Simultaneous control of Cydia molesta and Anarsia lineatella in peach orchards of Northern Greece by combining mating disruption and insecticide treatments

Trials were carried out in 1987 and 1988 on the combined control of oriental fruit moth (OFM), Cydia molesta (Busck), and peach twig borer (PTB), Anarsia lineatella (Zell), in peach orchards in Northern Greece with Isomate-M pheromone dispensers (mating disruption technique) and insecticides against OFM and PTB, respectively. One application of the Isomate-M at a rate of 1,000 units per ha, and one application of the insect growth inhibitor (IGI) hexaflumuron 5 EC (200 ml f.p,/hl) or two sprays of fluvalinate 25 AF (60 ml f.p./hl) during June provided satisfactory control of OFM and PTB. Total damage per tree in the trials reached 1.0-3.6%, versus 1.4-3.0% in the conventionally sprayed orchards, while in unsprayed control blocks it was 14.4-23k. These encouraging results open possibilities for the combined control of these peach insects in Northern Greece.

Control of Cydia molesta (Busck) by mating disruption using Isomate-M pheromone dispensers in Northern Greece

Trials were carried out in 1986 and 1987 with the mating disruption method for the control of oriental fruit moth (Cydia molesta Busck) in peaches of Northern Greece. One or two applications during April-September of the synthetic pheromone lsomate-M, at a rate of 1,000 units per ha, resulted in a 100% prevention of captures in pheromone traps in all trials, with fruit damage ranging from 0.1-2.0%. Damage in the conventionally sprayed treatments was 0.3-2.4% while infestation in the unsprayed plots reached 6-17%. The encouraging results, especially when taking into account the relatively small size of the orchards, opens opportunities for the integrated control of this peach insect pest under the condi­tions of Northern Greece.

Elaboration of a strategy to control the peach twig borer Anarsia lineatella Zeller in the Sefrou region in Morocco

Trapping by specific sex pheromones initiated in 2009 to monitor three pests, peach twig borer (Anarsia lineatella), oriental fruit moth (Cydia molesta) and plum fruit moth (Grapholita funebrana) revealed the greater importance of peach twig borer in comparison to the others. The results of monitoring the development of larval stages over time and the accumulated degree-days from biofix show that the pest develops five generations per year, one of which undergoes a diapause. In 2009 and 2010 chemical control based on tolerance threshold of 10 males/trap/2 weeks showed unsatisfactory results. With this method, the percentage of affected fruits increased from 6.8% in 2009 to 18.6% in 2010 despite the application of four treatments of organophosphate-based insecticides in 2009 and the application of four treatments in 2010 using active ingredients from different chemical families (pyrethroid, organophosphate and chlorinicotinyl). On the other hand, management of the peach twig borer by the degree-days method tested and planned on the basis of a bifenthrin treatment between 150 to 204 degree-days accumulated from biofix, gave interesting results where the percentage of affected fruits hardly exceeded 0.5% over the four years of study

The presence of non-target lepidopteran species in pheromone traps for fruit tortricid moths

In the localities Brno-Tuřany (Brno-město) and Prakšice (Uherské Hradiště) pheromone traps were used to monitor tortricid moths Adoxophyes orana, Archips podanus, A. rosanus, Hedya nubiferana, Pandemis heparana, Spilonota ocellana, Cydia pomonella, Cydia funebrana and Cydia molesta. Other moths species were also present in these pheromone traps for target species: Pammene albuginana, Cydia coronilana, Notocelia rosaecolana, Hedya pruniana, noctua pronuba, Ypponomeuta malinellus, Pyrausta rectefascialis and P. aurata.  

Olfactory activity of ethyl (E,Z)-2,4-decadienoate on adult oriental fruit moths

We investigated whether or not pear ester (ethyl (E,Z)-2,4-decadienoate) attracted adult oriental fruit moths, Cydia molesta (Busck) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). The electroantennographic responses of C. molesta to pear ester were recorded and dose–response curves calculated. In laboratory bioassays, the attractiveness of different dosages was assessed in a dual-choice olfactometric arena. The responses of virgin males and females to pear ester in the presence and absence of pear (Pyrus communis L.), peach (Prunus persica (L.) Batsch.), and apple (Malus ×domestica Borkh.) (Rosaceae) shoots were evaluated. Electroantennographic recordings demonstrated that both male and female C. molesta were able to detect the pear ester. In our bioassay, however, pear ester readily attracted males but attracted very few females. The response of males was dose-dependent and they preferred pear ester over apple- and pear-shoot volatiles, whereas no apparent preference between pear ester and peach-shoot volatiles was observed. Therefore, this kairomonal compound could be more effective in attracting C. molesta when applied in orchards of secondary host plants, like apple or pear, than in peach orchards.