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Title: POTENTIAL OF A SYNTHETIC AGGREGATION PHEROMONE FOR INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT OF COLORADO POTATO BEETLE.

Author
item KUHAR, THOMAS - VIRGINIA POLYTECH
item MORI, KENJI - FUJI FLAVOR CO
item Dickens, Joseph

Submitted to: Agricultural and Forest Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/1/2005
Publication Date: 1/1/2006
Citation: Kuhar, T.L., Mori, K., Dickens, J.C. 2006. Potential of a synthetic aggregation pheromone for integrated management of colorado potato beetle.. Agricultural and Forest Entomology. 8(1):77-81.

Interpretive Summary: The Colorado potato beetle (CPB) is one of the most important insect pests of potatoes in the United States and Europe. Since CPB has become resistant to numerous pesticides, alternative measures are needed desperately for its control. Synthetic attractants could be used in pest management strategies: as a component of an attracticide, for monitoring beetle populations, in deployment of the trap crop method, to indicate CPB movement within potato fields, or in conjunction with antifeedants in "push-pull" strategies of insect management. Our results demonstrate the potential usefulness of a male-produced attractant pheromone for detection of CPB in the field and management of the CPB using a trap crop strategy. This research provides the basis for entomologists and pest control specialists to further investigate alternative management strategies using the pheromone resulting in decreased pesticide use.

Technical Abstract: The attractiveness of pitfall traps baited with the aggregation pheromone (S)-3,7-dimethyl-2-oxo-oct-6-ene-1,3-diol [(S)-CPB I] to colonizing adult Colorado potato beetle (CPB) Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) and the use of the pheromone in a trap crop pest management strategy were evaluated in the field for the first time. Significantly more adult CPB were caught in pitfall traps baited with the pheromone than in controls. In the trap crop management strategy, more colonizing adults were present in pheromone-treated rows of potatoes than in untreated middle rows. Significantly fewer CPB egg masses and larvae were found in potato plots that were bordered by pheromone-treated rows, or bordered by imidacloprid + pheromone-treated rows, or rows treated at-planting with imidacloprid compared with untreated (control) potato plots. Densities of CPB egg masses and larvae and percentage defoliation were significantly lower and marketable tuber yield significantly higher in conventional imidacloprid-treated potatoes compared with all other treatments. While our results demonstrate potential for use of the aggregation pheromone in management of CPB in the field, more research is needed to optimize release rates of the attractant and incorporate control methods for cohabiting pests.