High versus ultra-low volume spraying of a microencapsulated pheromone formulation for codling moth control in two apple cultivars

Abstract

Mating disruption is the controlled release of sufficiently large quantities of insect sex pheromones into the air, using pheromone dispensers, so as to disrupt the ability of males to locate and mate with females. Current microencapsulated sprayable pheromone formulations for codling moth have limited residual activity, but applying sufficient amount of microcapsules in the canopy can enhance their disruption efficacy. For this purpose, the effect of spray volume and apple cultivar on the number of pheromone microcapsules was studied in 2006 and 2007. Sprayable pheromone was applied at a rate of 25 g a.i./ha either in high-volume (768 l water/ha) or ultra-low volume (24 l water/ha) sprays with an airblast sprayer. The low-volume application deposited significantly more microcapsules per cm 2 leaf, which was particularly evident in the upper tree canopy and on the undersides of the leaves. Microcapsule retention also significantly differed between 'Fuji' and 'Granny Smith' fruits treated with lowvolume application. Our results suggest that spray volume and pressure reductions can increase the number of microcapsules deposited on leaves and fruits. Varying the leaf and fruit retention characteristics of cultivars may also influence the use of sprayable pheromones in mixed cultivar orchards.

The Control of Codling Moth (Cydia Pomonella L.) Population Using Mating Disruption Method

“…Another limitation of widespread use of mating disruption technique in orchards is also the high cost of products and the need for manual application of dispensers. However, replacement of manual application by production and use of the product as capsules for orchard spraying could reduce the cost of treatment (Kovanci et al 2010;Witzgall et al 2008).…”

Feeding and oviposition deterrent activities of microencapsulated cardamom oleoresin and eucalyptol against Cydia pomonella

“…Low volume sprays have a lower application cost than high volume sprays due to the lower volume of the mix being applied. Besides the cost-effectiveness for the grower, the low volume solution is also effective thanks to the deposition of large microcapsule clumps on the tree canopy (Knight et al, 2008;Kovanci et al, 2010).…”

“…In Northwestern Turkey, there are two generations of codling moth each year (Kovanci et al, 2010). In order to manage codling moth populations, a total of four applications, two against first generation and two against secondgeneration codling moth, were made at 2-wk intervals for all treatments.…”

“…Low-volume applications have proven successful in placing microencapsulated pheromone formulations on target more effectively and economically than high-volume applications (Knight et al, 2008;Kovanci et al, 2010). So far, however, no study has examined the performance of microencapsulated essential oils and oleoresins applied at an ultra-low volume rate of less than 50 L water ha -1 for tree crops.…”

Variation in damage levels by codling moth to ten applecultivars in an organic orchard in Poland

“…Commercial apple plantings are composed of a mixture of varieties, affecting the attraction of codling moth adults as well as the efficacy of control against codling moth (Sutherland et al, 1977;Kovanci et al, 2010). For example, Sutherland et al (1977) found that apple cultivar Dunn's Favourite, Granny Smith, Golden Delicious, and Delicious are more preferred by the codling moth during the first generation and the apple cultivars Granny Smith, Sturmer, and Jonathan are preferred in the second generation.…”