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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Wapato, Washington » Temperate Tree Fruit and Vegetable Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #164012

Title: USE OF (E,Z)-2,4-DECADIENOIC ACID IN CODLING MOTH MANAGEMENT. 1. IMPROVED MONITORING IN BARTLETT PEAR WITH HIGH DOSE LURES

Author
item Knight, Alan
item Light, Douglas

Submitted to: Journal of British Columbia Entomological Society
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/20/2004
Publication Date: 12/20/2004
Citation: Knight, A.L., Light, D.M. 2004. Use of (E,Z)-2,4-decadienoic acid in codling moth management: Improved monitoring in Bartlett pear with high dose lures. Journal of British Columbia Entomological Society. 101:45-52

Interpretive Summary: The pear ester is a common odorant of ripe pear and has been developed as an attractant to monitor codling moth in walnut, apple, and pear orchards. Initial studies suggested that the pear ester was not as effective in pear as in the other two crops because of competition from ripening fruits in the orchard. Studies were conducted to evaluate the optimal loading of the pear ester in a lure for monitoring codling moth in pear. Increasing the lure loading of the pear ester increased the number of moths trapped. In addition, a closely related propyl ester was evaluated as an alternative attractant. The propyl ester was attractive to codling moth in pear orchards and increasing the lure loading also increased moth catch. However, the propyl ester was not more attractive than the pear ester. Both chemicals were much less attractive than a sex pheromone lure in Bartlett orchards with high levels of codling moth.

Technical Abstract: The propyl and ethyl esters of (2E,4Z)-2,4-decadienoic acid were evaluated in gray halobutyl septa as kairomone lures for both sexes of codling moth, Cydia pomonella (L.). All studies were conducted in 'Bartlett' pear orchards treated with sex pheromone dispensers for mating disruption of codling moth. Increasing the lure loading up to 40.0 mg of each compound significantly increased moth catch. These high load lures were also more effective in detecting the beginning of moth flight in the spring generation. However, the high load kairomone lures were still significantly less attractive than a high load pheromone lure in 'Bartlett' pear orchards with moderate to high codling moth adult population densities.