Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata (2002) 102, 239-251

Henry Y. Fadamiro and Thomas C. Baker (2002)
Pheromone puffs suppress mating by Plodia interpunctella and Sitotroga cerealella in an infested corn store
Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata 102 (3), 239-251
Abstract: The efficacy of pheromone mating disruption was investigated in a 7×6×3 m corn storage room harboring a high population density of Indian meal moth, Plodia interpunctella (Hübner) and Angoumois grain moth, Sitotroga cerealella (Olivier). Pheromones were released from a controlled release dispenser, the metered semiochemical timed release system (MSTRS^TM) at emission rates of ~ 0.6 µg min^-1 (Z9,E12:14:Ac for Indian meal moth) and ~ 0.2 µg min^-1 (Z7,E11-16:Ac for Angouimois grain moth). Mating disruption efficacy was evaluated using three parameters: male capture in pheromone traps, visual examination of mating behavior, and the incidence and frequency of mating as measured by spermatophores. In three trials, comparisons were made between data collected before pheromone treatment and during treatment. Disruption of pheromone source location by males averaged 70% and 40% for P. interpunctella and S. cerealella, respectively, in the three trials. In addition, reduced levels of copulation by both species were recorded during pheromone treatment. More importantly, significant reductions were recorded in the incidence and frequency of mating by females of both species collected during the treatment period. While ~ 85% of P. interpunctella females collected before pheromone treatment in three trials had mated at least once, only 50% of the females collected during treatment had mated. The mean number of matings, as measured by spermatophores, ranged between 0.8-1.1 and 0.5-0.7 before and during pheromone treatment, respectively. Similarly, a ~ 20-30% reduction in the proportion of mated S. cerealella females was recorded during pheromone treatment. In the three trials, mean number of spermatophores per S. cerealella female averaged 1.0 and 0.7 during the pretreatment and treatment periods, respectively. Additional tests conducted in small boxes also recorded significant mating disruption of both species.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Henry Y. Fadamiro

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

---

Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Plodia interpunctella	Stored grain	U.S.A. (mid N)
	Sitotroga cerealella	Stored grain	U.S.A. (mid N)