SENSITIVITY OF BLUEBERRY LEAFTIER MOTHS (LEPIDOPTERA: TORTRICIDAE) (KEARFOTT) TO THEIR OWN SEX PHEROMONE: MATING BIOASSAY, ELECTROANTENNOGRAM, AND TRAP ATTRACTANCY STUDIES

Abstract

AbstractA mating suppression bioassay, an electroantennogram study, and a lure attractancy study demonstrated the sensitivity of theCroesia curvalana(Kft.) moth to the female sex pheromone. Mating suppression of 98% was achieved with source concentrations of 30 μg of either (E)- and (Z)-11-tetradecenal (95:5) or the natural pheromone blend of (E)- and (Z)-11-tetradecenal (90:10) + (E)- and (Z)-11-tetradecenyl acetate (85:15) (aldehyde:acetate = 9:1), and was 60% with a source concentration of 0.6 μg. Source concentrations of the minor component acetate, ranging from 15 to 0.6 μg, produced mating suppressions of from 78 to 38%. Male antennae responded to source concentrations of 2 × 10−10mg (E)- and (Z)-11-tetradecenal (90:10) and antennal saturation occurred at 2 × 10−4mg. Little female response was found at any age. Polyvinyl chloride lures releasing 1–2 ng/h captured males at approximately the same rate as did virgin moths. Release rates as low as 8 ng/h reduced trap capture from the 4 ng/h release rate found to be most effective under prevailing environmental conditions using Pherocon 1C traps. Results from these studies suggestC.curvalanacould be a candidate for pheromone-based field mating suppression.