Lobesia mating disruption by pheromone mesofiber dispensers

Abstract

Lobesia botrana (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) is a permanently established viticultural insect pest in all vinegrowing countries. According to recent findings, sex pheromones dispensed from electrospun mesofibers serve as environmentally compatible, biodegradable mating disruptants of an innovative type. Their disruptive effects in vineyards last for a minimum of 7 weeks per application, equivalent to one Lobesia flight period. Instead of manual application, mesofiber dispensers offer the advantages of (1) mechanical deployability, (2) hydrolytical and/or enzymatic self-degradability, (3) unnoticeable ecotoxicological impact on nontarget organisms, (4) added savings by reduced handling costs, and (5) a fully "green" approach along the entire process chain from synthesis of the ingredients to biodegradation in the vineyard.