The biological efficacy of pear ester on the activity of Granulosis virus for codling moth

Abstract

Ethyl (E,Z)-2,4-decadienoate (pear ester) is an adult and larval kairomonal attractant for Cydia pomonella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). The possibility of using a microencapsulated formulation of pear ester (DA-MEC, a.i. 5%, Trécé Inc.) to interfere with the host location behaviour was evaluated. Laboratory leaf disc bioassays and field efficacy trials were carried out on apple to determine the potential of improving the insecticidal performance of the granulovirus of C. pomonella (CpGV) by co-mixing with pear ester in a sprayable formulation. In laboratory bioassays, adding DA-MEC at low doses of CpGV insecticide increased the larval mortality as a function of time. The field tests performed revealed a significant effect of the blank DA-MEC formulation in reducing fruit injury compared to an unsprayed control.

Evaluation of novel semiochemical dispensers simultaneously releasing pear ester and sex pheromone for mating disruption of codling moth (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae)

“…More recently, the use of pear ester plus acetic acid was found to be an effective non-pheromone lure that can enhance growers' ability to monitor female moths (Landolt et al 2007;Knight 2010). The attraction of C. pomonella larvae to pear ester has been used to improve the efficacy of some insecticides by increasing wandering time and exposure to residues prior to fruit penetration (Arthurs et al 2007;Light 2007;Schmidt et al 2008;Light and Beck 2010).…”

Combining Mutualistic Yeast and Pathogenic Virus — A Novel Method for Codling Moth Control

“…Addition of α-farnesene slightly improved the effect of CpGV (Ballard et al 2000b), pear ester reduced injury in walnuts (Light and Knight, 2011), but not in apple and pear (Arthurs et al, 2007;Schmidt et al, 2008).…”

“…Efforts to improve the performance of CpGV have attempted to increase virus exposure and ingestion through attractants and feeding stimulants, before larvae penetrate the fruit Ballard et al 2000a,b). However, plant volatiles which attract codling moth neonates (Sutherland and Hutchins, 1972;Knight and Light, 2001) or larval feeding stimulants, molasses or sugars, have shown only limited or no effect (Ballard et al, 2000b;Arthurs et al, 2007;Schmidt et al, 2008;Light and Knight, 2011).…”

Integrated management of tortricid pests of tree fruit

“…In general, pear ester significantly improved the performance of synthetic insecticides with residual effectiveness and also reduced nut injury by the navel orangeworm, Amyelois transitella Walker, in walnut (Light and Knight 2011). Results with pear ester in both laboratory and field trials with insecticides requiring ingestion even when used with purported feeding stimulants have been more variable (Arthurs et al 2007b;Schmidt et al 2008;Light and Knight 2011;Knight and Witzgall 2013;Knight et al 2015).…”

“…A second approach to improve the performance of CpGV has been the addition of feeding stimulants, and have included sugary baits, non-nutritive sugar substitutes, that is monosodium glutamate, and the amino acid, L-aspartate (Ballard et al 2000a,b;Brown 2002, 2004;Arnault et al 2016). Results from several studies examining the potential of using pear ester in both apple and pear to enhance CpGV have been inconsistent (Arthurs et al 2007b;Schmidt et al 2008;Knight et al 2015). However, field studies showed that the activity of CpGV could be enhanced by adding either the common brewer yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae Meyen ex E. C. Hansen, or one of several yeasts isolated from field-collected larvae in combination with brown cane sugar (Knight and Witzgall 2013;Knight et al 2015).…”