Evaluating the Use of Phenylacetonitrile Plus Acetic Acid to Monitor Pandemis pyrusana and Cydia pomonella (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) in Apple

Abstract Recent studies have demonstrated that key herbivore-induced foliage volatiles from apple, Malus domestica Borkhausen (Rosaceae), can be attractive to conspecific adult male and female tortricid leafrollers when used together with acetic acid lures. Our study reported here was conducted in Washington State during 2013–2014 and assessed the attractiveness of both sexes of the leafroller, Pandemis pyrusana Kearfott (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), to blends of acetic acid with phenylacetonitrile. Interestingly, traps baited with phenylacetonitrile plus acetic acid caught significantly more males, females, and total moths than the number of males caught in traps baited with a commercial sex pheromone lure. The evaporation rate of the acetic acid co-lure was shown to be an important factor affecting catches of P. pyrusana with phenylacetonitrile. Adding phenylacetonitrile to traps baited with pear ester, ethyl (E, Z)-2,4-decadienoate and acetic acid significantly reduced both total and female moth catches ...