Mating disruption of codling moth with a continuous adhesive tape carrying high densities of pheromone dispensers

A new mating disruption approach, EcoTape FTF, has been recently developed for codling moth Cydia pomonella (L.) control. EcoTape is a continuous adhesive tape (500 or 625 in long, 1 cm wide) with dispensers (3-cm length and each with 2.5 mg codlemone) at 0.6 m spacing. The tape is unrolled through the canopy row providing high densities of sex pheromone dispensers (from 2,000 to 5,000 dispensers/ha). The release rate of new and field-aged dispensers, measured by solid-phase micro-extraction (SPME), decreased over time but at the end of the season individual dispensers still emitted more codlemone than the amount reported for a codling moth calling female. Single dispensers elicited close-range approaches and touchings by males in a wind tunnel. In the field, traps containing aged EcoTape dispensers captured similar numbers of males throughout the season to traps containing standard monitoring rubber septum lures. The attractiveness both in wind tunnel and in the field suggests that EcoTape dispensers may satisfy some of the prerequisites for producing a false-trail following (FTF) effect on C. pomonella males. The results of field trials (2004-2007) demonstrated that the application of EcoTape can control codling moth throughout the season under the climatic conditions of northern Italy with an efficacy comparable with those of conventional strategies based on chemicals and pheromones.