NEW DEVICE FOR ETHYLENE RELEASE IN PEST-MANAGEMENT

Ethylene, a plant phytohormone, has attracted a beetle pest of olive t rees, Phloeotribus scarabaeoides (Bernard), both in laboratory bioassa ys and in the field. A device was optimized for the required release o f ethylene to manage this pest under field conditions. The concentrati on and volume of ethrel, a formulation that releases ethylene, were in vestigated. Better release rates of ethylene were achieved with 1% and 0.1% dilutions, but the levels of ethylene reached were not maintaine d for the periods of time required for pest management. The best resul ts were obtained using plastic dispensers with holes in their upper su rface containing an aqueous solution of ethrel. The addition of differ ent plant materials to these dispensers triggered the release of ethyl ene and, when a piece of olive log was added, ethylene was released in a continuous and durable way and at a sufficient rate to attract oliv e barb beetles.