Mating Disruption of the Olive Moth Prays oleae (Bernard) in Olive Groves Using Aerosol Dispensers

Abstract

The olive moth (OM), Prays oleae (Bern.) (Lepidoptera: Yponomeutidae), is a major olive grove pest worldwide; however, until now, very few studies have investigated the effectiveness of mating disruption (MD) techniques against this pest. Experiments were carried out for two successive years (2019 and 2020) in three different olive groves in Andalucía (Southern Spain) to evaluate mating disruption’s efficacy in controlling the OM from the first to the third generation. The effectiveness of MD formulations against the three generations of OM was assessed by determining the percentage of infested olive fruits, the reduction of pheromone trap catches, and the number of affected inflorescences in both MD-treated and untreated control olive groves. The number of release points (one or two aerosol devices per ha) was also evaluated. In all years and trials, the mean number of males caught in traps placed in the MD-treated plots was significantly lower than untreated sites. Mating disruption registered a high suppression of male captures (>75%) in treated plots for two consecutive seasons. Concerning infested olive fruits, substantial reductions (about 80%) were observed in the MD plots of locations B and C, and a reduction of about 40% was detected in location A, compared to the control plot. Results showed that the installation of two aerosol devices/ha reduced fruit damage below 20% of infested olive fruits except for one site where a reduction of about 71% in the MD plot was recorded in 2019. Although few significant differences were associated with OM male catches and infested olive fruits between plots treated with one aerosol/ha and two aerosols/ha in most of the comparisons, significant differences in the number of olive inflorescences infested by P. oleae were found, suggesting a similar performance between the two tested aerosol densities. Results of two-year field trials in Andalucía demonstrated the potential of Mister P X841 aerosol devices as an effective tool for controlling the olive moth, P. oleae.

Sex Pheromone Aerosol Emitters for Lobesia botrana Mating Disruption in Italian Vineyards

“…A substantial improvement in pest control strategies through the use of advanced aerosol emitters has been reported for several pests [ 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 ]. For instance, Burks and Thomson [ 32 ] investigated two aerosol emitter densities (2.5 and 5 units/ha) and different spraying frequencies for the management of Amyelois transitella (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) in almond and pistachio orchards; using aerosols for A. transitella MD improved cost-effectiveness compared to early MD systems.…”

Current Status of the Main Olive Pests: Useful Integrated Pest Management Strategies and Genetic Tools

“…Similarly, the moth pest has traditionally been controlled with insecticides such as pyrethroids, neonicotinoids, and organophosphates, sometimes combined with the release of natural enemies [10]. However, effectiveness is compromised because after the eggs hatch, carpophagous and anthophagous larvae live in the buds, flowers, and fruits [57].…”

Insights Into Chemosensory Proteins From Non-Model Insects: Advances and Perspectives in the Context of Pest Management

“…Recently, sex pheromone-baited traps (( Z , Z )-7,10-hexadecadienal) were designed for monitoring the apple orchard pest Chilecomadia valdiviana , certainly a non-model insect ( Barros-Parada et al, 2021 ). The mating disruption technique has also been used against the olive moth Prays oleae to suppress damage in olives ( Ortiz et al, 2021 ). The authors’ findings suggest that aerosol-type traps could yield >75% of male captures and 20% less damage in olives.…”