Comparison of the costs of mating disruption with traditional insecticide applications for control of codling moth in apple orchards in Turkey

Abstract

Mating disruption is an alternative control tactic that prevents male insects from finding females, resulting in lower pest density and less crop damage. However, the relatively high cost of mating disruption compared to the conventional chemical control may be an impediment to its adoption by growers worldwide. Therefore, this study aimed at comparing the costs of mating disruption with insecticides for control of codling moth, Cydia pomonella L., in apple orchards in Turkey in 2013 and 2014. Experimental orchards consisted of semi-dwarf 'Gala' and 'Fuji' apple cultivars. Codling moth populations, the number of insecticide applications and management costs varied between cultivars and years. When averaged over cultivars, mating disruption decreased the total number of sprays for apple pest complex by 40.70% and 56.60% in 2013 and 2014, respectively. All control costs related to the number of insecticide sprays, the application of pheromone dispensers, labour, machinery, fuel and other pheromone-based expenses such as pest monitoring were analyzed. Based on partial budgeting analysis, mating disruption treatments lowered insecticide and machinery costs but increased labour costs compared with conventional treatments. The cost of mating disruption ranged from $ 193.70 higher than the conventional treatment in cv. 'Gala' in 2013 to $ 96.00 less than the conventional treatment in cv. 'Fuji' in 2014. A break-even analysis showed that a price decrease of 22.22% and 70.37% for pheromone dispensers would be required to convince growers to use mating disruption in cvs. 'Gala' and 'Fuji' in 2013, respectively. However, the cost of mating disruption programme was similar or less than a conventional insecticide programme in 2014. The reduction of initial pest density, as well as the improvement of biological control, could lead to the development of more cost-effective and efficacious mating disruption programmes in subsequent years.