REDIA (2002) 85, 155-171

A. Binazzi, F. Pennacchio and V. Francardi (2002)
The use of sex pheromones of Matsucoccus species (Homoptera Margarodidae) for monitoring and mass trapping of M. feytaudi Ducasse and for kairomonal attraction of its natural enemies in Italy
REDIA 85, 155-171
Abstract: In 1998 started the EU Project 'PHOCUS' in order to control the most important pernicious scales in the Mediterranean area by means of a new ecological pest management. In what the maritime pine bast scale Matsucoccus feytaudi was concerned, three Research Centres were involved belonging to France, Portugal and Italy. In Italy, the cited project was carried out by the Forest Entomology Section of ISZA of Florence. To that aim, maritime pine stands infested by M. feytaudi were chosen in eastern Liguria near Sestri Levante (Genoa). Three experiments, i.e. monitoring, mass trapping and kairomonal attraction, using the sex pheromone-kairomones, gave good results in giving capability to discover early infested stands before pines start to decay, as well as in being able to catch high numbers of males and to attract and aggregate into infested areas higher numbers of native insect predators. In the investigated areas those experiments reduced strongly the bast scale population level in the following years but this was also due to the decay of the infested pine stands. Nevertheless, good perspectives are advanced by using those methods in order to control the bast scale before the infestations become too heavy.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
pheromones/attractants/traps
control - general

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Matsucoccus feytaudi	Pine (Pinus)	Italy