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Behavioral observations of codling moth, Cydia pomonella, in orchards permeated with synthetic pheromone

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Abstract

Mating disruption of codling moth, Cydia pomonella, was studied in apple orchards treated with the main pheromone compound codlemone, (E,E)-8,10-dodecadienol, and a blend of codlemone and codlemone acetate, (E,E)-8,10-dodecadienyl acetate, a strong pheromone antagonist. Codlemone alone and the pheromone/antagonist-blend had a similar effect on the behavior of males emerging into air-permeated orchards. Male flights within tree canopy and upwind orientation along tree rows were strongly enhanced by both formulations, compared to untreated plots. However, the codlemone/codlemone acetate-blend increased the rate of cross-wind and downwind flights within the orchard, compared to codlemone alone. The major difference between these two formulations was that males from nearby, untreated orchards were attracted towards orchards treated with codlemone, but not towards treatments with codlemone/codlemone acetate. Additional tests were done with an equilibrium blend of codlemone and its geometric isomers. Aerial pheromone concentrations in the orchards were recorded by the field electroantennogram technique. Decreasing pheromone concentrations towards the upper part of the tree canopy, together with the stimulation of male flight activity by synthetic pheromone explains failures to control codling moth at high population densities with current dispenser formulations.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Plant Protection Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 23053, Alnarp, Sweden

    Peter Witzgall, Anna-Carin Bäckman, Mats Svensson, Ashraf El-Sayed, Heinrich Arn, Marie Bengtsson & Jan Löfqvist

  2. Department of Biology, University of Kaiserslautern, 67653, Kaiserslautern, Germany

    Uwe Koch

  3. Isagro Ricerca s.r.l., 28100, Novara, Italy

    Franco Rama

  4. Swiss Federal Research Station, 8820, Wädenswil, Switzerland

    Julia Brauchli

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  1. Peter Witzgall
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Witzgall, P., Bäckman, AC., Svensson, M. et al. Behavioral observations of codling moth, Cydia pomonella, in orchards permeated with synthetic pheromone. BioControl 44, 211–237 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1009976600272

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