Pheromone mating disruption of Cydia latiferreana (Tortricidae), filbertworm moth, in commercial hazelnut orchards

Oregon supplies the United States with nearly 100% of its hazelnuts. Currently, the key pest threatening commercial hazelnut orchards in Oregon is Cydia latiferreana (Tortricidae), filbertworm moth (FBW). The current method of control for this pest is applications of Esfenvalerate (Asana XL), a broad-spectrum pyrethroid. Based on the success of using pheromone mating disruption to control Cydia pomonella, codling moth, a taxonomically related generalist pest, it was hypothesized that similar methods could be used to control FBW. A synthetic pheromone was tested in commercial hazelnut orchards located in the Willamette Valley of Oregon for two growing seasons, 2009 and 2010. Ring and twin-tube dispensers containing synthetic FBW sex pheromone were placed in two orchards at three densities (high, low, and untreated control). Sticky traps containing septa of synthetic sex pheromone at two concentrations (1x and 10x) were placed in each test plot. Traps containing live female FBW adults were placed in each test plot to monitor for behavior change in adult male moths. Based on the data collected from the first season, mating disruption by use of synthetic pheromone showed promise but was still inconclusive. Sticky trap counts suggested that the pheromone might have influenced behavior change in males. Hazelnuts from the test plots were examined for FBW infestation, which was less <1% in all test plots. Data collection and analysis will be completed Fall 2010.