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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Wapato, Washington » Temperate Tree Fruit and Vegetable Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #207161
Title: Spraying Codling Moth Sex Pheromone with and without Insecticides: 'Allowing Growers to Concentrate'

Author
item Knight, Alan

Submitted to: Western Orchard Pest and Disease Management Conference
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/5/2006
Publication Date: 1/10/2007
Citation: Knight, A.L. 2007. Spraying Codling Moth Sex Pheromone with and without Insecticides: 'Allowing Growers to Concentrate'. Western Orchard Pest and Disease Management Conference.

Interpretive Summary: Codling moth is an important pest of apples and pears in Washington State. A new approach to treat orchards with sex pheromone to manage codling moth has been developed by researchers at the Yakima Agricultural Research Laboratory. A sprayable formulation of sex pheromone can be applied either alone or mixed with an insecticide and applied in low volumes of water. Studies conducted in 2006 showed that this method was very effective for codling moth and treated-plots had fewer problems with secondary pests than plots treated with an air blast application. A new approach has been developed that applies the pheromone spray only to a portion of the canopy. The effectiveness of this approach will be evaluated next season.

Technical Abstract: Studies were conducted in replicated small plots of apple comparing the efficacy of ULV sprays of Checkmate CM-F alone and in combination with Asana, Assail, or Imidan. A five-spray program of pheromone + insecticides using half rates of Assail or Asana were significantly more effective than spraying pheromone alone and equivalent to a four-spray, air blast insecticide program using full rates. Imidan at 1.0 lb per acre plus pheromone gave intermediate results. All ULV programs had lower phytophagous mite: predator mite ratios compared with plots treated with air blast applications of each insecticide. Interestingly, this ratio in both the Assail and Imidan treatments was not different than in the pheromone-only or untreated plots. ULV Assail applications were also very effective for control of white apple leafhopper. A new technique coined PULSV (Pulsating Ultra Low Spray Volume) was developed in 2006 for applying the microencapsulated pheromone formulation. PULSV allows growers to concentrate the deposition of microcapsules in the canopy to create 1,000’s of attractive point sources in the orchard. Future studies will examine the effectiveness of the PULSV approach.