Skip to main content
ARS Home » Midwest Area » Peoria, Illinois » National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research » Crop Bioprotection Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #164061
Title: AN ATTRACT-AND-KILL SYSTEM TO CONTROL CARPOPHILUS SPP. IN AUSTRALIAN STONE FRUIT ORCHARDS

Author
item HOSSAIN, MOFAKHAR - PRIMARY IND RESEARCH
item WILLIAMS, DAVID - PRIMARY IND RESEARCH
item MANSFIELD, CATHERINE - PRIMARY IND RESEARCH
item Bartelt, Robert

Submitted to: Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/11/2005
Publication Date: 1/15/2006
Citation: Hossain, M.S., Williams, D.G., Mansfield, C., Bartelt, R.J. 2006. An attract-and-kill system to control Carpophilus spp. in Australian stone fruit orchards. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata. 118:11-19.

Interpretive Summary: Presently, the most serious insect pests of peaches in southeastern Australia are sap beetle species in the genus Carpophilus. These beetles attack the fruit just as they are ripening, at a time when insecticides cannot be used. To address this problem, pheromone-based bait stations have been developed. In nature, the pheromones of the beetles (previously identified at NCAUR) are produced by males but attract both sexes; these pheromones are now available commercially. The pheromones work synergistically with the scent of over-ripe peaches; the combination of both odors is far more attractive than either by itself. Thus, the bait stations included both synthetic pheromone lures and fermenting peaches, and the stations were treated with insecticide so that the attracted beetles were killed. There were three stations per hectare. The stations were deployed at least several weeks before the peaches ripened (that is, before the peaches became attractive to the beetles). The intent was to deplete the beetle population before the crop became susceptible to injury. In the 2000-2001 growing season, the injury level in the pheromone-treated orchards was very low (0.1% of the peaches on the trees had beetle damage), while the injury level in comparable, untreated orchards was 5.2% (a level that is not acceptable commercially). Even for peaches that had fallen to the ground (which are especially prone to beetle attack), only 0.6% had beetle damage in the treated orchards while 19.9% had damage in the control orchards. Thus, this approach to protecting the peach crop appears very promising.

Technical Abstract: Over a period of two growing seasons in stone fruit orchards in the Goulburn Valley, northern Victoria, Australia, the use of an attract and kill system for control of Carpophilus spp. (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) and the effective range or drawing power of the attract and kill stations were examined. In both seasons, three attract and kill stations baited with synthetic aggregation pheromone plus co-attractant were placed about 50 m apart in the upwind (north west) corner of each treated block well before the fruit began to ripen. Large numbers of Carpophilus spp. were caught in the attract and kill stations immediately after placement. By the time fruit had ripened, the number of Carpophilus spp. caught had decreased greatly. Fruit damage caused by Carpophilus spp. in treated blocks, especially in 2000-2001 season, was almost zero (0.1% and 0.6%) in trees and ground, respectively, whereas the damage levels in control blocks were 5.2% and 19.9% in trees and ground, respectively. This study clearly demonstrated that excellent protection of ripening stone fruit could be achieved by using attract and kill stations.