INITIAL STUDIES OF MATING DISRUPTION OF THE BLACKHEADED FIREWORM OF CRANBERRIES (LEPIDOPTERA, TORTRICIDAE)

We assessed the potential of pheromone-mediated mating disruption to c ontrol the blackheaded fireworm of cranberries, Rhopobota naeuana (Hub ner). In experimental plots (30 by 30 m) on cranberry farms, spiral po lyvinyl chloride pheromone dispensers released either the main compone nt of fireworm pheromone, (Z)-11-tetradecen-1-ol acetate, or a 3-compo nent blend, (Z)-11-tetradecen-1-ol acetate, (Z)-11-tetradecen-1-ol, an d (Z)-9-dodecenl-ol acetate, which is similar to the natural pheromone . In both years of the study, the incidence of mating of laboratory-re ared female moths placed in pheromone-treated plots was reduced relati ve to those placed in control plots. Release rates of pheromone, which were estimated from the curvilinear relationship between the amount r emaining in dispensers and time in the field, declined Linearly and sl owly over the experimental period. The estimated release ratio of the 3-component blend decreased from 5.2:1.9:1.0 at the beginning of the s eason to 1.9:1.1:1.0 at the end. Results suggest that mating disruptio n is a promising technique for management of the blackheaded fireworm.