Dates: October 1997 - March 2003

Funding: DEFRA, NRI

Countries: UK, Europe

Collaborators: Jerry Cross, Horticulture Research International

NRI Project Leaders: Paul Innocenzi

© University of Greenwich

BACKGROUND

The strawberry blossom weevil, Anthonomus rubi, is a common pest of strawberry in the UK. It severs flower buds and is controlled currently by application of the OP insecticide chlorpyrifos against adults before flowering in spring. The insecticide is applied to most strawberry crops in most years. The European tarnished plant bug, Lygus rugulipennis, is a damaging pest of late season strawberries in the UK. It feeds in the flowers causing fruit malformation. It is controlled by routine sprays of malathion or heptenophos, several sprays being applied each season. Effective sampling methods and treatment thresholds for these two pests have been developed, but sampling methods used in this research were unsuitable for use by growers. This work aimed to develop pheromone traps as practical sampling methods for these pests and possibly for control.

RESULTS

For A. rubi, male-specific volatiles were identified as Grandlures I and II, (R)-lavandulol and germacrene-D with traces of Grandlures III and IV also present. In field trapping trials, Grandlures I and II and (+)-lavandulol in 1:4:1 ratio were essential for attraction of both female and male weevils. Polyethylene sachets were convenient dispensers giving linear release for several months, and sticky post traps were found most effective. In current work, trap catches have been correlated with infestation levels, and use of traps round the edges of fields to trap immigrating weevils is being investigated as a control measure.
For L. rugulipennis, female-specific volatiles were identified as hexyl butyrate, (E)-2-hexenyl butyrate and 4-oxo-2-hexenal, and these compounds elicited EAG responses from male bugs. Field trials over five seasons with a variety of dispensing systems have given variable results, although the current interpretation of these is that a very low release rate of pheromone is required and too high a rate is repellent.

PUBLICATIONS

Innocenzi, P.J., Hall, D.R. and Cross, J.V. (2001) Components of male aggregation pheromone of strawberry blossom weevil, Anthonomus rubi Herbst. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). Journal of Chemical Ecology, 27: 1203-1218.(Abstract)

Innocenzi, P.J., Hall, D.R., Cross, J.V. & Green, S.V. (2001) Sexing adults of the strawberry blossom weevil, Anthonomus rubi Herbst. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) Journal of Applied Entomology, 126: 159-160.(Abstract)

Innocenzi, P.J., Hall, D.R., Cross, J.V., and Masuh, H (2004). Female-specific chemicals of the European tarnished plant bug, Lygus rugulipennis Poppius (Heteroptera: Miridae): identification, electrophysiology and field evaluation. Journal of Chemical Ecology, 30: 1509-1529. (Abstract)

Innocenzi, P.I., Hall, D.R., Cross, J.V. and Hesketh, H. (2005). Attraction of male European tarnished plant bug, Lygus rugulipennis, to components of the female sex pheromone in the field. Journal of Chemical Ecology, 31: 1401-1413 (Abstract).

Cross, J.V., Hall, D.R., Innocenzi, P.I., Yeo, H., Jay, C.N. and Burgess, C.M. (2006) Exploiting the aggregation pheromone of strawberry blossom weevil Anthonomus rubi Herbst (Coleoptera: Curculionidae): 1. Development of lure and trap. Crop Protection, 25(2): 144-154 (Abstract).

Cross, J.V., Hall, D.R., Innocenzi, P.I., Yeo, H., Jay, C.N. and Burgess, C.M. (2006). Exploiting the aggregation pheromone of strawberry blossom weevil Anthonomus rubi Herbst (Coleoptera: Curculionidae): 2. Pest monitoring and control. Crop Protection, 25(2): 155-166 (Abstract).