Use of pheromones in biological control against Zeuzera pyrina L. on hazelnuts in Spain: mass trapping efficiency for different pheromone dispensers

Juan Isart, Natina Valle, José Julián Llerena, Felipe Mateu, M. Angels Olmo, Ernesto Rodriguez-Paiño and Amador Viñolas

• Introduction
• Materials and methods
• Results and discussion
• References

Key words - sex pheromone, mass trapping, controlled release dispensers, Zeuzera pyrina  L., hazelnuts, Catalonia

Introduction
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Since 1985, we are working about an integrated control of pests on apple orchards (Malus sylvestris Mill.) in Catalonia, NE Spain (Isart et al. 1988). In this country. the Lepidoptera Synanthedon myopaeformis (Borkhausen), Zeuzera pyrina  (L.), Cydia pomonella  (L.), the aphids Aphis pomi  (De Geer), Eriosoma lanigerum  (Hausmann), and the Acari Panonychus ulmi (Koch) are important pests on apple orchards. Z. pyrina  is also the most important pest on hazel nuts orchards (Corylus avellana  L.) (Torrell & Barrios 1983). Now, we are developping a Project of the EU (AIR3-CT94-1607) which include the study of different pheromone dispensers to catch Z. pyrina, in order to use them after for mating disruption. First, during 1995-1996, we have tried the pheromone dispensers for mass trapping, in order to know which is the best one. Different authors (Arias & Nieto 1973, 1983; Fernandez et al. 1973; Villaronga 1986, and ourselves) have made preliminary studies about the behaviour of Z. pyrina .

Materials and methods
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"Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research TNO" provides the dispensers with Z. pyrina  pheromone furnished by "DENKA International B.V.", from Holland. Special "Funnel Traps" for Z. pyrina  furnished by "SERVIOS, s.r.l.", from Italy, were used.

Four hazel nut orchards were choosen in Catalonia, Tarragona province, NE Spain. Two of them (about 2 ha each) for mass trapping, and the others in order to control the population level and farm infestation.

The distribution of the population of Z. pyrina  on hazel nuts is alike on apples (Pasqualini et al. 1994), but the sample size to pointed out for apple trees is not appropriate for hazel nuts shrubs. The population level before and after the season was made in all orchards, counting the number of active larvae in every infested shrub, and counting the number of infested shrubs.

In 1995, three different dispensers are tried, contrasted with a commercialized one (IPO in Table 1). In 1996, two different dispensers are tried, contrasted also with a commercialized one (ZP03606 in Table 1). In order to know the trap's role itself, in 1996, also a trap without pheromone dispenser was put on the field (none in Table 1). About twenty traps were put on the field in accordance with the orchard size (10 traps/ha), and making a rotation every week.

Table 1 Z. pyrina  catches in different orchards with the tested dispensers

Results and discussion
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Table 1 and Figure show the catches of Z. pyrina  along the season in different orchards during 1995 and 1996, with every tested pheromone dispenser. In 1995, the best dispenser was 1804-2. In 1996 it was for the Zp03606, but this dispenser was the commercialized one.

The most important in this case is the total catches per farm. All catches in the traps were males. Only two females were caught on the traps in 1996, but only in one farm (Orchard "Les Sorts"). The total catches in every farm was very good, in relation with other times.The great number of catches in "Les Sorts" (1996), must be because the big catches on 15.06.96 (125 males in one week). Probably the success for our method is the location of the traps (Isart et al. 1996). We can conclude that mass trapping Z. pyrina  with pheromones is a successful method of control for this pest on hazel nuts in NE Spain (Table 2).

Table 2 Number of hazel nut shrubs infested

Farm	Total shrubs in the farm	Observed	Infestation (%)
			April '96	October '96	New infested shrubs
"Magriña" (Control)	283	203	59.6	56.6	1.5
"Les Sorts B" (Control)	311	311	21.2	23.8	12.9
Hortes de Pedrera	612	393	32.8	16.3	3.8

Figure Z. pyrina  catches with different pheromone dispensers along the season, for 1995 and 1996

Acknowledgements

We are thanking very much to Manuel Castro, Joan Magriñá, Pere Ferré and Joan Rovira their facilities, kindness and collaboration in our field work.

References
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Arias A, Nieto J (1973) Observaciones sobre la biologia de Zeuzera pyrina  L. en las Vegas del Guadiana (Badajoz), durante 1972-73. Bol Inf Plagas 112, 53-76

Arias A, Nieto J (1983) Zeuzera pyrina. Biologia y nueva lucha química. Agricultura 52, 138-141

Fernandez JM, Camino I, Fernandez JI, Franca I, Soldevila J (1973) Ciclo biol¢gico del taladro amarillo de la madera (Zeuzera pyrina  L.). Bol Inf Plagas 112, 25-28

Isart J, Ribera I, Valle MAN, del Campo F (1988) Primeros resultados de un ensayo sobre las posibilidades de lucha integrada en cultivo de manzano al norte de Gerona. Actas III Congr ibérico entom, Granada 831-843

Isart J, Llerena JJ, Mateu F, Rueda A, Olmo MA, Valle MAN (1996) Muestreo de insectos en el aire: diseño de un prototipo de soporte para trampas. Ses Entom ICHN-SCL 9 in press

Pasqualini E, Barbara C, Antropoli A, Faccioli G (1994) Indagini sulla distribuzione della populazione, sulla dimensione del campione e sulle tecniche di campionamento per Zeuzera pyrina  L. (Lepidoptera Cossidae). Boll Ist Ent "G. Grandi" Univ Bologna 49, 175-186

Torrell A, Barrios G (1983) Avellano. Nuevos problemas fitosanitarios. Agricultura 52, 838-841

Villaronga P (1986) L'eruga de Zeuzera pyrina  L. en els avellaners del camp de Tarragona. Ses Entom ICHN-SCL 4, 41-48

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