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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Fort Pierce, Florida » U.S. Horticultural Research Laboratory » Subtropical Insects and Horticulture Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #319140

Title: Investigating dormant season application of pheromone in citrus to control overwintering and spring populations of Phyllocnistis citrella (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae)

Author
item KEATHLEY, C - Former ARS Employee
item STELINSKI, L - University Of Florida
item Lapointe, Stephen

Submitted to: Pest Management Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/5/2015
Publication Date: 10/8/2015
Citation: Keathley, C.P., Stelinski, L.L., Lapointe, S.L. 2015. Investigating dormant- season application of pheromone in citrus to control overwintering and spring populations of Phyllocnistis citrella (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae). Pest Management Science. 72:1405-1410

Interpretive Summary: The citrus leafminer, a tiny moth whose larvae burrow within citrus leaves, lays eggs on young leaves during winter as well as summer months in Florida. We have developed a method using synthetic sex pheromone odor of the female leafminer moth to suppress miner populations by interfering with the ability of males to locate females. Here, we tested whether applications of pheromone in winter and spring were superior to a spring application alone. Two applications were not better than only a single application in spring. Disruption of moth catch was weaker in treated plots where traps were placed high (3.1 m) rather than low (1.6 m) in the tree canopy (tops of trees may have provided a refuge for mating). Dispensers provided effective and persistent disruption of male catch in pheromone-baited monitoring traps but were minimally effective in reducing leaf infestation by the miner.

Technical Abstract: The leafminer, Phyllocnistis citrella Stainton, reproduces on leaf flush during winter. Deployment of pheromone during winter could suppress moth populations in spring and summer more than a spring application alone. We tested the primary pheromone component of Phyllocnistis (P. citrella), (Z,Z,E)-7,11,13-hexadecatrienal, released from elastomeric dispensers in a citrus grove in 6.4-ha main plots in winter and/or 3.2-ha subplots in spring (834 mg triene/ha) and evaluated moth catch and leaf mining. Dispensers provided more than 85 percent disruption of male moth catch in traps for 37 weeks after winter treatment and more than 92 percent for 26 weeks after spring treatment, but there was only a 12 percent reduction in leaf infestation in spring. Two applications were not better than only a single application in spring. Disruption of moth catch was weaker in treated plots where traps were placed high (3.1 m) rather than low (1.6 m) in the tree canopy. Dispensers provided effective and persistent disruption of male catch in pheromone-baited monitoring traps but were minimally effective in reducing leaf infestation by P. citrella. Winter application of pheromone did not reduce leaf mining in spring compared with spring application alone. Tops of trees may have provided a refuge for mating.