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Factors influencing the effectiveness of an attracticide formulation against the Oriental fruit moth, Grapholita molesta
Author(s) -
Evenden Maya L.,
McLaughlin John R.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
entomologia experimentalis et applicata
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.765
H-Index - 83
eISSN - 1570-7458
pISSN - 0013-8703
DOI - 10.1111/j.0013-8703.2004.00181.x
Subject(s) - tortricidae , biology , mating disruption , lepidoptera genitalia , horticulture , canopy , population , sex pheromone , mating , pheromone trap , pest analysis , population density , malus , toxicology , botany , ecology , demography , sociology
An attracticide formulation, LastCall™OFM, was tested against the Oriental fruit moth Grapholita molesta (Busck) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) in replicated small plot field trials in apple, Malus domestica (Borkhausen), orchards in South‐eastern Pennsylvania, USA. Attracticide treatments were applied using a calibrated hand pump, and treated plots were compared to similar untreated plots. Male moth activity was monitored using virgin female‐baited traps, and the potential for reduction in mating activity was assessed using sentinel virgin females. A comparison of application rates showed that 1500 droplets per ha of the attracticide formulation was as effective as 3000 droplets per ha, and both application rates reduced captures in synthetic pheromone‐baited traps for prolonged periods. Droplets placed either at high or low positions within the canopy significantly reduced trap capture and mating with sentinel females. In addition, the only sentinel females that mated in the treated plots were located in the untreated portion of the tree canopy. Mate finding behaviour was equally disrupted by formulations with and without insecticide. Therefore, under the test conditions, the mechanism by which the attracticide formulation worked was by disruption of male orientation, and not by the removal of males due to insecticide poisoning. Two field cage experiments tested the impact of population density on the competitiveness of the attracticide formulation compared to virgin females. A significant proportion of males were captured in female‐baited traps at the highest female‐to‐droplet ratio tested. Equal proportions of males were captured in attracticide‐baited traps at male moth densities of 10, 20, 40, and 80 males per cage. These results clarify some of the factors influencing the effectiveness and possible mechanisms of an attracticide management tactic against the Oriental fruit moth.