BIOLOGICAL CONTROL OF CHESTNUT GALL WASP
WINNING STRATEGY 


Actually, the most effective means of control of the pest is the biological control based on the introductions of the natural enemy: Torymus sinensis . 


Oasis S.r.l. is a Research and Development Center that, since 2009, carries out activities to fight the spread of Chestnut gall wasp and to introduce the biological control of this pest insect. 

The centre cooperates with public and private Research Institutes, as well as with the major national Universities. 

From 2012 to June 2015, OASIS S.r.l. collaborated with IPSP-CNR (Institute of Sustainable Plant Protection – National Research Council of Italy) in a project that had made 20 fields for mass rearing of the parasitoid Torymus sinensis .


Oasis S.r.l. offers different services to the stakeholders for implementing the biological control of Chestnuts gall wasp:

 

  1. Settlement groups of Torymus sinensis, natural enemy of Asian gall wasp. In every group there are about 120 females and 60 males of Torymus sinensis (100 females and 50 males are guarantee), released in 10 test tube. Assistance is provided for released time and suitable ways;
  2. Assistance is provided for the realization of fields for Torymus sinensis mass rearing, that are requisite for the rationalization of Chestnut gall wasp control according to the times and the intervention ways required by local conditions;
  3. Assistance is provided to verify the right settlement of Torymus sinensis in the releasing sites during the time;
  4. Training courses for chestnut growers, technicians, agro-technicians and land surveyors are organized in:

 

 

  • Chestnut Agronomic and phytopathological management;
  • Biological control of Chestnut gall wasp.

 




How to Buy Settlement Groups

Biological control needs long time.
Reduction of Chestnut Gall Wasp infestation will be found in 5/6 years from releasing of its natural enemy.
The number of needed settlement groups depends on the aggression of action plan you want to achieve. The biological control plan is based on the propagation methods, so it is IMPORTANT TO CREATE THE GREATEST NUMBER OF FOCAL POINTS, promptly, to allow the diffusion of a net able to cover the whole territory in a short time. It is demonstrated that a second release after 10/15 days on the same point of the first one increases the chances of successful settlement.