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How sterile flies replaced Lorsban for two onion growers

In 2018 and 2019, before the phase-out of chlorpyrifos, two growers opted to release sterile flies as their onion maggot management strategy going forward. Over the next few years, populations of onions maggots have decreased and so has the damage observed in the field.

The onion maggot (Delia antiqua) is the larval stage of the onion maggot fly which can cause severe damage to every stage of onion development. In onions, one maggot can kill up to 20 plants early in the season and without a management strategy, onion maggot can reduce plant stands by over 50%. Later generations of onion maggot can cause distorted growth and open wounds making it easier for pathogens to gain entry and reduce the storage life of the bulb. | READ MORE