The effectiveness of fruit trap as a trap to oil palm leaf-eating caterpillars (OPLEC) in Dharmasraya district, Indonesia

Abstract

A fruit trap is a trap that uses fruit as an attractant to attract pests. The main target of this research was the imago of the oil palm leaf-eating caterpillar (OPLEC). The objectives of this study were to know the type and dominance of OPLEC, compare ability levels, and obtain the number of fruit traps that were effective in trapping OPLEC. This research was conducted at P.T. Sumber Andalas Kencana, Dharmasraya District. This research was a field experiment arranged in a randomized block design (RBD). The obtained data were analyzed by analysis of variance at a 5% level, then continued by Duncan’s Multiple Range Test (DMRT) at a 5% level. The results showed that there were five species of OPLEC, namely Setothesea asigna, Amathusia phidippus, Setora nitens, Darna trima, and Mahasena corbetti, which were trapped. The best treatment in this research was five fruit traps, with the % of OPLEC trapped at 29,55%, and the average ability to trap OPLEC was 59 individuals. The fruit trap used as an OPLEC trap had a significant effect. The number of fruit traps dramatically affects the number of OPLEC trapped. The fewer traps used, the lower the number of OPLEC imago trapped.