Electroantennogram measurements of atmospheric pheromone concentration after aerial and ground application of gypsy moth mating disruptants |
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| Authors: | K. W. Thorpe J. van der Pers D. S. Leonard P. Sellers V. C. Mastro R. E. Webb R. C. Reardon |
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| Affiliation: | Insect Biocontrol Laboratory, Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Beltsville, MD, USA;;Syntech, BM Hilversum, The Netherlands;;USDA, Forest Service, Asheville, NC, USA;;USDA, Forest Service, Harrisonburg, VA, USA;;USDA, APHIS, Otis ANGB, MA, USA;;USDA, ARS, Beltsville, MD, USA;;USDA, Forest Service, Morgantown, WV, USA |
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| Abstract: | Abstract: A portable electroantennogram (EAG) sensor was used to measure relative atmospheric pheromone concentration in forest plots treated with aerial and ground applications of gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar (L.) (Lep., Lymantriidae), mating-disruption formulations. Five treatments (Disrupt II flakes with sticker, Disrupt II flakes without sticker, Disrupt II flakes in a sticker slurry, microcapsules and hand-applied Luretape), all applied at 75 g active ingredient per hectare and an untreated control were evaluated. Gypsy moth male catch in pheromone-baited traps and fertilization of deployed females were suppressed in all treatments, and no females deployed in treated plots produced more than 5% fertile eggs. Relative pheromone concentrations were significantly higher in the two treatments in which flakes were aerially applied with sticker and in the microcapsule treatment. Pheromone concentration measurements in the flakes without sticker and hand-applied treatments were not significantly different from those in the control. Mating success was negatively correlated with relative pheromone concentration. The ability of the EAG to detect differences in pheromone concentration that are correlated with mating success suggests that this could be a useful method for predicting the effectiveness of mating-disruption treatments. |
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| Keywords: | Lymantria dispar aerial application disparlure laminate flakes mating disruption microcapsules |
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