Monitoring grape berry moth (Paralobesia vitianna: Lepidoptera) in commercial vineyards using a host plant based synthetic lure

Authors: LOEB, G.M. - Cornell University; CHA, D.H. - Cornell University; HESLER, S.P. - Cornell University; LINN, C.E. - Cornell University; Zhang, Aijun; Teal, Peter; ROELOFS, W.L. - Cornell University

Submitted to: Environmental Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/25/2011
Publication Date: 12/1/2011
Citation: Loeb, G., Cha, D., Hesler, S., Linn, C., Zhang, A., Teal, P.E., Roelofs, W. 2011. Monitoring grape berry moth (Paralobesia vitianna: Lepidoptera) in commercial vineyards using a host plant based synthetic lure. Environmental Entomology. 4(6):1511-1522.

Interpretive Summary: Grape berry moth (GBM) has been considered one of the most severe grape pests in the Eastern USA. Economic damage is primarily to the berries and yield loss can be up to 90%. In our previous studies, we identified and synthesized the key volatile compounds from grape shoots used by female GBM to locate suitable host plants. In the current study, we evaluated trap captures of GBM for traps baited with host plant-based lures or sex attractant lures over two field seasons in two commercial vineyards in New York, USA. For both sexes over both years, more moths were captured in traps along the wood edge compared to the vineyard edge early in the season but this pattern was reversed by mid-season. The information of temporal shift in location of GBM will help vine growers, extension specialists, and researchers make decisions on timely and accurately insecticide interventions and develop more efficient strategies to manage GBM populations in integrated pest management systems for vineyards.

Technical Abstract: For some Lepidopteran pests, such as the grape berry moth Paralobesia vitianna, poor correspondence between male captures in traps baited with sex pheromone and oviposition activities of female moths has called into question the value of pheromone-based monitoring for these species. As an alternative, we compared the capture of female and male grape berry moth (GBM) in panel traps baited with synthetic lures based on host volatiles with captures of males in pheromone-baited wing traps over two growing seasons in two commercial vineyards in upstate New York, USA. Both a seven-component and a thirteen-component synthetic lure captured significantly more male and female GBM on panel traps compared to the numbers captured on panel traps without any attractants. For both sexes over both years, more moths were captured in panel traps along the wood edge compared to the vineyard edge early in the season but this pattern was reversed by mid-season. Capture of male moths in pheromone-baited wing traps also displayed this temporal shift in location of greatest captures. There was a significant positive correlation between capture of males and females on panel traps although not between female captures on panel traps and males captured in pheromone-baited traps for both years suggesting pheromone traps do not accurately reflect either female or male activity. Pheromone trap data of male moths indicated a large peak early in each season corresponding to first flight followed by lower and variable captures that did not clearly indicate second and third flights. Panel trap data, combining males and females, indicated three distinct flights, with some overlap between the second and third flights. Peak captures of moths on panel traps aligned well with predictions of a temperature-based phenology model, especially in 2008. Although effective, panel traps baited with synthetic host lures were time consuming to deploy and maintain and captured relatively few moths making them impractical, with their current design, for commercial purposes.