Trials with essential oils to reduce the damage from sea buckthorn fruit fly and some fruit diseases on sea buckthorn organic plantations

In Poland, the land area of sea buckthorn plantations, particularly organic ones, is growing steadily also due to its great health-promoting qualities.
However, the threat from pests and diseases also increases.
The major pest is the fruit fly Rhagoletis batava, which larvae affect the fruit, making it difficult to control them.
Among the fungal pathogens that can occur on sea buckthorn can be listed the soil-borne fungi Verticillium spp. and Fusarium sp. and various types of fruit rot decay, caused by Pythium sp., Alternaria sp., and Botrytis sp.
However, there are no specific plant protection products allowed in organic farming registered for these pests.
Trials were thus designed to determine the suitability of four essential oils (clove, cinnamon, coconut and oregano) for reducing populations of R. batava (field tests) and pathogenic fungi (laboratory tests). The results showed that some oils could be suitable to reduce the damage and colonization by fungi, while there was a very low efficacy to reduce the damage by the fruit fly.

IV International Organic Fruit Symposium and II International Organic Vegetable Symposium

M. Tartanus, M. Michalecka, A. Poniatowska, M. Kałużna, E. Malusà

essential oils, Rhagoletis batava, Hippophea rhamnoides

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2025.1427.9