ECONOMICS OF EMPLOYING PHEROMONES FOR MATING DISRUPTION OF THE CODLING MOTH, CARPOCAPSA-POMONELLA

The costs of using mating disruption versus traditional insecticide ap plications for controling the codling moth in Washington apple orchard s were examined. Successful mating disruption prevents the codling mot h from ovipositing and consequently there are no larvae to damage appl es. The spray records of central Washington apple producers and resear ch orchards were analyzed. Analysis of these budgets revealed that on average mating disruption is' more expensive by $188.22 per hectare. M ating disruption was more economical under low codling moth population pressure. The years 1991 and 1992 were considered low and high codlin g moth population years, respectively. On the average, it was $97.46 m ore expensive per hectare to use mating disruption in 1992 than in 199 1. A risk analysis or price/cost sensitivity analysis confirmed that c hanges in pheromone prices, cover spray use and cullage could alter th e outcome of the economic analysis to where pheromone control would be the economically desirable control method. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevie r Science Ltd.