Mass-trapping the codling moth, Cydia pomonella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), using newly designed light trap reduces fruit damage in apple orchards

A two-year field study was carried out to evaluate the efficacy of mass-trapping of the codling moth, Cydia pomonella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), using newly designed light trap in reducing fruit damage in apple orchards. In both years (2020 and 2021), experiments were conducted in two apple orchards, one of which was located in Antalya (Elmali) province and the other was located in Isparta (Senirkent) province (southwestern part of Turkey). For each of the two years, the study orchards were divided into two equal parts (plots), separating from each other by a guard row; in one of them (termed 'light trap plot'), newly designed light trap was tested and the traps were placed 30 m apart from each other along the outer rows of the plot just above the plant canopy (approximate to 4 m from the ground), using galvanized metal poles. In the other plot (termed 'conventional plot'), conventional control system, based heavily relied on the use of synthetic insecticides, was applied for comparison. In weekly trap checks in the light trap plot of each orchard, total number of adult C. pomonella caught in each trap was recorded. The effectiveness of mass-trapping in reducing fruit damage was evaluated by comparing the percentages of weekly infestation in apple fruits (examining 100 randomly selected fruits on the trees) and the percentages of damaged fruits at harvest in both plots of each orchard. The results demonstrated that mass-trapping of adult C. pomonella using newly designed light trap was effective in reducing fruit damage in both years. Considering the yearly averages, in both 2020 and 2021 significantly lower fruit damages were observed in the light trap plot of the orchards in both Antalya (9.6 and 7.8%) and Isparta (8.8 and 7.3%) than in their conventional plots (10.2 and 9.4% in Antalya, 7.5 and 9.1% in Isparta, respectively). Mass-trapping adult C. pomonella using newly designed light trap seems to be an effective tool for the integrated pest management (IPM) of C. pomonella in apple orchards.