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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Wapato, Washington » Temperate Tree Fruit and Vegetable Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #236555
Title: Monitoring and Managing Codling Moth Clearly and Precisely

Author
item Knight, Alan
item HAWKINS, LOYS - BEAR CREEK ORCHARDS, OR
item MCNAMARA, KATHLEEN - BEAR CREEK ORCHARDS, OR
item HILTON, RICK - OSU, MEDFORD, OR

Submitted to: Good Fruit Grower
Publication Type: Trade Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/8/2009
Publication Date: 3/1/2009
Citation: Knight, A.L., Hawkins, L., Mcnamara, K., Hilton, R. 2009. Monitoring and Managing Codling Moth Clearly and Precisely. Good Fruit Grower 26-27.

Interpretive Summary: Codling moth is the key pest of apples and pears and growers can apply a series of insecticide sprays during the season to manage this pest at low levels. Sprays targeting codling moth can also disrupt the biological control of a number of secondary pests. Adopting the use of action thresholds based on moth catch in traps and spraying only the portion of the orchard where thresholds are exceeded may increase the level of natural control of these secondary pests within orchards. Action thresholds and a strategy to apply site-specific sprays were developed by ARS researchers at the USDA, ARS, Yakima Agricultural Research Laboratory, Wapato, WA. This program was implemented in two pear orchards during 2008 and reduced management costs by 60% with no fruit injury. Further demonstration and development of this program is planned.

Technical Abstract: Studies were conducted in two ‘Comice’ pear orchards treated with sex pheromone in southern Oregon to implement the use of site-specific management practices for codling moth. The density of monitoring traps was increased and insecticide sprays were applied based on moth catch thresholds. Only portions of the orchard were treated based on the spatial position of the traps exceeding thresholds. A partial budget analysis was conducted including costs for monitoring, labor, and insecticide material costs. Orchards managed with the site-specific strategy had 60% lower costs and no fruit injury occurred.