Exposure to sex pheromone from the pupal stage through eclosion has contrasting effects on subsequent mating behaviors of codling moth and oriental fruit moth adults.

Abstract

Mating disruption is achieved by releasing synthetic pheromones into crop systems to disrupt natural mating behavior of targeted pests. Dispensers of synthetic pheromones are deployed in various crops with the intent of limiting males from finding females thereby reducing or delaying mating to lower pest populations over time. Codling moth (CM) (Cydia pomonella L.) and oriental fruit moth (OFM) (Grapholita molesta) (Busck) are worldwide pests of pome and stone fruits. We investigated the hypothesis that pupal exposure to species-specific sex pheromones affects subsequent mate-finding ability, mating behavior, and reproductive output of adult CM and OFM. Laboratory experiments revealed that pheromone exposure during the pupal stage significantly impacts CM reproductive output and mate-finding, whereas these effects were not observed with OFM. Our findings suggest that targeted deployment of pheromones to cause pupal exposure may enhance control of certain species such as CM.