Mating Disruption of the Grape Berry Moth, Paralobesia viteana , 1 with Pheromone Released from Hollow Fibers 2

Abstract

A single treatment of grape berry moth, Paralobesia viteana , pheromone ( Z -9-dodecenyl acetate) released from hollow fiber strips at the rate of 2 mg/h/ha ^−l (50 fibers/vine) or at ½ that rate (50 fibers on alternate vines) effected a calculated 99.5% and 97.5% reduction in male orientation to pheromone traps, respectively, over the entire period of adult activity (105 days). Berry damage was 0.4 and 0.6%, respectively, compared to a check plot with 1.7% damage. Two applications of single chopped fibers to maintain a pheromone-release rate of 2 mg/h/ha ^−l gave a calculated 92.7% reduction in male orientation and resulting berry damage of 1.9%, compared to 8.5% in the check plot. Tests with shielded and exposed fibers showed that exposed fibers were as effective over the 12-wk test period as shielded fibers, and that fibers placed on alternate vines to give a release rate of 1 mg/h/ha ^−l were as effective in orientation disruption as fibers on every vine with an overall release rate of 2 mg/h/ha ^−l .