Area-wide approach for improved control of oriental fruit moth Grapholita molesta (Busck) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) by mating disruption.

An area-wide mating disruption approach was employed to improve the protection of pome and stone fruit orchards against migration, edge damage and outbreaks of oriental fruit moth. The experiment started in the 1997-98 season, with an area of over 800 hectares comprised of 18 orchards treated with mating disruption in northern Victoria, Australia. The treated area was expanded in the 1998-99 season to encompass an area of over 1,100 hectares comprised of 40 orchards. Mating disruption dispensers were applied to every fruit tree in the area including not only peach and nectarine orchards disrupted in previous years, but also pear, apple, apricot and plum orchards where growers had not previously used mating disruption. Detailed monitoring of oriental fruit moth population and shoot tip and fruit damage indicated that application of area-wide mating disruption during two consecutive seasons provided sufficient control of oriental fruit moth. The areawide mating disruption program in the first year helped growers to reduce the number of insecticide sprays by half and in the second year, most of the growers did not spray against oriental fruit moth. Hot spots and edge infestations of oriental fruit moth were reduced or eliminated through use of the area-wide approach.