Comparison of New Kairomone-Based Lures for Cydia pomonella (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) in Italy and USA

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Adult codling moth (Cydia pomonella L.) monitoring with lure-baited traps is a prerequisite to effectively manage this key pest in apple and pear crops without over-spraying insecticides. We evaluated new multi-component lures comprised of blends of sex pheromone and volatile organic compounds (pear ester, dimethyl nonatriene and linalool oxide) loaded into different substrates (septa and PVC lures). Acetic acid in a second membrane lure was used as a co-lure with all blends. Lure comparisons were performed during the period 2019/2020 in Italy and Washington State (USA) in orchards treated with or without sex pheromone dispensers for mating disruption. The highest total moth counts occurred with the sex pheromone/pear ester PVC lure in both countries. The new multi-component PVC lure without sex pheromone captured the greatest number of female moths only in the USA. This geographical disparity may limit the effectiveness of using a ‘female removal’ strategy to manage this pest without insecticides across major production areas. ABSTRACT: 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.