Articles
Pilot-scale field trial of sterile insect technique for codling moth management in walnut orchards
Article number
1420_39
Pages
299 – 308
Language
English
Abstract
The sterile insect technique (SIT) is a powerful control strategy that has been successfully applied for the suppression of major insect pests.
Since 1990, SIT has been efficiently used as a part of Area-Wide Integrated Pest Management (A-W IPM) of the codling moth Cydia pomonella in apple orchards.
Although codling moth is also a major pest for walnut production worldwide, the potential of SIT as a control strategy of codling moths in walnut orchards has not been evaluated.
A pilot-scale field trial was carried out in walnut orchards to test an integrative approach of codling moth control implying SIT as a main strategy.
Sterile moths were produced locally, and different strategies of release were tested under walnut production systems in the Isère valley in France.
Mixed-sex sterile moths were released on a weekly basis on 4 sites covering a total area of 20 ha.
A release density of 1000-2000 sterile moths ha‑1 week‑1 was maintained from April to September.
On each site, wild and sterile population of moth were monitored using pheromone-baited traps.
The average dispersion of sterile codling moths in the orchards was around 50 m week‑1, and they survived up to 4 weeks after release.
The mean ratio of sterile to wild moths was higher than 40:1 and varied between the four sites and between seasons, with the highest ratios observed in spring and autumn.
Under all management strategies (conventional, mating disruption or unmanaged), wild population density and codling moth damage did not differ significantly between SIT-treated plots and control plots). The present field trial is the first to evaluate the feasibility of SIT as a key control strategy of codling moths in commercial walnut orchards.
Although our field trial did not show a significant impact of sterile releases on codling moth control, our findings suggest that SIT can be used in combination with other alternative control methods is a promising strategy to improve the efficiency of IPM of codling moths and reduce the need for insecticides applications.
Since 1990, SIT has been efficiently used as a part of Area-Wide Integrated Pest Management (A-W IPM) of the codling moth Cydia pomonella in apple orchards.
Although codling moth is also a major pest for walnut production worldwide, the potential of SIT as a control strategy of codling moths in walnut orchards has not been evaluated.
A pilot-scale field trial was carried out in walnut orchards to test an integrative approach of codling moth control implying SIT as a main strategy.
Sterile moths were produced locally, and different strategies of release were tested under walnut production systems in the Isère valley in France.
Mixed-sex sterile moths were released on a weekly basis on 4 sites covering a total area of 20 ha.
A release density of 1000-2000 sterile moths ha‑1 week‑1 was maintained from April to September.
On each site, wild and sterile population of moth were monitored using pheromone-baited traps.
The average dispersion of sterile codling moths in the orchards was around 50 m week‑1, and they survived up to 4 weeks after release.
The mean ratio of sterile to wild moths was higher than 40:1 and varied between the four sites and between seasons, with the highest ratios observed in spring and autumn.
Under all management strategies (conventional, mating disruption or unmanaged), wild population density and codling moth damage did not differ significantly between SIT-treated plots and control plots). The present field trial is the first to evaluate the feasibility of SIT as a key control strategy of codling moths in commercial walnut orchards.
Although our field trial did not show a significant impact of sterile releases on codling moth control, our findings suggest that SIT can be used in combination with other alternative control methods is a promising strategy to improve the efficiency of IPM of codling moths and reduce the need for insecticides applications.
Publication
Authors
G. Zriki, J.-M. Leyre, S. Blachon, J.B. Philibert, J.-M. Ricard, A. Verhaeghe
Keywords
Cydia pomonella, moths, biocontrol, IPM
Groups involved
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