Olive pests and pathogens: nature, identification, and biological control strategies

Training Certificate issued by INEA-University School of Agricultural Engineering.

Content:

• Introduction:
  This section will provide an overview of the importance of olive growing, highlighting its economic, ecological, and cultural relevance. The fundamental principles of plant protection in olive groves will be addressed, emphasizing the need to integrate sustainable pest and disease management techniques in accordance with organic farming regulations. The foundations for understanding biological control methods will be established, promoting the natural balance of ecosystems in olive groves.
• Olive Pests:
  This topic will focus on the study and characterization of the main pests affecting olive trees, analyzing their biological cycles, feeding habits, and the damage they cause. Pests will be categorized according to their taxonomic order, detailing their distinctive characteristics and diagnostic methods for their identification.
  • Diptera:
    The biology and impact of dipterans in olive groves will be addressed, with particular emphasis on the most relevant species such as Bactrocera oleae (olive fruit fly), one of the most destructive pests in olive cultivation. Their developmental stages, feeding habits, and the damage they cause to both the fruit and the quality of the harvest will be analyzed.
  • Lepidoptera:
    The main species of Lepidoptera that affect olive groves will be studied, such as the Prays oleae (olive moth), which feeds on flowers, buds, and young fruit. The biological cycles, detection methods, and strategies for minimizing the damage caused by these insects will be explored in depth.
  • Hemiptera:
    The focus will be on hemipterans that affect olive trees, such as the Nezara viridula (green stink bug), which can cause fruit deformities and the transmission of pathogens. The biological characteristics of these insects, their feeding habits, and their ability to influence olive tree health will be detailed.
  • Coleoptera:
    The most important beetles will be analyzed, such as Rhynchites cribripennis (olive weevil), which bores into the fruit and affects the quality of the oil. Species that attack the roots or trunk, causing a loss of plant vigor and facilitating the entry of pathogens, will also be discussed.
  • Thysanoptera:
    The biology of thrips, such as Frankliniella occidentalis (western thrips), which affect the leaves and young shoots of olive trees, will be explored in depth. Their impact on the crop will be assessed both through direct damage and their role in virus transmission.
  • Mites:
    Mites, such as Tetranychus urticae (red spider mites), which are key pests in olive groves, disrupting photosynthesis and weakening plants, will be studied. Infestation conditions, mite spread, and integrated management strategies for effective control will be detailed.
• Biological Control of Olive Pests:
  This section will address the application of biological control strategies in olive groves, focusing on the use of natural organisms to regulate pest populations. Interactions between predators, parasitoids, and insect pathogens, such as Tachinaephagus (a parasite of the olive fruit fly) and entomopathogenic nematodes, will be studied. The conditions necessary to promote these biological control agents, both within the crop and in the surrounding ecosystem, will be analyzed.
• Olive Pathogens:
  This section will focus on pathogens affecting olive trees, including fungi, bacteria, and viruses. Diseases such as Verticillium dahliae (verticillium wilt), Pseudomonas savastanoi (olive bacterium), and olive tristeza virus will be analyzed. Their infection mechanisms, symptoms, transmission routes, and economic consequences for olive and olive oil production will be studied.
• Biological Control of Olive Pathogens:
  The biological control of olive diseases will be explored in depth, exploring the use of microorganisms such as entomopathogenic fungi and antagonistic bacteria that can inhibit pathogen growth. In addition, preventive and therapeutic practices based on organic agriculture will be examined, such as the application of beneficial microorganisms (e.g., Trichoderma spp. ) and the use of natural extracts to reduce the incidence of fungal and bacterial diseases.

Goals

• This course aims to provide in-depth knowledge of the main pests and pathogens affecting olive trees, allowing participants to acquire a detailed understanding of the biological cycles of these species. The approach will be technical and comprehensive, with the goal of enabling students to recognize the characteristic signs of infestation in plants and assess their impact on olive production.
• One of the primary objectives is to train participants to identify the symptoms produced by pests and pathogens in different parts of the plant, such as leaves, shoots, fruits, and roots. This process includes studying the visible signs of damage caused by insects, mites, fungi, bacteria, and viruses, which will allow for early and accurate diagnosis, key to adopting effective management measures.