CONTROL OF ORIENTAL FRUIT MOTH CYDIA MOLESTA AND PEACH TWIG BORER ANARSIA LINEATELLA BY USING PHEROMONE DISPENSERS IN BULGARIA

Abstract

Oriental fruit moth (OFM), Cydia molesta (Busck) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) and peach twig borer (PTB) Anarsia lineatella (Zell) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) are economically important pests of peach, nectarine and apricot in Bulgaria. Their larvae cause damage, infesting shoots and fruits. Investigations were carried out in two fruit-bearing commercial peach orchards in South-East Bulgaria in the Sliven district during the period 2014 -2016. The aim of this study was to test the effectiveness of mating disruption (MD) in control of pests in peach orchards, using CIDETRAK® OFM (Oriental Fruit Moth)/ PTB (peach twig borer) and CIDETRAK® OFM/PTB MESO dispensers. The damage to shoots was evaluated during the first generation of OFM and PTB on 20 trees, randomly selected within the central area of each block. Correspondingly, fruit damage was recorded on 100 fruits per each selected tree; so, 2000 fruits were inspected for damage from both pests in each block. The rate of damaged fruits in the trial plots were compared with that in the reference orchard, located in the vicinity, treated with conventional pesticides. CIDETRAK® OFM/PTB (@400 dispensers/ha) and CIDETRAK® OFM/PTB MESO (@80 and 20 dispensers/ha) completely inhibited C. molesta in the pheromone traps installed in the trial plots, indicating a high level of disruption. The percentage of shoots infested by OFM and PTB larvae was 0% in the MD plots, and the damage rate to fruits was rather low (>1%). The present results do confirm that mating disruption, using CIDETRAK® OFM/PTB and CIDETRAK® OFM/PTB MESO dispensers, can provide a more effective control of both important pests on peach - oriental fruit moth and peach twig borer. The use rate of CIDETRAK® OFM/PTB and CIDETRAK® OFM/PTB MESO dispensers shows that the reduced rate of dispensers does not affect the effectiveness of mating disruption and will help the growers to decrease labour in the field. Applications of these dispensers can provide effective control of oriental fruit moth and peach twig borer, than the conventional protection programmes employed in Bulgaria. This approach to controlling oriental fruit moth and peach twig borer is in line with the recent EU recommendations that emphasize the preservation of the natural environment and production of healthy fruits, with no pesticide residues