ARS | Publication request: BEHAVIORALLY BASED MONITORING FOR THE PLUM CURCULIO

Submitted to: Mountaineer Grower
Publication Type: Trade Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: March 2, 2003
Publication Date: April 1, 2003
Citation: Leskey, T.C. 2003. Behaviorally based monitoring for the plum curculio. Mountaineer Grower. 571:5-11

Technical Abstract: The plum curculio (PC) is a serious pest of both apples and peaches in the mid-Atlantic region. We evaluated responses of PCs to four types of monitoring traps. They included black pyramid and Plexiglas panel traps placed outside the orchard 2 m from the border row and branch-mimicking cylinder and circle traps deployed in the border row of commercial and unsprayed apple and peach orchards. We also evaluated four bait treatments in conjunction with each trap type: (1) the synthetic fruit volatile benzaldehyde, (2) aggregation pheromone, grandisoic acid, (3) benzaldehyde in combination with pheromone; and (4) an unbaited control treatment. Greatest number of PCs was captured in circle traps, followed by cylinder, panel and pyramid traps, respectively across all orchards and all bait treatments. The greatest number of PCs was captured by trap baited with benzaldehyde in combination with pheromone, followed by benzaldehyde, pheromone, and unbaited traps across all orchard blocks and trap treatments. However, none of the baited traps tested here provided any strong correlation with oviposition injury and therefore fail to serve as a reliable tool to determine need for and timing of insecticide application.