Evaluation of mating disruption of light brown apple moth (Epiphyas postvittana) in California nurseries

The recent invasion of the Light Brown Apple Moth (LBAM) into California severely threatens the viability of California's $ 3.8 billion ornamental nursery industry. A cost effective, long-term strategy to manage this pest must be developed. Mating disruption with pheromones can be a useful tool to manage tortricid moths in large commercial orchards and vineyards. Contiguous pheromone-treated areas over 4 hectares are generally understood to facilitate successful mating disruption. In addition, mating disruption, using commercially available pheromones, has proven to be an effective tool to control LBAM in commercial vineyards and citrus crops in New Zealand and Australia. However, it is unknown that mating disruption could be beneficial in commercial ornamental nurseries along the central coast of California where these nurseries have highly diverse crops, are commonly surrounded by native or landscape hosts, and are generally less than 4 hectares. The goal of this research was to evaluate the effectiveness of mating disruption to control LBAM populations in these nurseries and conditions. In 2009, LBAM was monitored in 3 commercial nurseries with LBAM pheromone, bait traps, and UV light traps in and outside of the nursery perimeters. In 2010 mating disruption experiments were established at these nurseries using Isomate LBAM Plus twist ties at maximum registered rates of 741 per hectare. The effectiveness of mating disruption was evaluated by monitoring bait bucket and pheromone traps in and outside of the treated areas. Trapped female moths were dissected and determined if they were mated. Results will be presented and management implications addressed.