Mating disruption for the control of pink bollworm Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders) in the delta cotton growing area of Egypt

Abstract

Hollow‐fibre, laminate‐flake and microencapsulated formulations of the synthetic sex pheromone (Z,Z) and (Z,E)‐7–11‐hexadecadienyl acetate of Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders) were applied aerially in large scale trials in the Delta region of Egypt in 1985. 100 ha blocks of cotton were treated at regular intervals throughout the season as the only means of controlling the pest and compared with a 100 ha block of cotton sited in the same locality which was treated aerially with conventional insecticide spray applications. Comparisons of numbers of infested bolls, open boll counts and yields of seed cotton showed that adequate levels of control were achieved with all three pheromone formulations which were at least as effective as the insecticide sprays. The costs of the pheromone formulations and their aerial application also compared favourably with the insecticide programme. Greater numbers of beneficial insects were recorded in the pheromone‐treated areas than in the insecticide treated area.

Keywords:

• pheromone
• microcapsute
• hollowfibre
• laminate fluke
• cotton
• Egypt