Relationship between efficacy of mating disruption and gypsy moth density

Mating disruption tactics involve the deployment of pheromones to interfere with mate finding behaviors in insect populations. This management strategy is the dominant one used against expanding gypsy moth populations in the United States, and historically it has been assumed to be most effective against low-density populations. Operationally, mating disruption is used in areas where the season-long trap catch is <30 males/trap, however the maximum population density at which mating disruption is effective remains unknown. We analysed historical gypsy moth mating disruption treatment data from 2000 to 2010, and used this information to guide the mating disruption field studies conducted from 2012 to 2015 against artificially-created populations of various densities, from 0 to 116 males/trap/day. We observed that mating disruption tactics at a dose of 15 g AI/ha were effective against gypsy moth populations with a season-long trap catch of at least 115 males/trap. This research highlights the utility of mating disruption in higher gypsy moth densities than what is currently recommended in management programs.     

Control of the European grapevine moth<Emphasis Type="Italic">Lobesia botrana</Emphasis> in Greece by the mating disruption technique: A three-year survey

During 1996–1998 mating disruption trials were conducted on all three generations of the grapevine mothLobesia botrana Den. et Schiff. (Lep., Tortricidae) in a 25-ha vineyard situated at Spata, Attiki, Greece. Shortly before the beginning of the first flight period ampoule-type pheromone dispensers were set up lining a 6.5-ha rectangular plot. Around the dispenser zone a protection belt was created whereBacillus thuringiensis (Bt) and selective insecticides were applied against the second and third generation larvae. The protection belt was 35 m wide and covered 3.5 ha. The rest of the vineyard was divided into the reference plot — where conventional insecticide treatments were implemented to control both carpophagous pest generations, and the untreated control plot — which measured 1 ha. Male catches within the dispenser zone were virtually zero. Nevertheless, no difference was apparent between the percentage of mated females from within and outside of the dispenser zone. Attractant was released from the dispensers throughout the season at a rather constant rate, but by the middle of the third flight period dispensers were found to be almost empty. During the 3 years of the survey pest pressure was often at exceptionally high levels. The effectiveness of the mating disruption technique (MDT) was found to vary with year and pest generation. MDT was used against the first (anthophagous) generation with rather poor results. In the following carpophagous generations results were comparable to control measures with insecticides used and sometimes slightly better. The density of the pest population in the pheromone-treated vineyard as compared with the untreated control, was reduced on average by 67% in the second and by 57% in the third generation. MDT therefore did not accomplish sufficient crop protection. http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting Dec. 19, 2003.     

二化螟性诱剂迷向防治作用的研究

1997～ 1999年 ,在安徽省广德县应用性诱剂对越冬代二化螟进行了较大面积的迷向防治试验。结果表明 ,田间放置诱芯150～750个/hm²的迷向率为71.1%～80.7% ;每公顷放置诱芯750、300～375、120～150个和 30个的迷向区卵量比对照区分别下降79.4%～86.1%、72.9%～84.7%、58.3%～65.1%和58.9% ;每公顷放置60个诱芯的大面积迷向示范区中稻秧田和早稻大田卵块量分别比对照下降 82.4%和73.2% ,早稻大田枯鞘丛率比对照下降70.4%。应用性诱剂迷向防治二化螟 ,方法简便 ,成本低 ,无公害 ,可望成为目前单季稻区6月底前不用或少用农药且能控制第一代二化螟危害的有效方法     

信息素迷向法规模化防治梨小食心虫

梨小食心虫是梨树和桃树上一种重要的蛀食性害虫,为了推动果园害虫的无公害防治,2010年在山东省莱阳市的桃园和梨园应用信息素散发器对梨小食心虫进行了迷向防治研究。在应用信息素散发器的桃园与梨园中,梨小食心虫发生数量明显低于对照园,使用密度增加,梨小食心虫的发生数量降低,迷向率增加。每公顷施用信息素散发器450、900、1350根的桃园,对梨小食心虫的迷向率分别为67.80%、80.14%、89.29%,而梨园中对梨小食心虫的迷向率分别为84.17%、93.41%、98.17%。桃园与梨园施用信息素散发器后,梨小食心虫的蛀果率明显低于对照园,桃园与梨园对梨小食心虫的防治效果分别在40.34%～73.57%和54.24%～92.38%之间。研究表明,梨园中信息素散发器对梨小食心虫的防治效果高于桃园。     

Evaluating sex-pheromone- and kairomone-based lures for attracting codling moth adults in mating disruption versus conventionally managed apple orchards in Pennsylvania

BACKGROUND: Effectiveness of different types of commercial sex‐pheromone‐ and kairomone‐based lures for attracting codling moth adults may vary under different pest management practices. The attractiveness of four types of codling moth (CM) lures (CM L2 Long‐Life^®, CM 10X Megalure^®, Pherocon CM DA^® and Pherocon CM‐DA Combo^®) was evaluated in commercial apple orchards either treated with sex pheromone mating disruption (MD) or only conventional insecticides (non‐MD) in Adams County, Pennsylvania, in 2006 and 2007. RESULTS: CM DA Combo lure was most effective in terms of mean seasonal weekly moth capture as well as mean cumulative moth capture in MD orchards. In both years, the CM L2 lure was as attractive to adult moths as the CM DA Combo lure in non‐MD orchards. The CM DA and CM 10X lures caught significantly fewer moths in both MD and non‐MD orchards compared with the CM DA Combo lure. CONCLUSIONS: ON the basis of mean seasonal weekly moth capture as well as mean cumulative moth capture, the CM DA Combo and CM L2 lures were found to be significantly more effective for monitoring CM adults in both MD and non‐MD orchards. In contrast, the CM DA and CM 10X lures were not as effective in either type of orchard. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry     

Mobile mating disruption of light-brown apple moths using pheromone-treated sterile Mediterranean fruit flies

BACKGROUND: Public opposition to aerial application of sex pheromone for mating disruption of light‐brown apple moth (LBAM), Epiphyas postvittana (Walk.), in California stopped its further use in the ca $ 74 million eradication programme in 2008, underscoring the need for other eradication tactics. It is demonstrated that pheromone‐treated sterile Mediterranean fruit flies (medflies), Ceratitis capitata Wied., can disrupt communication in male moths. RESULTS: Medflies topically dosed with moth pheromone (E)‐11‐tetradecenyl acetate showed a no observed effect level (NOEL) of ～10 µg fly^?1, with increasing toxicity from 30 to 100 µg fly^?1. Greater potency and longevity of attraction and lower mortality were achieved using microencapsulated pheromone. Releases of 1000 pheromone‐treated medflies ha^?1 prevented male moth catch to synthetic lures in treated 4 ha plots for 1 day in suburban Perth, Australia. Releases of ca 3000 pheromone‐treated medflies ha^?1 disrupted catch to single female moths in delta traps, and to synthetic pheromone lures. Percentage disruption on the first four nights was 95, 91, 82 and 85%. CONCLUSIONS: Disruption of moth catch using pheromone‐treated medflies is a novel development that, with future improvement, might provide a socially acceptable approach for application of the insect mating disruption technique to control invasive insects in urban environments. Adequacy of payload and other issues require resolution. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry     

昆虫性信息素及其类似物干扰昆虫行为的机理和应用研究进展

昆虫性信息素及其类似物在有害生物综合治理中起到了越来越重要的作用,如可以对目标昆虫进行监测、诱捕和迷向等。干扰昆虫行为是一种环境友好型的植物保护策略,近年来已在害虫防治领域广泛使用。干扰昆虫行为的机理一直是科学家研究的主要方向,明确其机理能使之得到更有效合理的应用。本文主要对昆虫性信息素及其类似物干扰昆虫行为的机理,以及缓释材料、施用剂量及密度、与其他挥发性物质在田间混合应用等方面的研究进展进行简要综述。     

Studies on the development of a mating disruption system to control the tomato leafminer, Tuta absoluta Povolny (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae)

BACKGROUND: The tomato leafminer (Tuta absoluta Povolny) has rapidly colonised the whole Mediterranean and South‐Atlantic coasts of Spain, and it has become a key problem in both outdoor and greenhouse crops. New control methods compatible with biological control are required, and mating disruption appears to be a perfect method in current agriculture, as it is an environmentally friendly and residue‐free technique. IPM packages tested have included the use of pheromones to detect populations, but there has not been much previous research on mating disruption of T. absoluta. In this work, pheromone doses varying from 10 to 40 g ha^?1, emitted at a constant rate over 4 months, were tested in greenhouses with different levels of containment in order to evaluate the efficacy of mating disruption on T. absoluta. RESULTS: Trials on containment level revealed that the flight of T. absoluta was satisfactorily disrupted with an initial pheromone dose of 30 g ha^?1, and levels of damage did not significantly differ from those in reference plots with insecticide treatments. Later efficacy trials confirmed previous experiences, and release studies showed that control of damage and flight disruption were taking place when releasing at least 85 mg pheromone per ha per day. CONCLUSION: Effective control using pheromone application against T. absoluta can be achieved, in greenhouses with high containment levels, for 4 months, with initial doses of 30 g ha^?1. Further research must be conducted in order to evaluate the prospect of outdoor application of mating disruption systems. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry     

迷向防治技术对苹果蠹蛾的田间防治效果

选取甘肃省12个苹果蠹蛾发生县区,研究了迷向防治技术对苹果蠹蛾的防治效果。结果表明:在种群密度较低(平均蛀果率在1%以下)的果园(连片面积17hm~2),采用迷向防治技术,即在诱捕到第1头苹果蠹蛾成虫(4月末5月初)后进行第1次悬挂迷向条(120~150根/hm~2),7月中旬进行第2次补充悬挂,可有效控制苹果蠹蛾为害,成虫诱蛾量和蛀果率分别较对照下降90.8%和92.6%,成虫无明显的诱集高峰;采用迷向防治的果园,增加化学防治次数,对防治效果影响不显著(P0.05)。本研究证实苹果蠹蛾迷向防治技术有较好的防治效果,虽然防治成本相对较高,但减少了环境污染,是未来值得推广的绿色防控技术措施。     

Reduction in an almond moth Ephestia cautella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) population by means of mating disruption

Pheromone-based mating disruption of the almond moth (Ephestia cautella) (Walk.) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) was carried out in a chocolate factory in Sweden. Population monitoring was conducted with pheromone-baited traps and water traps. Pheromone traps showed a 94% catch reduction, and monitoring with water traps showed a significant decrease in total catch (5.0 and 1.6 individuals per trap per week before and during treatment respectively). The significance of the results was tested by fitting the observed data to a first-order autoregressive model. This made it possible to test the data with a 95% confidence interval, comparing trap catches before mating disruption treatment with trapping data during the experiment. It is suggested that this statistical approach may be used more frequently in mating disruption experiments where it is extremely difficult to control external factors and therefore equally difficult to use a comparable control plot to evaluate the treatment.     

Control of the codling moth (cydia pomonella) in apple and pear orchards in Israel by mating disruption

Control of the codling moth,Cydia pomonella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), by pheromone-mediated mating disruption, was studied in Israel using two types of dispensers: Shin-Etsu twist-tie (normal and long-life) and TNO matrix formulation (square wafers). Factors affecting mating disruption: initial pest population density, timing of the pheromone application, early season insecticide treatments and monitoring of the pest, were evaluated. Efficacy of mating disruption was assessed by comparing catch of males in pheromone traps located in pheromone-treated and chemically sprayed control plots. Fruit infestation during the season and at picking time was the major criterion to assess mating disruption. The preferred time for pheromone application was before the first flight of the moth. When pheromones were applied at a later stage, one or two early insecticide sprays had to be used to reduce the initial level of the codling moth population. In all tests, trap catch in pheromone-treated plots was drastically reduced as compared with respective control plots. In pheromone-treated plots where total seasonal trap catch (after pheromone application) was less than 12 males/trap, fruit infestation was less than 1.5%; zero trap catch resulted in 0.1-0.3% infestation. At high population levels, mating disruption was ineffective, with the rate of infestation at picking-time being similar in pheromone-treated and control plots. All the field tests indicated that mating disruption with either Shin-Etsu ropes or TNO squares can control codling moth infestations in apple and pear orchards, at relatively low densities of the pest, as efficiently as commercial insecticide sprays.     

Mating disruption of California red scale,Aonidiella aurantii Maskell (Homoptera: Diaspididae), using biodegradable mesoporous pheromone dispensers

BACKGROUND: The control of California red scale, Aonidiella aurantii (Maskell), has encountered many difficulties, which has raised interest in alternative control methods. Up to now, the A. aurantii sex pheromone has been used only for monitoring. In a previous work the authors described a biodegradable mesoporous pheromone dispenser for mating disruption. To verify the efficacy of these dispensers, three field trials were conducted, and the results are shown in this paper. RESULTS: The study of the release profile of these dispensers revealed a mean pheromone emission value of 269 µg day^?1 and levels of residual pheromone of 10% at the end of 250 days. During the second flight, an A. aurantii male catch reduction of 98% was achieved in the mating disruption plot of trial 1, 93.5% in trial 2 and 76.7% in trial 3. During the third flight, reductions were 94.1, 82.9 and 68.1% in trials 1, 2 and 3 respectively. Considering damaged fruit with more than five scales, reductions of about 80 and 60% were obtained in the mating disruption plots of trials 2 and 3, respectively, compared with an untreated plot, and a reduction of about 70% in trial 1 compared with an oil‐treated plot. CONCLUSION: Mating disruption has been found to be an efficient technique to control this pest, working equally well to a correctly sprayed oil treatment. Further studies are needed to improve the determination of the time of dispenser application and evaluate the effects of the pheromone on natural enemies. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry     

高剂量性信息素环境对草地贪夜蛾求偶和交配行为的影响

本文在风洞中模拟形成高浓度性信息素Z7-12:Ac、Z9-14:Ac和 Z11-16:Ac 环境,研究草地贪夜蛾Spodoptera frugiperda (Smith)的求偶和交配行为,为进一步开发交配干扰技术提供技术参数和依据。研究结果表明,在高剂量性信息素环境下,草地贪夜蛾雄蛾的暗期活动时间延后,而雌蛾的活动节律则没有变化,雌雄蛾之间产生了活动节律的时间差。同时,雌雄交配率和交配持续时间显著下降,交配日龄则显著延迟2 d。由于交配日龄延迟,产卵量及其孵化率也相应降低。性信息素喷射时间间隔对草地贪夜蛾性信息素释放滴度有显著影响,当间隔时间为5、10、20 min时,雌蛾释放的性信息素滴度显著下降,以5 min为最低。因此,高剂量性信息素环境不仅影响雄蛾对性信息素的定向,对雌雄蛾间化学通讯和交配也有显著影响。     

性诱剂迷向法防治高山甘蓝田小菜蛾研究

以性诱剂迷向法对湖北高山区蔬菜害虫小菜蛾的防治效果进行了研究。结果表明:2年试验中在迷向田中性诱剂对小菜蛾诱捕量低于常规田;应用性诱剂迷向法可以降低小菜蛾的虫口密度,第1年甘蓝迷向田可以不施用农药或只施用1次,比常规田施药少2～3次,次年甘蓝迷向田施药2次,比常规田施药少4次。     

Effects of reservoir dispenser height on efficacy of mating disruption of codling moth (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) in apple

BACKGROUND: The effect of varying the height of reservoir dispensers for mating disruption of codling moth, Cydia pomonella (L.), was investigated. The goal was to improve the effectiveness of C. pomonella mating disruption through improved understanding of adult distribution within the tree canopy and the impact of pheromone dispenser placement on disruption. Two dispensers per tree were placed at 2 m and 4 m and/or one dispenser at each height on the tree at a label rate of 1000 units ha^?1. Monitoring traps and tethered female moths were deployed in plots at 2 and 4 m heights to assess treatment effects by catches or matings respectively. RESULTS: Fewest male moths were captured with all dispensers placed at 4 m. Female mating was lowest, and with least variation between females tethered at 2 and 4 m, when dispensers were placed simultaneously at 2 and 4 m (28% mated). Mating was 32% with both dispensers at 4 m, 38% with both dispensers at 2 m and 46% in the no disruption control. Mating was highest across treatments when females were tethered at 2 m and dispensers placed at 4 m (40%), and when females were tethered at 4 m with dispensers placed at 2 m (46%). CONCLUSION: Traps at 4 m in trees captured more male moths than traps at 2 m, regardless of disruption dispenser positioning. Female mating was lowest when dispensers were placed simultaneously at 2 and 4 m, suggesting that current recommendations for placement of reservoir dispensers in tree crowns may be suboptimal. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry     

Effects of application rate and interval on the efficacy of sprayable pheromone for mating disruption of the oriental fruit mothGrapholita molesta

The efficacy of microencapsulated sprayable pheromone was evaluated at different application rates and intervals for mating disruption of the oriental fruit moth,Grapholita molesta (Busck), in apple orchards during 2002. The following treatments were arranged in a randomized complete block design with three replications: (i) a low rate of pheromone (6.2 g a.i. ha⁻¹) applied at 14-day intervals, (ii) a medium rate of pheromone (12.4 g a.i. ha⁻¹) applied at 28-day intervals, (iii) a high rate of pheromone (24.7 g a.i. ha⁻¹) applied at 28- day intervals, and (iv) a non-pheromone control (insecticides only). The combination of a single insecticide application against first generationG. molesta at petal fall with one pheromone application each for the second, third and fourth generations at 12.4–24.7 g a.i. ha⁻¹ successfully controlled low populations. Pheromone-treated blocks. had significantly lower trap catches than those in the insecticide-treated control blocks. Among pheromone treatments, significantly more moths were caught in the 6.2 g compared with the 12.4 and 24.7 g rates. Fruit damage was <1% at harvest and there were no significant differences among treatments. Low rate frequent applications of sprayable formulation appeared to be effective under low pest pressure but efficacy declined with increasing populations. Further studies are needed to demonstrate the effectiveness of this approach under higher pest pressure. http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting July 13, 2005.     

Field electroantennogram and trap assessments of aerosol pheromone dispensers for disrupting mating in Epiphyas postvittana

An electronically controlled aerosol system for mating disruption was evaluated against Epiphyas postvittana Walker in apple orchards in New Zealand. The area in which male moths were affected by the aerosol system was examined using catches in traps radiating from a central single-point source of either one aerosol can dispenser or 100 polyethylene tubing dispensers, compared with catches in orchard plots without pheromone dispensers. Both pheromone dispensing systems decreased moth catch to similar levels at 5-10 m from the central release point, but there was 5.5-fold more pheromone released from aerosol cans than from polyethylene dispensers over a 24 h period. Trap catches were reduced by about 90% in plots treated with either five aerosol cans per hectare or uniform deployment of polyethylene dispensers. Recordings of electroantennograms in open grassed plots and orchards indicated that the treated cotton pad of an aerosol dispenser and a point source of 100 polyethylene tubing dispensers produced similar electroantennogram recordings. Electroantennogram recordings provided evidence that pheromone plume detection from a single-point source was maintained over a range of 5-40 m downwind in the orchard. On present evidence, aerosol pheromone dispensers could not be recommended for further testing towards control of E. postvittana under New Zealand conditions owing to their higher cost of purchase and operation.