The influence of behaviour modifying chemicals on mating success of the red bollworm Diparopsis castanea Hmps. (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae) in Malawi

Abstract

AbstractThe synthetic sex pheromone (dicastalure) of the red bollworm of cotton, Diparopsis castanea Hmps., in Central and Southern Africa, and an inhibitor of male sexual attraction (trans-9-dodecenyl acetate,=IIA), were used in an enclosed 0·2 ha cotton field-cage to reduce successful female matings. Over one month dicastalure at 21·0 and 42·3 g/ha produced average reductions in mating of 47·9% and 72·5% respectively and 37·9 g IIA/ha produced an overall reduction in mating of 71·5%, or 79·5% in released moth populations, over the same period. The proportion of virgin females present in disruption situations was significantly greater than in untreated populations and was density-independent for moth populations of up to 2 200/ha. The proportion of fertile eggs in disruption situations was correspondingly reduced to 30·2% from an average of 67·9% in control cycles. Reduction in sex pheromone trap catches is an unsatisfactory indicator of the extent to which males are prevented from inseminating females and considerably over-estimates the true degree of disruption. This is the first time that a naturally occurring inhibitor has been used successfully to disrupt mating in a field population of insects and it indicates the potential of the method for the control of high density pest populations in cotton. However, use of polyethylene dispensing mechanisms similar to those used in the field-cage disruption experiments would be unsuitable as a practical method of dispensing behaviour modifying chemicals and it is suggested that, for suitably controlled release of such chemicals, currently available microencapsulation technology offers the best prospects.