Control of Codling Moth in Bulgaria with a Combination of Isomate C Plus Dispensers and the Baculovirus Product Madex®

Abstract

In the years 2007-2009, trials on control of codling moth (CM), Cydia pomonella (L.), were carried out in apple orchards of South-East Bulgaria, where the pressure of the pest was very high. Mating disruption with Isomate C plus dispensers was applied in combination with sprays of the virus product Madex ® . With a single installation of Isomate C plus dispensers per season + 4 treat- ments of Madex ® at 100 ml per ha against the first and 6 treatments against the second generation, fruit damage at harvest and popula- tion density of codling moth were kept at a low level. At the same time fruit damage and population density of the pest, as estimated by the hibernating CM larvae population, was very high in the conventionally treated orchard serving as a reference. Using Isomate C plus dispensers and the baculovirus product Madex ® may be a promising alternative to traditional programmes trying to control high initial infestation of codling moth. For Bulgaria, the combined tested strategies of mating disruption and virus control are suggested for control of codling moth in the orchards with CM population density of more than 3 larvae per tree or more than 5% fruit damage in the previous year.