Ecology & Safety, Volume 12, 2018

Abstract: The trials were carried out in the years 2016-2017 in an isolated peach experimental orchard of one ha in the Fruit Growing Institute, Plovdiv – Central South Bulgaria. Mating disruption (MD) was tested as an alternative method controlling oriental fruit moth (OFM), Cydia molesta Busck and peach twig (PTB) borer Anarsia lineatella Zell from post-bloom till harvest. CIDETRAK® OFM/PTB MESO™ pheromone dispensers were installed once during the season, before the start of OFM and PTB flights. For monitoring of the pests one type of pheromone traps was used in this experiment - PHEROCON® VI Delta traps with a sticky changeable bottoms. The pheromone dispensers, traps and baits are a products of Trécé, Inc.USA. In the reference, conventionally treated orchard, 5-8 insecticide treatments were applied to control oriental fruit moth, peach twig borer, aphids and other pests. The fruit damage by OFM ranges from 2.9 to 3.7 % and by PTB from 1.2 to 1.3 % in the successive years. Percentage of damage in the experimental orchard treated with Cidetrak® OFM/PTB was 0.1 %, by OFM and 0.1% by PTB i.e. rather below the economical threshold; no outbreak of the OFM and PTB appearance was noted. So, the MD method, with use of the Cidetrak ®OFM/PTB MESO™ dispensers, proved to be an effective means of control even in a small size orchard lots. The results obtained may open the possibilities of practical use of the method of mating disruption in Bulgaria. This method should favour preservation of the natural environment and enable production of healthy fruits, not polluted by chemicals.