Communication disruption of light brown apple moth (Epiphyas postvittana) using a four-component sex pheromone blend

A new four-component sex pheromone blend for light brown apple moth (Epiphyas postvittana) was examined for efficacy of communication disruption in laboratory and field trials. Vineyard trials using SPLAT LBAM™ examined disruption of traps in the presence of: a) the current two-component ((E)-11-tetradecenyl acetate and (E,E)-9,11-tetradecadienyl acetate, 95:5), b) a new four-component blend ((E)-11-tetradecenyl acetate and (E,E)-9,11-tetradecadienyl acetate plus (E)-11-tetradecen-1-ol and (E)-11-hexadecenyl acetate (10:0.5:0.1:0.05)), c) higher ratio of the two new compounds (10:0.5:10:10), d) four compounds with an antagonist ((Z)-11-tetradecenyl acetate) added, e) three compounds with antagonist minus the most expensive component ((E,E)-9,11-tetradecadienyl acetate), compared to f) untreated controls. In the laboratory, 69.0% of untreated pairs mated, and communication was suppressed by both attractive blends (41.1% communication (P = 0.024, two-component blend), and 18.4% communication (P = 0.003, four-component blend)). In vineyards, totals of 24,776 and 41,053 male moths were caught in the two trials, respectively, to delta traps baited with four-component lures and virgin females. Communication disruption was achieved at a higher level with a four-component blend for 13/14 weeks in disruption trial one and for 10/10 weeks in disruption trial two, compared with the two-component blend. Disruption was on average improved by 12% with the four-component blend compared to the two-component blend (P = 0.091). Other blends were less effective at communication disruption. The best formulation released from SPLAT™ was only weakly attractive compared to rubber septa, so false trail following to point sources was unlikely to be as important as other mechanisms.

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► We tested a new pheromone blend against light brown apple moth.
► (E)-11-14:Ac, (E,E)-9,11-14:Ac, (E)-11-14:OH, and (E)-11-16:Ac (10:0.5:0.1:0.05).
► 4-part sex pheromone was more disruptive to traps and females in vineyards.
► Disruption was improved by 12% with the 4-component blend > 2-component blend.