REFINING THE PHEROMONE-BASED MONITORING SYSTEM FOR DOGWOOD BORER

Authors: BERGH, CHRISTOPHER - VIRGINIA TECH; Leskey, Tracy

Submitted to: Annual Cumberland Shenandoah Fruit Workers Conference
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/30/2003
Publication Date: 6/1/2003
Citation: Bergh, C.J., Leskey, T.C. 2003. Refining the pheromone-based monitoring system for dogwood borer. Annual Cumberland Shenandoah Fruit Workers Conference. PP 69-75

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The dogwood borer (DWB), Synanthedon scitula Harris is an increasingly important pest of apple grown on size-controlling rootstocks in eastern North America. Many apple producers monitor populations of the key pests of apple using sex pheromone traps, and may base their management decisions on pheromone trap data. Pheromone lures for capturing DWB are marketed by several companies, although they appear to have been used more as research tools than by commercial growers, especially in tree fruit. Research studies using pheromone lures to monitor DWB populations in both apple and in managed, urban landscapes have produced discrepant results in terms of the relative effectiveness or attractiveness of different commercial lures. In this study, we compared the capture of DWB and other clearwing moths among traps baited with several commercial pheromone lures and evaluated the effect of pheromone concentration on DWB trap catch in two commercial orchards in VA and WV. We found that Scenturion captured more DWB than any other brand including Scentry, Trece DWB or Trece lilac borer (LB) lures. Scentry lures on the other hand captured more peachtree (PTB) and lesser peachtree (LPTB) borers than did any other lure type. The Scenturion DWB lure (now manufactured by Suterra) was the most effective lure for capturing male DWB, and was the most selective for DWB, being least attractive to the peachtree borer complex and less attractive to LB than the Scentry lure. Compared with the Scenturion and Scentry products, the Trece DWB and LB lures were least effective for capturing both DWB and LB. Furthermore, a dose-dependent response of male DWB, and to a lesser degree, of male PTB/LPTB and LB, to lures containing a series of loadings of the Scenturion attractant was recorded at each site as well.