Effect of trap colour, installation height and size on insect capture in grapevine (Vitis vinifera) ecosystem

Effects of optimum colour, installation height and size of sticky traps were studied for monitoring insects in grapes.Aphis spp., Amrasca biguttula biguttula Ishida, Rhipiphorothrips cruentatus Hood, Scirtothrips dorsalis Hood andStethorus rani Kapur were the major insect species trapped. Yellow was most effective colour for trapping all thesefive insect species as compared to blue. Optimum installation height was at near-ground for Aphis spp. and A. biguttula biguttula and above-canopy for S. rani. Optimum size of traps was found to be 11×30 square cm over 22×30 square cm sizes. When analysed for interaction effects, yellow sticky traps of 11×30 square cm installed at near-ground level provided most effective trapping for A. biguttula biguttula (1.47, 2.46 and 1.22 and 1.14, 2.12 and 0.95 catches per cell during 2011-12, 2012 and 2012-13 in bower and Y, respectively) and Aphis spp. (5.92, 0.37 and 1.42 and 4.31, 0.37 and 1.11 catches per cell during 2011-12, 2012 and 2012-13 in bower and Y, respectively). Yellow sticky traps (11×30 square cm size) installed at above-canopy were most effective in trapping R. cruentatus (0.03, 0.86 and 0.47 catches per cell during 2011-12, 2012 and 2012-13) in Y system, however at near-ground in bower system (0.92 and 0.727 catches per cell during 2012 and 2012-13). Yellow sticky traps installed at above-canopy were most effective in trapping S. rani in both bower (0.027 and 0.010 catches per cell during 2011-12 and 2012-13) and Y system (0.058 and 0.007 catches per cell during 2011-12 and 2012-13).