PRELIMINARY EVALUATION OF PHEROMONE RELEASE IN RELATION TO PINK BOLLWORM INFESTATION IN COTTON FIELDS

A.M. Al-BELTAGY, M.S. SHAWIR*, M.A. MOURAD** AND G.M. MOA WAD
Plant Prot. Res. Institute, A.R.C., Dokki, Giza , Egypt
* Fac. Agric., Alexandria University
** Cent. Agric. Pest. Lab., A.R.C., Dokki, Giza , Egypt

ABSTRACT

Rates and duration of release of PB-Rope pheromone [(ZZ/ZE)-7, 1 1-hexadecadienyl acetate] were evaluated under field conditions. The rate of release was 0.71% from the active ingredient per day in the first three weeks. Thereafter it increased in the following seven weeks to about 0.80% a.i./day, while declined in the last four weeks to 0.65% a.i./day. The effective release period was about 70 days whenever approximately 50% of the a.i. was released. Accordingly, the daily rate of release became insufficient to disrupt pink bollworm population. The highest infestation percent in the pheromone treated area was 2.03% at the end of the effective pheromone period.

Key Words: Pheromone, bollworms, cotton fields.