Innovative Tools and Methods for Mating Disruption of the Carob Moth

The gypsy moth (GM), Lymantria dispar, is one of North Americas most devastating forest pests, defoliating 75 million acres of northeast forest, and is steadily expanding its range into hardwood forests throughout the U.S. The USDA National Slow the Spread Project (STS) is expected to suppress infestations into new territories. The USDA reports that the current use of two key tools for STS, larvicides and pheromone mating disruption, have serious shortcomings for an area-wide program. In Phase I ISCA Technologies formulated SPLAT-GM using a long-lasting wax emulsion semiochemical delivery technology (SPLAT) for the controlled release of the synthetic GM pheromone, racemic disparlure. SPLAT-GM was applied with conventional aerial spray equipment in 40-acre plots and shown to promote complete mating disruption of GM for over 10 weeks in the field. SPLAT-GM L, our dual-action formulation for the controlled release of racemic disparlure and an organic larvicide, preserved the desired long-lasting pheromone emission characteristic of SPLAT-GM and retained larvicidal properties for over 100 days. In Phase II, we will build upon the success of Phase I to optimize the slow release formulations, and test single applications of SPLATGM and SPLAT-GM L with conventional sprayers early in spring on small (40-acre) and large (1000-acre) field trials in the first and second years. If successful, Phase II will result in SPLAT-GM for mating disruption, and SPLAT-GM L for dual-action larval control and mating disruption, representing savings to STS (if adopted) of approximately $40/ha or $50 million if used over the previous four years.