Biocontrol of moth pests in apple orchards: Preliminary field study of application potential for mass trapping

Abstract

Many moth pheromones and synthetic attractants have been used to monitor or decrease pest populations. However, due to their low economic efficiencies and narrow target specificities these methods are of limited use for trapping pests in large agricultural fields. In an effort to address this problem, we selected oak (Quercus serrata) sawdust media fermented by the yeast strain Pichia anomala, and examined its ability to attract lepidopteran moth pests for mass trapping in an apple (Malus domestica) orchard. A total of 57 taxa were trapped, including 42 species of lepidopteran pests. The most frequently caught lepidopteran pests included Adoxophyes orana (40.0 ± 3.5 individuals/trap/week), Oraesia excavata (35.5 ± 2.5), and Adris tyrannus amurensis (35.5 ± 2.5). Notably, less fruit damage was recorded in the experimental orchard versus a trap-free neighboring control orchard. These results suggest that adult moths might be effectively attracted and mass captured using P. anomala-fermented oak sawdust media as bait.