tree, 20 apples 

were randomly collected 

• For each orchard, 20 apples from 

16 control trees were randomly 

collected 

• Fruits were incubated at room 

temperature for 2 weeks before the 

assessment of apple maggot 

damage 

• Every fruit was cut into quarters 

and examined for apple maggot 

injury

Nova Scotia Results- % Apple Maggot Injuries 

Orchards 

Treatments ‘McIntosh’ ‘Cortland’ Seedings 

7-day Spray -- -- 3.30 a 

14-day Spray -- -- 10.20 b 

Perimeter Spray 0.20 a 0.40 a -- 

Alternate Rows 1.25 a 1.25 a -- 

All Rows 0.65 a 2.00 a -- 

Control 35.30 30.6 68.8

Ontario Results- % Apple Maggot Injuries 

Rate Pass Prune ‘McIntosh’ 

Low 1 standard 8.00 a 

High 1 standard 5.08 b 

Low 2 standard 2.78 c 

High 2 standard 5.70 b 

Low 1 extra 3.78 c 

High 1 extra 2.28 c 

Control 42.00

Conclusion 

• GF-120 should be applied every 7-10 days for adequate 

apple maggot control (especially when pest pressure is 

high) 

• It is possible to spray only the perimeter of the orchard or 

spray alternate rows for apple maggot control (providing 

there is no internal pest infestation) 

• Good penetration and even distribution of GF-120 within 

tree canopies are crucial for apple maggot control (in largesized 

apple trees)

Acknowledgement 

• Funding obtained from Pest Management Centre - 

Biopesticides Initiatives 

• Dow AgroSciences donated GF-120 NF Naturalyte 

fruit fly bait for field trials 

• Frank Hewgill Orchards Ltd., Ontario 

• Robert Gardner Orchards, Ontario 

• Boates Orchard, Nova Scotia 

• Colleagues, friends and families who helped with 

this project

The Control of Apple Maggots in Organic Orchards with GF-120 NF ...

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