Comparing mating disruption of codling moth with standard and meso dispensers loaded with pear ester and codlemone

Abstract: Studies were conducted with hand-applied combo dispensers loaded with the sex pheromone (E,E)-8,10-dodecadien-1-ol (codlemone), and the pear volatile, (E,Z)-2,4-decadienoate (pear ester) for control of codling moth, Cydia pomonella (L.) in apple, Malus domestica Bordkhausen during 2012. Two types of combo dispensers were tested. CM Combo was loaded with 75 and 55 mg of codlemone and pear ester, respectively; and was applied at 800 dispensers ha-1. CM Meso Combo dispensers were applied at 80 dispensers ha-1 and were loaded with 10X rates of each component in the same ratio. Combo dispensers were compared with CM Meso dispensers loaded with 750 mg codlemone and applied at 80 ha-1. No significant differences were found among the three treatments in the mean levels of fruit injury, the virginity of trapped females, and total and female moth catches in traps baited with codlemone and pear ester combo lures and an acetic acid co-lure in the second half of the field season. However, during the first moth flight period blocks treated with the CM Meso dispensers had significantly higher levels of female virginity and had significantly lower levels of fruit injury than the other two dispenser treatments. In addition, combo lures loaded with either pear ester or (E)-4,8-dimethyl-1,3,7-nonatriene and used with acetic acid co-lures caught similar numbers of total and female moths in blocks treated with either combo dispenser.