title: Investigating dormant-season application of pheromone in citrus to control overwintering and spring populations of Phyllocnistis citrella (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The leafminer, Phyllocnistis citrella Stainton, reproduces on leaf flush during winter. Deployment of pheromone during winter could suppress moth populations in spring and summer more than a spring application alone. We tested the primary pheromone component of P. citrella, (Z,Z,E)-7,11,13-hexadecatrienal, released gradually over several months from elastomeric dispensers in a citrus grove in 6.4 ha main plots in winter and/or 3.2 ha subplots in spring (834 mg triene ha(-1) ) and evaluated moth catch and leaf mining.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After winter treatment, dispensers provided >85% disruption of male moth catch in traps for 37 weeks, and after spring treatment they provided >92% disruption for 26 weeks, but there was only a 12% reduction in leaf infestation in spring. Two applications were no better than only a single application in spring. Disruption of moth catch was weaker in treated plots where traps were placed high (3.1 m) rather than low (1.6 m) in the tree canopy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dispensers provided effective and persistent disruption of male catch in pheromone-baited monitoring traps but were minimally effective in reducing leaf infestation by P. citrella. Winter application of pheromone did not reduce leaf mining in spring compared with spring application alone. Tops of trees may have provided a refuge for mating. Published 2015. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
authors.affiliation: United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, US Horticultural Research Laboratory, Fort Pierce, FL, USA.|E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Stine-Haskell Research Center, Newark, DE, USA.
authors.forename: Craig P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Keathley
authors.affiliation: University of Florida, IFAS, Citrus Research and Education Center, Lake Alfred, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Lukasz L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Stelinski
authors.affiliation: United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, US Horticultural Research Laboratory, Fort Pierce, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Stephen L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Lapointe
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002957:Citrus / Q000469:parasitology*; D000069601:Crop Protection / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D007300:Insect Control / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D009036:Moths; D011090:Polyenes / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012621:Seasons; D012724:Sex Attractants / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: C558533:(Z,Z,E)-7,11,13-hexadecatrienal; D011090:Polyenes; D012724:Sex Attractants
keywords: citrus; leafminer; mating disruption; preventive management; sex pheromone