Mite and insect disinfestation of lychee fruit using high pressure water sprays (LY18000)

What was it all about?

Earlier levy-funded project Treatment for mites on lychee fruit after irradiation for improved market access (LY16002) looked at using oil treatments, and water sprays in combination with oil treatments, for removing mite and other insect pests on lychee fruit. This is of particular importance for quarantine export markets (and especially those where irradiation protocols are used), where fruit needs to be free of surface pests including mites.

This subsequent work looked at optimising the efficacy of high-pressure water application to remove surface pests prior to packing, irradiation and export. This approach has the potential to allow higher throughput on the packing line.

This project demonstrated the efficacy of high-pressure sprays as a disinfestation tool for lychee surface pests through a number of trials. Grower confidence in the results following trials in 2018/19 saw two additional growers install high-pressure wash systems for the 2019/20 season, with industry interest in this method continuing to grow.