Effectiveness of the Sex Pheromone for Monitoring Stenoma catenifer (Lepidoptera: Elachistidae) in Avocado Orchards.

Abstract

The sex pheromone of the avocado moth Stenoma catenifer Walsingham has potential use in the detection of S. catenifer males in the Antillean race avocado in Chiapas, Mexico, although the study of local parameters that influence its effectiveness is required. In this study, trap type, trap height, pheromone release rate and duration of pheromone activity were evaluated to determine the effectiveness of this pheromone in field conditions in the Antillean race avocado crops of the coast of Chiapas, Mexico. The results obtained indicate that the capture of moths with the traps Pherocon III (delta type) and Pherocon 1C (wing type) was higher than that with the boat-type traps. The frequency of capture of S. catenifer males was higher when the traps were placed 4 and 6m above ground level than that when they were 2m high. The septum releases 85% of the amount of pheromone during the first 4weeks, and there were no differences between the number of moth captures during the first 3weeks, only between the fourth and the first 2weeks. Our results suggest that the efficiency of the pheromone in Antillean race avocado depends on trap placement height and type as well as on the time of use of the pheromone septum.