Pheromone research in Estonia
Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences,Kreutzwaldi St. 64, 51014 Tartu, Estonia; e-mail: ilmel@kth.se, ilme.liblikas@eau.ee
Abstract:
The pheromone screening of nineteen insect species was conducted in different habitats and geographical regions of Estonia. The purpose of this screening was to measure the population density of selected insects to sort out species suitable for environmental monitoring. The other research objective was to standardize the pheromone materials for plant protection as alternative approaches to the use of conventional pesticides. To monitor the changes in environment Archips podana, Hedya nubiferana, Choristoneura diversana, Enarmonia formosana, Tortrix viridana, Archips xylosteana and Cerapteryx graminis showed great potential. In fruit gardens the pheromone kit for codling moth Cydia pomonella is recommended. The pheromone dispenser for Currant shoot borer, Lampronia capitella, is the first of its kind. in the world.The old-fashioned Russian-made substrate was successfully replaced by Hevea’s rubber-and silicone-based materials. Our laboratory is ready for lab-scale production of all tested dispensers.
Key words:
Archips podana, Archips xylosteana, Cerapteryx graminis, Choristoneura diversana, dispenser, Enarmonia formosana, environmental monitoring, Hedya nubiferana, Lampronia capitella, pheromone, pheromone screening, plant protection, Tortrix viridana