Title

Persistence of oriental fruit moth (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) pheromone microcapsules applied with an airblast sprayer to apple and peach trees

Abstract

Applications of CheckMate OFM-F oriental fruit moth (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) microencapsulated pheromone were made with an airblast sprayer to peach and apple trees at the Missouri State Fruit Experiment Station, Mountain Grove, Missouri. A fluorescent dye was incorporated into the sprayable pheromone so microcapsules could be counted using ultraviolet light. The mean accumulated sunlight and rain the leaves were exposed to in the first 7 d was 39.7 kWh/m2 and 15.5 mm, respectively. The mean accumulated sunlight and rain the leaves were exposed to after 14 d was 78.7 kWh/m2 and 33.3 mm, respectively. The mean number of microcapsules at 2-6 h, 7 d, and 14 d after sprayable pheromone was applied was 0.082, 0.009, and 0.002 microcapsules per cm2 on peach leaves and 0.090, 0.004, and 0.002 microcapsules per cm2 on apple leaves, respectively. Time of exposure and cumulative sunlight had the highest regression coefficients to loss of microcapsules (r2 = 0.94 and 0.90, respectively). Rain also had a high regression to loss of microcapsules (r2 = 0.70). Despite significant losses of microcapsules after 7 and 14 d, the number of moths caught in the spray row traps was 1% to 4% of the number of moths in control traps. Therefore, male oriental fruit moth orientation within the treated areas was adversely affected throughout the 2 wk after sprayable pheromone was applied.

Department(s)

Environmental Plant Science and Natural Resources

Document Type

Article

Keywords

Apple, Grapholitha molesta, Lepidoptera: Tortricidae, Mating disruption, Microencapsulated sprayable pheromone, Peach, Rain, Sunlight

Publication Date

1-1-2005

Journal Title

Journal of Agricultural and Urban Entomology

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