Codling moth/Oriental fruit moth dual species membrane pheromone dispenser
In the early 2000s, severe outbreaks of codling moth, oriental fruit moth, and lesser appleworm began to occur in apple and peach production regions in western NY. These outbreaks caused severe financial losses to growers because numerous loads of apples were rejected for fresh or processing markets. Initial studies conducted showed that neither the currently available organophosphate-based technology nor programs relying on more selective reduced-risk products were providing adequate, cost-effective control of these pests in high-risk commercial orchards within these outbreak areas. To investigate new approaches to managing this pest complex, we conducted a number of assessments of the different pheromone dispensing technologies available, to determine their potential usefulness in controlling internal-feeding worms in NY orchards. Our approach was to run side-by-side comparison plots of the different pheromone products on commercial farms judged to be at various levels of risk for this type of pest attack.
Codling moth larva
The products evaluated included twin-tube ties, controlled-release membrane systems, meso-emitter type packets, sprayable flakes, micro-encapsulated formulations, and mechanically applied products such as a sprayable paraffin-based matrix and automated aerosol dispensers. These tactics were integrated with a sequential fruit sampling procedure to assess the need and timing for directed pesticide sprays directed against specific generations of these species.
Additional studies have focused on the use of mating disruption for management of dogwood borer in apples and peachtree borers in peaches.
Publications & Resources
- Kain, D. and A. Agnello. 2011. Controlling dogwood borer using a new sex pheromone blend to disrupt mating. NY Fruit Quarterly 19 (1): 21–24.
Codling moth adult
- Breth, D. I., A. De Marree, A. Agnello, and E. Tee. 2010. Area-wide mating disruption of codling moth in New York. NY Fruit Quarterly 18 (4): 19–23.
- Kain, D. and A. Agnello. 2010. Controlling dogwood borer using an antagonistic sex pheromone blend to disrupt mating. NY Fruit Quarterly 18 (3): 23–24.
- Agnello, A., and H. Reissig. 2009. Mechanically applied pheromone products for mating disruption of codling moth and oriental fruit moth in apples. NY Fruit Quarterly 17 (1): 3-8.
- Agnello, A., J. Nyrop, H. Reissig, and D. Straub. 2003. Multi-species pheromone disruption in orchards under a selective pesticide program. New York Fruit Quarterly 11 (1): 17-19.
- Agnello, A. M., and D. I. Breth. 2002. Pheromone disruption of oriental fruit moth in New York peaches. N.Y. Fruit Quarterly 10 (1): 23–25.
- Agnello, A. M. and D. P. Kain. 2002. Evaluation of Pheromone Disruption in Combination with Insecticide Applications for Control of Peachtree Borers in Peaches. N.Y. Fruit Quarterly 10 (1): 29–31.
