Auto-confusion trials and mating disruption of Cydia pomonella (L.)in small apple orchards

Abstract: Results of codling moth, Cydia pomonella (L.) (CM), mating disruption trials bymeans of ExosexTM auto-confusion system were reported. Experimental trials were carried out ina 4ha apple orchard (with Annurca and Granny Smith cultivars), located at Dragoni (Campaniaregion, Southern Italy), in 2006 and 2007. Conventional chemical control was applied against thefirst CM generation. In the auto-confusion plot, dispensers consisting of modified delta trapscontaining 2.5g of grade wax powder formulated with 2.5mg of codlemone (E8,E10-dodecadien-1-ol) (EntostatTM) were deployed in June, before the beginning of the second seasonal flight ofC. pomonella. In the conventional plot, 3-4 chemical applications (azinphos-methyl, methomyland phosalone) continued from the end of June until the mid of August.Results indicated that auto-confusion technique reduced the capture of moths in pheromonemonitoring baited traps. During 2006, the percentage of fruits infested by CM larvae at harvestwas higher in the disrupted plot (1%) than in the conventional plot (0.1%), whereas notsignificant differences were observed in 2007 (0.4% vs 0.1%).Our trials showed that, in presence of low level pest population, auto-confusion strategylimited to the second and third flight of C. pomonella in small apple orchards can reduce thenumber of conventional insecticides sprayed per year.