Mating disruption with low density diffusers for the management of oriental fruit moths (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) in apple orchards under subtropical climate in southern Brazil

Lino Bittencourt Monteiro,Jeferson Argenton,Alexander Souza

doi:10.1590/s0100-29452013000400011

Lino Bittencourt Monteiro, Jeferson Argenton + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1590/s0100-29452013000400011

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Abstract

The oriental fruit moth, Grapholita molesta Busck, and fruit flies, Anastrepha fraterculus L., are the important apple pests under Subtropical climate in Southern Brazil, and control is normally accomplished with insecticides. An alternative strategy for the control of G. molesta is mating disruption, through the use of pheromones. Mating disruption strategies using a low density of dispensers (20) per hectare were tested in comparison with conventional pesticides for control of G. molesta in commercial Gala apple orchards in Fraiburgo, SC, for a period of five years. The average field efficiency period of mating disruption formulation over five years was 113 days. In this period the mating interruption index on mating disruption plots was 84.8% over five years. Damage to Gala apples by oriental moth larvae was low (<0.1%) in mating disruption plots but did not differ from conventional plots, except in the third year. The use of mating disruption allowed for an average reduction of 5.2 insecticide treatments per year in Gala orchards during field efficiency period. It was necessary to apply 1.0 and 1.2 applications of insecticide to control of G. molesta and A. fraterculus, respectively. Mating disruption with a low density of diffusers proved to be an effective alternative to conventional methods for control of G. molesta in Gala apple orchards in subtropical climate in southern Brazil.

Highlights

Oriental fruit moth, Grapholita molesta (Busck) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) is a major pest of stone and pome fruits in Southern Brazil (HICKEL et al 2003a), since the first occurrence as economic pest on apple was in the 1988 (LORENZATO 1988)
The frequent use of insecticides in apple orchards may result in the selection of resistant populations, as evidenced by the inefficient control of Lepidoptera that has been frequently observed in Southern Brazil (SIEGWART et al 2011) and other locales (KANGA et al 2001)
Each orchard was randomly subdivided into two blocks, and one block was treated with Biolita®, mating disruption formulation (Chem Tica International, San Jose, Costa Rica) and the other block of apple trees managed using no pheromone control separated by 50-70 m

Summary

Introduction

Grapholita molesta (Busck) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) is a major pest of stone and pome fruits in Southern Brazil (HICKEL et al 2003a), since the first occurrence as economic pest on apple was in the 1988 (LORENZATO 1988). The frequent use of insecticides in apple orchards may result in the selection of resistant populations, as evidenced by the inefficient control of Lepidoptera that has been frequently observed in Southern Brazil (SIEGWART et al 2011) and other locales (KANGA et al 2001). Some active substances, such as clorpyrifos, phosmet, fenitrothion and methidathion have not shown promising results with regard to the efficiency of pest control which targets using chemical insecticides (L.B.M., unpublished data)

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