Control of oriental fruit moth Cydia molesta and peach twig borer Anarsia lineatella by using CIDETRAK® OFM/PTB and CIDETRAK® OFM/PTB MESO dispensers, in Bulgaria

Abstract: Oriental fruit moth (OFM), Cydia molesta (Busck) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) and peach twig borer (PTB) Anarsia lineatella (Zell.) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) are economically important pests of peach, nectarine and apricot in Bulgaria. Their larvae cause damage infesting shoots and fruits. Investigations were carried out in two fruit-bearing commercial peach orchards in the south-eastern Bulgaria in the Sliven district during the period 2014-2016. The aim of this study was to test the effectiveness of mating disruption (MD) in management of OFM and PTB in peach orchards, using CIDETRAK® OFM/PTB and CIDETRAK® OFM/PTB MESO dispensers from Trécé Inc., USA. The damage to shoots was evaluated during the first generations of OFM and PTB on 20 trees, randomly selected within the central area of each block. Correspondingly, fruit damage was recorded on 100 fruits per each selected tree for 2000 fruits being inspected for damage from both pests in each block. The rate of damaged fruits in the trial plots were compared with that in the reference orchard, located in the vicinity, treated with conventional pesticides. CIDETRAK® OFM/PTB applied at 400 dispensers/ha and CIDETRAK® OFM/PTB MESO at 80 and 20 dispensers per ha completely inhibited OFM captures in the pheromone traps installed in the trial plots, indicating a high level of disruption. The percentage of shoots infested by OFM and PTB larvae was nil in the MD plots. The damage rate to fruits in the MD plots was rather low, below 1%. Presented results confirm that mating disruption, using CIDETRAK® OFM/PTB and CIDETRAK® OFM/PTB MESO dispensers can provide a more effective control of both important pests on peach – oriental fruit moth and peach twig borer. The used rate of CIDETRAK® OFM/PTB and CIDETRAK® OFM/PTB MESO dispensers shows the reduced rate of dispensers does not affect the effectiveness of mating disruption and will help growers to decrease labour in the field. Applications of these dispensers provide effective control of oriental fruit moth and peach twig borer, with better results than the conventional protection programs employed in Bulgaria. This approach to control oriental fruit moth and peach twig borer is in line with the recent EU recommendations emphasizing the preservation of the natural environment and production of healthy fruits, with no pesticide residues.