ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT OF HAZELNUT PESTS

Insect and mite pests cause serious damage to the hazelnut crop worldw ide. The control strategies used against these pests include applicati on of insecticides, classical and augmentative biological control, uti lization of resistant varieties, and use of Bacillus thuringiensis-bas ed preparations. In the United States, extensive research has been dir ected toward elucidating ecological interactions among different pests and natural enemies and understanding the role of abiotic factors in pest population dynamics. Differences exist worldwide regarding the un derstanding of pests and natural enemy biologies and, to a limited ext ent, control practices. An integrated pest management approach based o n utilizing effective sampling and monitoring techniques and a near co mplete reliance on biological control and ''soft'' pesticides, includi ng insect growth regulators, is currently under development both in No rth America and Europe/Turkey. Hazelnuts are on the verge of becoming one of the first crops in the United States that could possibly be pro duced commercially without the use of any broad-spectrum organic insec ticides.