Confuse-OFM is an experimental paraffin emulsion pheromone dispenser for mating disruption of the Oriental fruit moth, Grapholita molesta (Busck). This dispenser was applied at two heights within tree canopies, the first lying within the top third of the canopy and the second, lying within the bottom third of the canopy. Oriental fruit moths were monitored using lure-baited traps deployed at the two dispenser heights and virgin female-baited traps placed at a 1.5 m to 2 m height in small plot trials. The experiment was conducted in two apple and two peach orchards, each containing trees of a different size and canopy shape. Results examined the relationship between treatments and G. molesta injury levels.
Data from lure-baited traps suggest that in particular canopy environments, G. molesta are more likely to be found high in the tree canopy. Furthermore, in the taller apple trees, more moths were caught at the height away from the dispenser than at the dispenser height. This difference was more pronounced when the dispenser was placed at the low height in the tree canopy. In the peach trees, moths were caught at the low height when the dispenser was placed high within the tree canopy; few or no moths were caught at either height when the dispenser was placed at the low height. Data from virgin female-baited traps showed that in all trials, more male moths were caught in untreated plots than in pheromone-treated plots, but there was no difference in numbers of moths caught with respect to dispenser height.
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