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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Wapato, Washington » Temperate Tree Fruit and Vegetable Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #250415
Title: The Importance of Pear Ester in Codling Moth Monitoring and Management

Author
item Knight, Alan
item Light, Douglas
item HILTON, RICK - Oregon State University
item ALSTON, DIANE - Utah State University

Submitted to: Good Fruit Grower
Publication Type: Popular Publication
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/26/2010
Publication Date: 3/1/2010
Citation: Knight, A.L., Light, D.M., Hilton, R., Alston, D. 2010. The Importance of Pear Ester in Codling Moth Monitoring and Management. Good Fruit Grower 61(5):40-41.

Interpretive Summary: Codling moth is an important pest of apple, pear, and walnut with a worldwide distribution. Control sprays applied for this pest comprise a significant proportion of the total insecticide usage in these crops. ARS researchers at the USDA, ARS, Yakima Agricultural Research Laboratory, Wapato, WA in collaboration with an ARS scientist in Albany, CA and several university researchers have developed several uses of pear ester to monitor and manage codling moth more effectively. At present, pear ester added to sex pheromone is the most effective monitoring lure in the market. An alternate use of pear ester is to combine it with acetic acid to more effectively monitor female moths. A microencapsulated spray and a hand-applied dispenser loaded with pear ester also provide new more effective management tools. Registration of these two materials is expected within the next two years in the USA and in other countries.

Technical Abstract: Following the discovery of the attractiveness of pear ester for adult and larvae of codling moth research has developed this ripe pear volatile to improve the monitoring and management of this key pest of apple, pear, and walnut. A lure loaded with pear ester and codlemone has become the most widely used lure in orchards treated with sex pheromone for mating disruption. The combination of pear ester with acetic acid in a clear delta trap now allows female codling moth to be more easily monitored. The addition of a microencapsulated formulation of pear ester can improve the performance of some insecticides. This material can also be effective in disrupting adults. Hand-applied dispensers loaded with pear ester and pheromone have been shown to be more effective in disrupting virgin female-baited traps than pheromone alone. Registrations for these pear ester-based control materials should occur within the next two years.