ISHS Acta Horticulturae 730: VI International Symposium on Artichoke, Cardoon and Their Wild Relatives
FIELD EVALUATION OF INTEGRATED MATING DISRUPTION TECHNIQUE USING 'SUTTERA PUFFERS® APM' FOR THE SUPPRESSION OF THE PRIMARY PEST OF ARTICHOKES, THE ARTICHOKE PLUME MOTH, PLATYPTILIA CARDUIDACTYLA (RILEY) |
| Author: | M.A. Mohammad Bari |
| Keywords: | artichoke plume moth, integrated mating disruption, Suterra puffers |
| Abstract:
Artichoke plume moth is a major limiting factor in the production of artichokes on central coast of California. For its control, the artichoke growers have relied solely on conventional, broad-spectrum insecticides. In a 4-year pilot project starting at the beginning of the 2001-2002 cropping season, we evaluated the mating disruption technique for the integrated management of APM utilizing the Suterra Puffer® to dispense the synthetic sex pheromone. In the fourth year (2004-05) of evaluation, the annual bud infestation was reduced by 58% in the fields using the pheromone puffers in conjunction with conventional insecticides as compared to the fields under conventional chemical control program. This level of reduction appears to be economically unsatisfactory. However, the infestation data collected over the 4-year period indicated a parallel and significant decrease in bud infestation in the conventional field also, suggesting that the pheromone puffers affected APM populations beyond the borders of the intended field. Thus, comparing the infestation data from- the first and the last year of the project, the reduction in economic loss was 88%. From this perspective, the integrated mating disruption technique by the use of Suterra Puffers appears economically feasible. | |
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