Field Efficacy Testing of Sex Pheromone Trapping with Alternative Trap Desing-Lure Options for Brinjal Shoot and Fruit Borer in Srilanka

Abstract

Collaborative field studies were carried out to evaluate the effectiveness of improved pheromone trapping system against brinjal shoot and fruit borer Leucinodes orbonalis Guenee in Sri Lanka. First field study comparing five alternative trap designs in two locations for eight weeks confirmed that moth catch was more in funnel trap with two holders (3.08), with the next being funnel trap with three holders (2.09). The catches in delta trap were intermediate (1.81), while other two funnel traps caught 1.05 to 1.84 moths. The differential efficacy of moth catches may be attributed to trap colour, shape, size and other features enhancing arrivals and/or minimising moth escape. The second field study was on pheromone loadings in lures which showed non -significant differences among 3, 5, 7 and 10 mg loadings. These studies confirmed the superiority of promising trap designs for trapping of the brinjal shoot and fruit borer moth in Sri Lanka. Scope for further research to identify more efficient trap designs and optimum pheromone loadings is indicated.