Evaluation of packaging design for pheromone product to control Oryctes rhinoceros in oil palm plantation

Abstract

Oryctes rhinoceros is an oppressive pest in the plantation of oil palm. It is causing serious damage, especially to young oil palm, and in several cases, affects the mature stages of trees. Mass trapping using an aggregation pheromone with the active component ethyl 4-methyl octonoate is commonly used to trap and monitor the beetles in young oil palm replanting. Many packaging designs with several plastic materials have been developed to increase the efficacy and durability of mass trapping activities. During three months of observation, there was no significant difference in cumulative captures of each packaging design. The permeable plastic polypropylene was captured with a mean of 29.50 individuals/week, while polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, and polyethylene charged 23.08, 20.75, and 18.58 individuals/week, respectively.