Disruption of mating in codling moth (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) by chlorantranilipole, an anthranilic diamide insecticide

The influence of the anthranilic diamide insecticide chlorantranilipole (DPX-E2Y45; Rynaxypyr (TM)) against the adult stage of codling moth, Cydia pomonella L., was examined. Insecticide residues in plastic cups sprayed with 56mg Al L-1 (equivalent to the recommended field rate) had a minimal effect on adult survival or fecundity, but significantly fewer female moths were mated in treated than in untreated cups. Similar results were found in field studies with adults placed in screened cages on treated apple foliage for up to 3 weeks. Mating was disrupted when either sex was topically dosed with technical material (0.01-0.1 mu g). Males were more sensitive to the disruptive effects of chlorantranilipole than females. A 2 h exposure significantly reduced male activity (walking and wing fanning), but not female calling. A 25h exposure significantly reduced the activity of both sexes. The proportion of males landing near a sex pheromone source in a flight tunnel was significantly reduced following exposures of 2-4 h and completely eliminated following a 17 h exposure. Male moths partially recovered from either topical or residual exposure to chlorantranilipole, but the extent of their recovery was dose and time dependent. Male response to sex pheromone recovered within 2 h following a 4 h exposure, but following a 17 h exposure only a partial recovery occurred after 48 h. Mating by moth pairs exposed to chlorantranilipole residues for 24 h did not significantly increase during recovery periods of 24-96 h, except in cups treated with 10% of the standard concentration. The proportion of field-collected female codling moths caught in pear ester-baited traps that were mated was significantly lower in apple orchards treated season-long with chlorantranilipole compared with females caught in either untreated orchards or those treated with sex pheromones to cause mating disruption. (c) 2006 Society of Chemical Industry.