Adult female insects that are ready for mating, emit species-specific chemical odours to attract males. This method of utilising love pheromones - to be used along with suitable traps to deceive, attract and trap male insects.
Monitoring
Installation of traps with suitable pheromone lures @ 2-3 per acre can provide information on pest incidence and intensity in agricultural fields. Based on the number of males caught, the timing and frequency of control measures can be determined.
Mass Trapping
Sex pheromones and traps can also be used as a device for reducing the population of target pests. The majorities of females present in cropped fields remain unmated and lay infertile eggs as a result of mass trapping of males.
Aggregation pheromones
Insects also produce chemicals to call others to a location, for e.g. when a food source is located. These are called aggregation pheromones and can be effectively used to trap both males and females since both sexes respond to the chemical signal.
Fero-T™consists of a funnel base with handle for tying to a stick, a canopy to be fixed on 3 pegs provided on the funnel and transparent sleeve. Funnel traps are recommended for use with larger moths.
Wota-T™specially designed by PCI for mass trapping pests of field crops such as sugarcane borers, is easy to assemble on a single pole. Consists of an adapter, basin to hold water (mixed with kerosene/ detergent and a lure holder with a canopy.
Del-Ta™in the form of reusable sun-board casing with replaceable sticky liners. Recommended for use with smaller moths, fruit flies, etc.
Fligh-T™introduced by PCI, for trapping melon fly and oriental fruit fly (Bactrocera Spp.). It has yellow bowl with entry hole and a translucent dome.
Coco-Trapp™patented and introduced by PCI. It has a novel, collapsible design, specially created for trapping Red Palm Weevil and Rhinoceros Beetle.
Lures available in Markets are for:
• Helicoverpa armigera (American Bollworm)
• Spodoptera litura (Tobacco Caterpillar)
• Pectinophora gossypiella (Pink Bollworm)
• Earias vitella (Spotted Bollworm)
• Earias insulana (Spiny Bollworm)
• Plutella xylostella (Diamond Back Moth)
• Chilo infuscatellus (Sugarcane Early Shoot Borer)
• Chilo sacchariphagus indicus (Sugarcane Inter-Node Borer)
• Chilo auricilius (Sugarcane Stalk Borer)
• Scirpophaga excertpalis (Sugarcane White Top Borer)
• Scirpophaga incertulas (Rice Yellow Stem Borer)
• Bactrocera cucurbitae (Melon Fly)
• Lasioderma serricorne (Cigarette Beetle)
• Oryctes rhinoceros (Rhinoceros Beetle)
• Rhyncophorus ferrugineus (Red Palm Weevil)
• Xylotrechius quadripes (Coffee White Stem Borer)
(Photo /Article Courtesy PCI ,Bangalore)
