Spatial and temporal distribution of false codling moth across landscapes in the Citrusdal area (Western Cape Province, South Africa).

[摘要] The false codling moth (FCM), Thaumatotibia leucotreta (Meyrick)(Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), is an indigenous pest of citrus fruit in southern Africa, and is apest of high phytosanitary concern, impacting negatively on the export of fresh citrusfruit from South Africa to some international markets. FCM is a particularly serious pestin the Citrusdal area in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. FCM is known toinfest most types of citrus, with navel oranges being particularly prone to attack, whereaslemons are not considered to be a favoured host. Conventional control strategies that relyon the use of insecticides are of limited use due to high levels of insecticide resistance inFCM populations. Mating disruption, the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) and theintegration of different control techniques are options that are currently being adopted.Little is known about FCM host preferences in this geographical area, or about itsdispersal capacity. The ability of FCM to migrate between various host patches,including citrus orchards and indigenous fynbos vegetation, and its ability to maintain aviable population in alternative host plants when there is no fruit available for infestationin citrus orchards has not been well studied. Knowledge of these largely behaviouralfacets is important in planning an effective control strategy for FCM.Towards addressing this dearth of knowledge, FCM pheromone traps were set out intransects in the Citrusdal area. These transects included citrus orchards, and extendedbeyond citrus orchards, to include a range of habitat types and elevational gradients. Thisprovided a grid to assess the spatial and temporal distribution of male FCM in the area.In addition, intensive sampling and inspection of potential host plant material wasundertaken in the area in an attempt to identify any alternative host plants.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University