Chemical Control of Codling Moth, Cydia pomonella L. (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) in Relation to Pheromone Trap Catches and Degree Days in Upland Balochistan

The present study was aimed to protect apple crop from codling moth (Cydia pomonella) attack and to expand its production in the region. Study was conducted over two years (2010 and 2011) in apple field to evaluate number and proper time of pesticides application to kill maximum larvae of moth. Three chemicals, Lorsban (Chlorpyrifos), Match (Lufenuron) and Talstar (Bifenthrin) were used. Pheromone traps together with degree days (degrees DD) were utilized to monitor moth population and to time pesticides sprays. degrees DD was calculated using 10 degrees C as lower developmental threshold (base temperature) to examine their effect on flight activity of the moth. Result of analyzed data showed highly significant differences between generations and treatments at P- value < 0.01 in 2010 and 2011. All the three chemicals significantly controlled infestation compared with control (un-treated). A significant difference was observed between Lorsban and Talstar for three timely sprays in 2010. Treatments with Lorsban at 80% petal fall gave efficient control than peak emergence and 5 moths trapped per week methods in both years of this study. Flight activity of first and second generation moths in pheromone trap was observed at 97.04 and 663.04 degrees DD in 2010 respectively. First flight of the successive two generations in 2011 was recorded at 97.66 and 707.93 degrees DD respectively. The overall population of moth captured in pheromone traps was higher in the first year than in the second year. The results of the two years study demonstrate that application of 3 to 4 timely sprays (combined with monitoring moth traps and degrees DD) per year effectively control the larval infestation of C. pomonellat in field.