Mating Disruption Technique Research Articles

PP 1/334 (1) Evaluation of mating disruption techniques against Lepidopteran pests in vegetable and ornamental crops under protected conditions

<scp>PP</scp> 1/334 (1) Evaluation of mating disruption techniques against <i>Lepidopteran</i> pests in vegetable and ornamental crops under protected conditions

Mating and post-copulation behavior in the tea leafhopper, Empoasca onukii (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae).

The tea leafhopper, Empoasca onukii, relies on substrate-borne vibrations for sexual communication and is mainly controlled with chemical pesticides, which poses risks to the environment and food safety. Based on previous studies, we conducted a series of behavioral assays by simultaneous observation of vibration signals and movement to investigate the mating and post-copulation behavior of tea leafhoppers. During mating, the activity of E. onukii was restricted to dawn and dusk and concentrated on the sixth or seventh mature leaf below the tea bud. By comparing the time spent in locating females among different males, the timely reply of females was the key factor affecting mating success. Empoasca onukii females mated only once in their lives, while males could mate multiple times. Male rivalry behavior involved two distinct strategies. The rivals could send disruptive pulses to overlap the male calling signals, locate the courting males, and drive them away after contact. Some rivals could emit mating disruption signals (MDSs) to interrupt the ongoing identification duet and establish their own mating communication. Both identification and location duets could be interrupted by playback of MDSs, which is essential to create effective synthetic signals to disrupt mating communication of E. onukii. Our study clarified the spatial and temporal distribution of E. onukii in mating and the function of MDSs, which will be essential to develop future vibrational mating disruption techniques for E. onukii and its energy-efficient application in the field.

Pheromone-mediated mating disruption of the European grain moth Nemapogon granellus in ham factories

Nemapogon granellus is a lepidopteran species that can cause significant damage to stored animal products such as meats, sausages and cheeses. In the warehouses where such products are stored, pheromone-based control approaches can avoid or reduce insecticide chemical treatments and be more effective than traditional control methods. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of mating disruption (MD) techniques to control N. granellus populations in ham factories. Trials were conducted in two factories located in Northern Italy. In both locations two warehouses were selected: a warehouse test where dispensers, loaded with 10 mg of N. granellus pheromone, were deployed at a density ranging from 1 unit/22.5 m3 (factory A) to 1 unit/25 m3 (factory B), and a control warehouse left untreated. To assess the mating disruption efficacy, the reduction of the number of mated females in water traps, placed in control and treated warehouses, was used as main parameter. The results indicated a substantial reduction in mated females in the treated warehouses in comparison with control warehouses in both the sites of experiments. In detail, the total number of mated females sampled in water traps was above 90% in control warehouses, in warehouses treated with MD technique this percentage was below 50%. In addition, a “trap shutdown” effect was recorded in MD treated warehouses of both factories. These findings suggest that mating disruption is a promising technique that can be positively applied in the integrated pest management of N. granellus in ham factories.

Mating still disrupted: Future elevated CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; concentrations are likely to not interfere with &lt;i&gt;Lobesia botrana&lt;/i&gt; and &lt;i&gt;Eupoecilia ambiguella&lt;/i&gt; mating disruption in vineyards in the near future

The successful, area-wide application of the mating disruption (MD) technique, an insect sex pheromone-based biotechnological pest control method, against the European grapevine moth Lobesia botrana and the European grape berry moth Eupoecilia ambiguella, has led to drastic reductions in insecticide application in vineyards. However, since insect pheromone perception and emission can be affected by abiotic conditions, the future success of MD may be affected by climate change. At the same time, politics and society are calling for drastic and sustainable reductions in pesticide application, making highly specific, efficient, and environmentally friendly pest control techniques like MD more important than ever. To anticipate whether climate change factors will interfere with the MD of L. botrana and E. ambiguella in vineyards, we conducted field experiments in the Geisenheim VineyardFACE (Free-Air Carbon dioxide Enrichment) facility. The insects were raised at ambient or elevated temperatures in the lab and male moths were released in cages installed in the VineyardFACE facility. Trap recapture rates obtained by pheromone lures or female moths under elevated or ambient CO2 in areas with and without MD were evaluated. Our results did not indicate a reduced efficacy ofL. botrana or E. ambiguella MD at elevated CO2 concentrations, irrespective of the temperature the moths were raised under. From a practical point of view—and especially from an ecological one—our results are good news. They indicate that MD will not be negatively affected by future elevated CO2 concentrations.

Diapause in &lt;i&gt;Chilo partellus&lt;/i&gt;: A Research Journey

Spotted stem borer, Chilo partellus (Swinhoe) is one of the most widely distributed pests of coarse cereals, causing 18 to 25% yield losses in Asia and Africa. The larvae of C. partellus pass through hibernation under North Indian and aestivation under South Indian conditions. Although diapause helps C. partellus in adapting under unfavorable conditions, there is 17.2 to 28.3% and 7.0 to 33.7% population sacrifice during hibernation and aestivation, respectively. The population heterogeneity in C. partellus could be due to hibernation or aestivation, wherein the models, Ikemoto &amp; Takai (linear), and Lactin-1 and Lactin-2 (non-linear) are efficient for describing temperature dependent development and estimating the temperature thresholds of diapausing larvae. This helps in predicting the occurrence, seasonal emergence, number of generations and population dynamics of the pest. Diapause results in differential regulation of hormonal and biochemical profiles, impose deleterious effects on the post-diapause development, reproductive physiology and population growth of C. partellus. The diapause, developmental and morphometric traits in C. partellus are governed by overdominance gene effects which mainly depend on parental diapause history. Four different biotypes of C. partellus viz., Hisar, Hyderabad, Parbhani and Coimbatore exist in India, suggesting that sorghum and maize genotypes need to be tested against these four populations to identify stable sources of resistance. The whole genome sequencing will be useful for understanding mode of action of different insecticides, mechanisms of detoxification and designing target-specific insecticides to develop appropriate strategies to manage C. partellus for sustainable crop production. The temporal distribution of mating systems among adults of diapause, non-diapause and/or ecologically diverse populations, and their behavioral and physiological consequences under a given demographic framework could be rewarding, and aid in to devising appropriate mating disruption techniques to suppress C. partellus population.

Identification and Field Evaluation of Sex Pheromone Components and Its Antagonist Produced by a Major Tea Pest, Archips strojny (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae).

Pesticide application is the only known control method for the tea tortrix Archips strojny (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), which is a major pest of spring tea in China. To develop sex pheromone-based, environmentally safe control strategies, here we identified the sex pheromone components of this species. The male moths' antennae responded electrophysiologically to two compounds in female pheromone gland extracts. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis indicated that the two bioactive compounds were (Z)-11-tetradecenyl acetate (Z11-14:Ac) and (Z)-11-tetradecenyl alcohol (Z11-14:OH). Field trapping assays showed that lures baited with only the major component Z11-14:Ac were the most attractive to male moths, and the attractiveness decreased significantly when the lure was impregnated with increased relative ratios of the minor component Z11-14:OH. Our study demonstrated that Z11-14:Ac was the major attractant in the A. strojny sex pheromone, and the minor component Z11-14:OH seemed to serve as an antagonist. The results indicate that lures baited with 1 mg of Z11-14:Ac could be used as a monitoring or mass trapping tool for A. strojny management in Chinese tea plantations. Furthermore, Z11-14:Ac was identified as a common sex pheromone attractant of nine Archips species; these results lay the foundation for developing mating disruption techniques that target multiple leafroller pests.

Kahramanmaraş İlinde Elma İçkurdu Cydia pomonella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae)’ya Karşı Çiftleşmeyi Engelleme Tekniğinin Uygulanması

In this study, Isomate-C Plus pheromone dispensers were used in the application of the mating disruption method (ÇE) against codling moth Cydia pomonella (L.) (Lep.: Tortricidae) in 2018-2019. The study was carried out on ten decares of Braeburn, Red Gala, Red Fuji, Mondial Gala, Red Chief, Galaxy Gala, Golden Smith, and Golden B apple cultivars in Onikisubat district of Kahramanmaraş province. As the control area disruption technique (ÇE), Isomate-C Plus pheromone dispensers, between April and October, against Apple borer (KA), the 15 da Granny Smith, Golden, and Starking studies were carried out in Tekir, which is connected to the Onikisubat district of Kahramanmaraş province. In 2018, the total number of adult C. pomonella in the field of CE was 37, while the infestation rate was 9.07 %. Against the 1st and 2nd generations of C. pomonella, 2 times Bacillus thuringiensis ssp. kurstaki were used with mating disruption treatment. The release rate of Isomate-C Plus pheromone dispensers used in the EI field until the harvest was 12.34 %. In KA, the total number of adult C. pomonella was 1.136, while the infestation rate was 43.69%. Insecticide was applied six times against C. pomonella in KA by the producer. Likewise, in the CE field, the total number of adult C. pomonella was 18 in 2019, while the infestation rate was 8.38%. Against the 1st, 2nd and 3rd generations of C. pomonella 3 times Bacillus thuringiensis ssp. kurstaki were used with mating disruption treatment. The release rate of the Isomate-C Plus pheromone emitter used in the EI field until the end of the harvest was 10.95 %. In KA, the total number of adult C. pomonella was 1.256, while the infestation rate was 38.93%. Insecticide was applied six times against C. pomonella in KA by the producer. As a result of the study, the mating disruption technique can be used against C. pomonella on a large scale, unless a biological insecticide should support it as Bacillus thuringiensis ssp. kurstaki as infestation rate exceeds the economic threshold levels (5 %).

Mating Disruption of the Olive Moth Prays oleae (Bernard) in Olive Groves Using Aerosol Dispensers.

Simple SummaryAccording to official data, the world production of olive oil in the 2020–2021 period was about 3,197,000 tons; in the EU alone, the number of olive trees is over 737 million. The olive moth Prays oleae is one of the most damaging and devastating olive tree pests in the Mediterranean basin. Damage caused by this moth can reduce production by 50–60%, causing large losses in olive oil production. The use of an insect pheromone mating disruption strategy is a sustainable and environmentally friendly tool for Integrated Pest Management, reducing the use of chemical pesticides to control olive pests. In the present study, a mating disruption system based on aerosol dispensers was developed to control P. oleae moth populations. Overall, our results demonstrated at all experimental sites over 2 years that mating disruption using aerosols in the management of P. oleae registered a high suppression of male captures, as well as significantly reducing affected inflorescence and fruit infestation when compared to the untreated control.The olive moth (OM), Prays oleae (Bern.) (Lepidoptera: Yponomeutidae), is a major olive grove pest worldwide; however, until now, very few studies have investigated the effectiveness of mating disruption (MD) techniques against this pest. Experiments were carried out for two successive years (2019 and 2020) in three different olive groves in Andalucía (Southern Spain) to evaluate mating disruption’s efficacy in controlling the OM from the first to the third generation. The effectiveness of MD formulations against the three generations of OM was assessed by determining the percentage of infested olive fruits, the reduction of pheromone trap catches, and the number of affected inflorescences in both MD-treated and untreated control olive groves. The number of release points (one or two aerosol devices per ha) was also evaluated. In all years and trials, the mean number of males caught in traps placed in the MD-treated plots was significantly lower than untreated sites. Mating disruption registered a high suppression of male captures (>75%) in treated plots for two consecutive seasons. Concerning infested olive fruits, substantial reductions (about 80%) were observed in the MD plots of locations B and C, and a reduction of about 40% was detected in location A, compared to the control plot. Results showed that the installation of two aerosol devices/ha reduced fruit damage below 20% of infested olive fruits except for one site where a reduction of about 71% in the MD plot was recorded in 2019. Although few significant differences were associated with OM male catches and infested olive fruits between plots treated with one aerosol/ha and two aerosols/ha in most of the comparisons, significant differences in the number of olive inflorescences infested by P. oleae were found, suggesting a similar performance between the two tested aerosol densities. Results of two-year field trials in Andalucía demonstrated the potential of Mister P X841 aerosol devices as an effective tool for controlling the olive moth, P. oleae.

Vibrational playbacks and microscopy to study the signalling behaviour and female physiology of Philaenusspumarius

AbstractThe meadow spittlebug Philaenus spumarius, vector of the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa, relies on vibrational communication to accomplish mating: the female calls to establish a duet with a male. A deeper knowledge of the species’ reproductive biology and behaviour would provide useful information for developing control techniques based on principles of ‘biotremology’, which studies the vibrational behaviour of animals. Playback tests were conducted on single females and male–female pairs of P. spumarius from June to October 2018, and the features of the recorded calling signals were analysed using a wavelet decomposition. Dissections were performed on females to evaluate the relationship between calling activity and ovarioles development. From August onwards, females started to emit calling signals and to develop ovarioles. Female calling activity, duration of their chirps and their responsiveness to mating increased as the season progressed, and they were correlated with ovarioles’ development and presence of mature eggs. Hence, the ovarian maturation represents a key factor in association with the development of the sexual behaviour of P. spumarius females. Conversely, males produced advertisement signals soon after adult eclosion in May, but these signals were not involved in the pair formation process. Mating was achieved only when males produced courtship signals in response to female calling signals and established with them vibrational duets starting from August. Here, we provide new information regarding the P. spumarius’ ethology and hypothesize that potential mating disruption techniques should consider the insect physiology and be applied when both sexes are responsive to mating signals.

Control of Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) in open field tomato crops using the mating disruption technique

This study was conducted in Meram district of Konya province (Turkey) in 2018 and 2019 to evaluate the efficacy of mating disruption against the tomato leafminer, Tuta absoluta in an open-field tomato growing area. Three pheromone-treated fields and three control fields were used to evaluate the effectiveness of mating disruption in both years. In pheromone-treated fields, mating disruption pheromone was applied once at a rate of 2500 g/ha with a caulking gun. In control fields, only pheromone traps were hung for monitoring and comparing the pest population. Male captures in monitoring pheromone traps and infestation rates of tomato plants by T. absoluta were recorded weekly. The mean number of males captured in the traps per week in pheromone-treated fields in 2018 and 2019 was 120.86 ± 16.82 and 69.90 ± 15.70, respectively. In control fields, the mean number of males captured in the traps per week in 2018 and 2019 was 299.73 ± 16.82 and 230.75 ± 15.70, respectively. The mean percentage of infestation of the pest was 4.40 ± 0.56% in pheromone-treated fields, while it was 11.80 ± 0.56% in control fields in 2018. In 2019, the mean percentage of infestation of the pest was recorded in pheromone-treated and control fields as 1.88 ± 0.52% and 7.39 ± 0.52%, respectively. As a result of the study, it was determined that the mating disruption application against T. absoluta was successful in all three pheromone-treated fields when compared to control fields in both years. This technique was tested for the first time against the tomato leafminer in Turkey with this project.

PP 1/323 (1) Evaluation of mating disruption techniques against Lepidopteran pests in grapevine, pome and stone fruits under semi‐field conditions

Specific scopeThis Standard describes the conduct of trials employing the CIRCE methodology (Cage method for Investigation of pheromone effects by Release and Capture, described by Doye and Koch, 2005) for the evaluation of the potential of products intended for mating disruption of relevant Lepidopteran pests in grapes and pome and stone fruit. Trials following this methodology do not replace the need for large‐scale field trials, but data from such semi‐field studies can be used as part of a registration data package supporting the potential of a given pheromone product to prevent mating in the proposed uses.The Standard should be read in conjunction with the general principles described in PP 1/264 Mating disruption techniques and in PP 1/296 Principles of efficacy evaluation for low‐risk plant protection products. Standard PP 1/314 Evaluation of mating disruption techniques against Lepidopteran pests in grapevine, pome and stone fruits under field conditions describes trials under field conditions.Specific approval and amendmentFirst approved in 2020–09.

Effect of Mating Disruption in Leather Beetle, Dermestes maculatus on Biological Activities and Nutritional Quality of Infested Smoked Catfish, Clarias gariepinus

Mating between male and female leather beetle, Dermestes maculatus infesting smoked catfish, Clarias gariepinus was disrupted in this study. The effects of disruption on pest biological activities and nutritional quality of fish after pest infestation were determined using standard methods. Mating disruption technique of 2:1 (♂: ♀); where the males were removed after 24 h of mating had the highest number of survived adults. Number of developed larvae (156.80 and 167.50) was significantly higher on treatments 1:2 and 2:1 (♂: ♀) in which males were removed after 48 h and 24 h, respectively. Frass weight generated by the beetle was higher in the mating disruption treatment 2:1 (♂: ♀) in which the male insects were removed at 24 h. Mating disruption technique 1:1 (♂ : ♀) in which male was removed after 144 h of mating, had higher ash content (5.307%) whereas, the least ash content (3.622%) was recorded in mating disruption treatment 1:1 (♂ : ♀) and the male was removed after 120 h. Moisture content (29.05%) was significantly higher on mating disruption technique 1:1 (♂: ♀) where the male was removed after 144 h. Mating disruption resulted into different number of offspring of D. maculatus and different degree of loss of minerals. These give unequivocal signal that mating disruption can affect biological activities and nutrient quality. Therefore, the use of physical mating disruption technique can be applied to D. maculatus control to reduce their (adults and larvae) biological impact on smoked fish and ensure quality and sufficient fish for human use.

Can Mating Disruption Be a Possible Route to Control Plum Fruit Moth in Mediterranean Environments?

Simple SummaryGrapholita funebrana is a main pest of plum throughout the Palearctic region. The management of this pest is generally carried out with chemical insecticides. In this study we investigated the suitability of the mating disruption as alternative method of control of this pest. Experiments were carried out in organic plum orchards during 2012 and 2014. Trap catches and fruit sampling were carried out to estimate the efficacy of this technique in reducing males catch and fruit infestation. The results indicated that the males caught in traps placed in the treatment plots was always significantly lower than untreated plots. The chemical analysis of the pheromone emission from the dispenser, carried out by solid-phase micro-extraction followed by gas chromatography, indicated an optimal duration of these tool for at least 60 days of field exposure. Fruit sampling evidenced that pheromone treatment significantly reduced fruit infestation, but not economic damage, particularly on the cultivar for which a high susceptibility to the moth infestation is known.Control of the plum fruit moth, Grapholita funebrana Treitschke (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), has been mainly based on the use of chemical insecticides, which can cause undesirable side effects, leading to a growing interest towards alternative sustainable strategies. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the mating disruption technique on G. funebrana infestation in plum orchards, by comparing the number of male captures in pheromone-baited traps, and evaluating the damage to fruits in plots treated with the pheromone dispersers and in control plots. The study was carried out in 2012 and 2014 in three organic plum orchards, on the cultivars Angeleno, Friar, President and Stanley. To evaluate the pheromone emission curve of the dispensers from the openings to the end of the trials, a chemical analysis was carried out by solid phase micro-extraction followed by gas chromatography, followed by mass spectrometry. In all years and orchards the mean number of males caught in traps placed in the treatment plots was always significantly lower than untreated plots. Pheromone emission from the dispensers was highest at the opening, and was still considerable at 54 days of field exposure, while it significantly decreased after 72 days of field exposure. Cultivar was confirmed to be an essential factor in determining the fruit infestation level. Pheromone treatment significantly reduced fruit infestation, but not economic damage.

Efficacy of mating disruption technique against Codling moth [Cydia pomonella L. (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae)] in walnut orchards in Kahramanmaraş

Bu calisma; Kahramanmaras Ili Merkez Ilcede Sebin , Yalova-4 , Sutyemez-2 ve Sebin cesitlerinden olusan iki farkli ceviz bahcesinde 2012-2013 yillarinda yurutulmustur. Calismada, Isonet-C “(E,E)-8,10-dodecadienol,n-dodecanol,n-tetradecanol % 50, (Z)-11-tetradecenyl acetate % 50” feromon yayicisinin Elma ickurdu [ Cydia pomonella L. (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae)]’na karsi ciftlesmeyi engelleme etkinligi belirlenmistir. Deneme; genis parsellerin karsilastirilmasi seklinde kurulmus olup, denemenin karakterlerini ciftlesmeyi engelleme (CE) ve ilacsiz kontrol (IK) bahcesi olusturmustur. C. pomonella ’nin ergin populasyon gelisimi pherecon tipi eseysel cekici tuzaklarla izlenmistir. A gaclarin guney yonune ve yerden 1.5-2 m yukseklikte olacak sekilde 16 Nisan 2012 ve 08 Nisan 2013 tarihlerinde IK bahcesine 1 ve CE bahcesine de 2 adet eseysel cekici tuzak asilmistir. Calismanin her iki yilinda da, 1000 yayici/ha (5 yayici/agac) dozu uygulanmis ve deneme bahcesine 3000 adet feremon yayici agaclarin farkli yonlerine ve agac tacinin en ustteki 1/3’luk kismindaki uygun dallarina baglanmistir. Deneme suresince CE bahcesindeki 10 adet feromon yayicinin olcumunde, bahcedeki ortalama feromon salim miktarinin 61 mg/saat/yayici oldugu belirlenmistir. Sayim ve degerlendirme, hasat doneminde her bahce icin toplam 1000’er adet meyve uzerinden yapilmis ve CE ile IK bahcelerine ait ortalama kurtlanma oranlari yillara gore sirasiyla; % 5.1-21.3 ve % 4.8-20.1 olarak hesaplanmistir. Calisma sonucunda; ciftlesmeyi engelleme tekniginin Kahramanmaras ili cevizlerinde zararli C. pomonella ’ya karsi 1000 yayici/ha dozunda, organik tarim ve entegre mucadele uretim calismalarinda kimyasal mucadeleye alternatif bir yontem olarak basarili bir sekilde kullanilabilecegi belirlenmistir.

Effects of delayed mating on male mating success and female reproductive performance of Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae)

Phenacoccus solenopsis is a devastating pest of cotton. It causes significance losses in cotton crops in China, India and Pakistan. Recently, chemical control is best tool for its management but delayed mating effects and pheromone-mediated disruption technique is still unknown. In this experiment, we study effects of male-only, female-only and both sexes delayed mating on mating success, reproduction and longevity of P. solenopsis. Effects of male-only and female-only delayed mating was assessed by pairing of different hours old males with 13-days old females and different days old females with 2-h-old males, respectively. Results showed that male-only delayed mating increased the female prereproduction period and male longevity, reduced the oviposition period, fecundity and mating success, and did not affect the preoviposition period and female longevity. Conversely, female-only delayed mating did not change the male mating success and male longevity. Female-only delayed mating gradually decrease the prereproductive period and continuously increase preoviposition period and longevity. Oviposition period did not change until age exceeded 34 days, and fecundity remained constant until age exceeded 26 days in female-only delay mating. Both sexes delayed mating reduced the fecundity, mating success, prereproduction and oviposition period, but greatly increased the preoviposition period and male and female longevities. These results suggest that mating disruption techniques, such as application of sex pheromones, will be very useful for the management of P. solenopsis under the field level either applying alone or using with integrated pest management tools.

MATING DISRUPTION OF PINK BOLLWORM, PECTINOPHORA GOSSYPIELLA (SAUNDERS) USING PB ROPE DISPENSERS IN COTTON GROWING AREAS OF PUNJAB, PAKISTAN

Pink bollworm, Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders), (Lepidoptera: Gelechidae) is considered as a notorious and destructive pest in the world and can reduce cotton yield up to 30% if not managed properly. Insect pest management through mating disruption technique offers practically an ideal approach to combat the pests. In the present study, the efficacy of mating disruption dispensers (PB rope L) for the management of pink bollworm was evaluated and the percent infestation in bolls and leftover bolls was determined in the cotton growing areas of Punjab, Pakistan during 2017. The PB ropes @100 per acre were used for each treated field of approximately 50 acres with a block of 10 acres as a control plot in the same union council of the treated plot. Calculation was made by comparing infestation and cotton yield in treated field with that of control field. The PB rope significantly reduced both the number of males in the sex pheromone traps and cotton bolls damage. Results revealed that PB rope during the first pin square period (45 days after sowing) effectively minimized the damage even in leftover bolls. The yield of treated field was enhanced compared with control field by 31% in 2017. Infestation in leftover bolls was estimated by comparing cotton bolls collected from control field with bolls from the treated field. The results reflected 1.56% damage in control field and 0.30% damage in treated field with a difference of 1.26 (80% reduction in damage in treated plots). Result indicated that PB rope disrupted the pest mating effectively during July to October.

PP 1/314 (1) Evaluation of mating disruption techniques against Lepidopteran pests in grapevine, pome and stone fruits under field conditions

Specific scopeThis Standard describes trial conduct for the efficacy evaluation of mating disruption techniques using synthetic sexual pheromones to control relevant Lepidoptera in grapes, pome and stone fruit under field conditions. The Standard may also be usefully adapted for a range of other orchard crops where specific Standards do not exist. The Standard should be read in conjunction with the general principles described in PP 1/264 Principles of efficacy evaluation for mating disruption pheromones and in PP 1/296 Principles of efficacy evaluation for low‐risk plant protection products. A Standard describing trials under semi‐field conditions which can provide additional supporting information is under development.Specific approval and amendmentFirst approved in 2019‐09.

PP 1/264 (2) Principles of efficacy evaluation for mating disruption pheromones

Specific scopeThis Standard describes the general principles of trial design for the efficacy evaluation of mating disruption techniques based on pheromones. Generally, these techniques are based on female sex pheromones, but others could be used, for example aggregation pheromones which attract both sexes for mating or, in rare cases, where males produce sex pheromones.Pheromones and other types of semiochemicals may also be used in other pest control methods. These include use as repellents and in mass trapping techniques (with or without chemical insecticides). Whilst not directly covered under this guideline, a number of the practical aspects relating to trial design and assessment methods may also be relevant considerations for other semiochemical techniques.This Standard should be read in conjunction with EPPO specific Standard PP 1/314 Evaluation of mating disruption techniques against Lepidopteran pests in grapevine, pome and stone fruits under field conditions and on the Evaluation of mating disruption techniques against Lepidopteran pests in grapevine, pome and stone fruits under semi‐field conditions (in preparation).Specific approval and amendmentFirst approved in 2008‐09.Second revision approved in 2019‐09 following adoption of EPPO Standards PP 1/314 Evaluation of mating disruption techniques against Lepidoptera pests in grapevine, pome and stone fruits under field conditions and the preparation of the Standard on the Evaluation of mating disruption techniques against Lepidoptera pests in grapevine, pome and stone fruits under semi‐field conditions (in preparation).

Pheromone gland transcriptome of the pink bollworm moth, Pectinophora gossypiella: Comparison between a laboratory and field population.

The pink bollworm, Pectinophora gossypiella, is a world-wide pest of cotton and in some parts of the cotton growing region is controlled by the mating disruption technique using synthetic sex pheromone. The sex pheromone consists of two compounds, (Z,Z)- and (Z,E)-7,11-hexadecadienyl acetates, in about a 50:50 ratio. However, recently, a population with sex pheromone compound ratios of about 62:38 were found in cotton fields that use mating disruption in Israel. To investigate how the change developed, we compared the pheromone gland transcriptomes between a reference laboratory population and a population obtained from an Israeli cotton field utilizing mating disruption. We analyzed four biological replicates from each population and found transcripts encoding 17 desaturases, 8 reductases, and 17 candidate acetyltransferases in both populations, which could be involved in sex pheromone biosynthesis. The expression abundance of some genes between the two populations was different. Some desaturases and candidate acetyltransferases were found to have mutated in one of the populations. The differentially expressed genes play potential roles in sex pheromone biosynthesis and could be involved in causing altered female sex pheromone ratios in the field population.

Structural investigation of selective binding dynamics for the pheromone-binding protein 1 of the grapevine moth, Lobesia botrana.

TheEuropean grapevine moth, Lobesia botrana (Denis & Schiffermüller), is a serious pest in vineyards in North and South America. Mating disruption techniques have been used to control and monitor L. botrana on the basis of its sexual communication. This needs a well-tuned olfactory system, in which it is believed that pheromone-binding proteins (PBPs) are key players that transport pheromones in the antennae of moths. In this study, the selectivity of a PBP, named as LbotPBP1, was tested by fluorescence binding assays against 11 sex pheromone components and 6 host plant volatiles. In addition, its binding mechanism was predicted on the basis of structural analyses by molecular docking and complex and steered molecular dynamics (SMD). Our results indicate that LbotPBP1 binds selectively to sex pheromone components over certain host plant volatiles, according to both in vitro and in silico tests. Thus, chain length (14 carbon atoms) and functional groups (i.e., alcohol and ester) appear to be key features for stable binding. Likewise, residues such as Phe12, Phe36, and Phe118 could participate in unspecific binding processes, whilst Ser9, Ser56, and Trp114 could participate in the specific recognition and stabilization of sex pheromones instead of host plant volatiles. Moreover, our SMD approach supported 11-dodecenyl acetate as the best ligand for LbotPBP1. Overall, the dynamics simulations, contact frequency analysis and SMD shed light on the binding mechanism of LbotPBP1 and could overcome the imprecision of molecular docking, supporting the in vitro binding assays. Finally, the role of LbotPBP1 in the chemical ecology of L. botrana is discussed.