A potential mating disruption system for three New Zealand leafroller species

A dispenser incorporating a pheromone blend to disrupt three species of New Zealand leafrollers was developed for their control in Otago summerfruit orchards This control system was evaluated for suppression of leafroller activity in Hawkes Bay apple and summerfruit orchards over 2 years In 20078 dispensers were applied at 6001000/ha in two large organic apple orchards and activity of all three species in pheromone traps was recorded Dispensers achieved only 738 and 61 shutdown of lightbrown apple moth pheromone traps in Orchards A and B respectively Dispensers were modified to increase disruption of this species and were evaluated in similar trials on the same orchards in 20089 and achieved 984 and 909 trap shutdown respectively The same dispenser was also evaluated on four summerfruit orchards where it was applied to 1 ha plots in January 2009 at 1000 dispensers/ha Pheromone trap catches of lightbrown apple moth were reduced by 833100 over the following 3 months Further assessment of this multiple species mating disruption system is required to determine its value in managing the fruit damage and larval infestation risks to meet export market tolerances