Studies were conducted during the period 2019/2020 to evaluate the effectiveness of four lures for codling moth (Cydia pomonella L.) in pome fruits in Italy and the USA. Multi-component blends of sex pheromone ((E,E)-8,10-dodecadien-1-ol, PH), pear ester ((E,Z)-2,4-ethyl decadienoate, PE), (E)-4,8-dimethyl-1,3,7-nonatriene (DMNT), and pyranoid linalool oxide (6-ethenyl-2,2,6-trimethyloxan-3-ol, LOX) were loaded in either a halobutyl elastomer septum or a PVC matrix and always used in combination with acetic acid (AA) loaded in a closed membrane co-lure. Total moth capture was significantly greater with the PVC than the septum lure loaded with PH/PE + AA in both countries. Female capture in the USA study was significantly greater for 8 weeks in traps baited with the PE/DMNT/LOX blend + AA co-lure than with other lures and adding PH to this blend in a PVC lure significantly reduced female capture. In contrast, female capture in Italy did not differ among lures and counts were similar in both apple and pear crops treated with or without mating disruption. These results suggest that the effectiveness of ‘female removal’ strategies to manage codling moth may be geographically limited and further comparisons are needed in other production regions and in walnut.

Monitoring oriental fruit moth Grapholita molesta Busck (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), populations based on counts in sex pheromone-baited traps within sex pheromone-treated orchards for mating disruption (MD) is challenging since male orientation to traps is disrupted. In this study, we evaluated a new commercial pheromone–kairomone combination lure for G. molesta (Pherocon^® OFM Combo™ Dual™), which combines the G. molesta and Cydia pomonella L. sex pheromones with a blend of acetic acid and terpinyl acetate. Trap comparisons were performed in 33 trials in peach and nectarine orchards under MD (24) or non-MD (9) during the 2018–2019 period in Italy. Male and total moth captures in traps baited with the combination lure were significantly greater than in traps with G. molesta pheromone in both years and across both pheromone treatments. The proportion of females in the total moth captures using the combination lure averaged ca. 7% across all trials. The by-catch of non-targets, i.e., Apis mellifera L., was low in traps baited either with the combination and the sex pheromone lure, while trap color (white) affected the capture of beneficials but not of the target pest. Our study proves that this combination lure can improve the monitoring and management for G. molesta in stone fruits. New studies are needed to define action thresholds to trigger supplemental control methods to MD. Secondly, female-based monitoring lures should be further developed to improve management strategies.

Nineteen host plant volatiles (HPVs) were screened for attractivity to adult codling moth Cydia pomonella (L.) as a fourth component of core blends (3K) including (E,Z)‐2,4‐ethyl decadienoate, (E)‐4,8‐dimethyl‐1,3,7‐nonatriene and acetic acid. Each new quaternary combination was compared with a previously reported attractive bisexual lure (4K), consisting of the 3K blend plus 6‐ethenyl‐2,2,6‐trimethyloxan‐3‐ol (pyranoid linalool oxide, pyrLOX). All lure evaluations were conducted in apple, Malus domestica (Borkhausen). Several compounds were found to significantly lower total and/or female catches when added to the 3K blend, including (Z)‐3‐hexenol, (E)‐2‐hexanal and hexyl butanoate (female and total moths), and (Z)‐3‐hexenyl acetate and linalool (female moths). Other compounds when added to the 3K blend did not increase or decrease moth catches, including methyl salicylate, (E)‐β‐ocimene, limonene, β‐caryophyllene, butyl hexanoate, farnesol, terpineol, terpinen‐4‐ol and α‐pinene. A few added compounds significantly increased moth catches compared with the 3K blend, including β‐pinene (male moths), (Z)‐jasmone (male and total moths), (E)‐β‐farnesene and β‐myrcene (female and total moths), and (E,E)‐α‐farnesene (male, female, and total moths). In addition, each of these five compounds when added to the 3K core blend performed similarly to the 4K lure (male, females, and total moths). Further studies should expand these results through tests of these and other new blends with a range of component ratios and total loading amounts. Field trials should also be replicated within all host crops of codling moth and across major geographical production regions.

Seventeen trials were conducted using traps baited with kairomone‐based lures to evaluate female removal (FR) as an effective management tactic for codling moth, Cydia pomonella, L., in organic pear, Pyrus communis L., production in Italy and USA during 2019–2020. Studies included paired plots (0.4–1.4 ha) treated with or without 60 traps ha⁻¹ in cultivars Bartlett and Abate Fétel. Paired plots were also treated together with or without mating disruption (MD) and with similar spray programmes. Three‐, four‐, and five‐component lures were used with several trap types: green, clear or green/white bucket traps and orange delta traps. The three‐component lure consisted of (E,E)‐8,10‐dodecadien‐1‐ol (sex pheromone, PH), (E,Z)‐2,4‐ethyl decadienoate (pear ester, PE) and acetic acid (AA); the four‐component lure was PE, (E)‐4,8‐dimethyl‐1,3,7‐nonatriene (DMNT), 6‐ethenyl‐2,2,6‐trimethyloxan‐3‐ol (pyranoid linalool oxide, LOX), and AA, and the five‐component lure had PH added. Preliminary studies were also conducted to evaluate the trapping efficacy of non‐saturating bucket traps. A clear bucket trap baited with PE/DMNT/LOX + AA captured 97‐fold more codling moth females than an orange delta trap baited with PH/PE. However, female captures did not differ between traps when both were baited with the four‐component lure. Fruit injury from codling moth was significantly reduced with the implementation of FR in both pear production regions. At harvest, mean fruit protection in the USA studies was 65% and 27% in Italy. This difference was likely associated with the four‐component lure being less effective in Italy than in the USA. Nevertheless, results demonstrate that FR can be a useful approach to remove females immigrating into orchards and as a new tactic to reduce pest pressure in selected areas of orchards allowing both MD and organic insecticide programmes to be more effective. Further studies should investigate the cost‐benefit of matching the intensity of FR to variable pest pressures.

Female mating success for the tortricids codling moth (CM), Cydia pomonella, Oriental fruit moth (OFM), Grapholita molesta, European grape vine moth (EGVM), Lobesia botrana, and five leafroller (LR) species under various mating disruption (MD) programs was reviewed at a time when new dual sex lures can provide alternative tools to assess female mating. Previous reliance on passive assessments such as tethering and virgin female-baited traps with laboratory moths are at odds with active trapping methods of wild moths. Additive factors such as delayed mating, adjustments in female behaviors, and greater levels of natural control may or may not contribute to the apparent success of MD. Current MD programs are not based solely on research, as economics and commercialization require some compromise. The complete sex pheromone blend is not always used. A delay in mating has been reported from the field with one study and suggested that reductions in fecundity would likely be minimal. There is no evidence that MD works better with low population densities. MD is an established technology, but the new dual sex lures are showing that the density of mated females is rather high. Efforts to improve the efficacy of MD are ongoing with a small cadre of researchers.