1. Mating disruption trials for control of Bonagota cranaodes (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) in apple in Brazil Miryan D.A. Coracini 1, Evaldo F. Vilela 2, Paulo H.G. Zarbin 1, Adal é cio Kovaleski 3, Marie Bengtsson 4 and Peter Witzgall 4 1 Federal University of Parana, Dept. of Chemistry, PO Box 19081, Centro Politecnico, Jardim das Americas, 81530-990, Curitiba, PR, Brazil, miryancoracini@quimica.ufpr.br 2 Federal University of Vi ç osa, Dept. of Animal Biology, Av. P.H. Holfs, s/n, 36571-000, Vi ç osa, MG, Brazil 3 EMBRAPA/CNPUV, PO Box 1513, 95200-000, Vacaria, RS, Brazil 4 Swedish University of Agricultural Science, Chemical Ecology, PO Box 44, Alnarp, SE 230 53, Sweden Brazilian apple leafroller, Bonagota cranaodes (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) is an important pests of apple in southern Brazil. Control of this insect relies on frequent seasonal insecticide sprays, which leads to insecticide resistance since only few insecticides are registered. In addition, insecticide residues in the fruit have become a main obstacle for exportation of fruit. The combined use of monitoring traps and more selective insecticides has already led to a significant reduction of insecticide use, but the growers are motivated to take a step beyond and to establish pheromone-mediated mating disruption against the most economically important insects of apple. Pheromone-mediated mating disruption is used for control of orchard insects on four continents. However, Brazilian apple leafroller is a native species and its sex pheromone has been identified recently. So far, its pheromone was used only in monitoring traps, and large-scale synthesis as well as dispenser material for mating disruption have not been available. In this study, we report the results of first field tests to evaluate the effectiveness of the mating disruption technique to control B. cranaodes in apple orchards in southern Brazil. MATERIAL AND METHODS This study was conducted between October 2004 and April 2005 in a commercial apple orchard in Vacaria-RS, Brazil. Among the two apple varieties in this orchard, Gala and Fuji, Fuji was choosen for the mating disruption (MD) tests as it is more susceptible to damage by B. cranaodes. The tests were conducted in two blocks: control (2 ha), and MD against B. cranaodes (1 ha). The blocks were situated in the middle of the orchard, and separated by at least 300 m to minimize interference between the treatments. In the control area, a conventional spray program was applied. In the MD areas, supplemental insecticide sprays against B. cranaodes were done according to male captures in monitoring traps. During the season, there was 12 insecticide treatments in both trial areas. The polyethylene-tube pheromone dispensers used for mating disruption treatments were: (1) Isomate-BLR experimental polyethylene dispensers. For monitoring of B. cranaodes and Grapholita molesta (Busck), (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), pheromone traps were placed in each experimental area. Three traps were placed in each treatment for each species, and traps were checked twice per week until harvest. Pheromone lures were changed every 4 weeks. Shoot tip, leaf and fruit counts were done every month, between October and March. Fruit damage at harvest was evaluated by examining all fruits from 40 trees per treatment. The damage caused by B. cranaodes, G. molesta, and another lepidopterans was recorded. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS In pheromone-treated plots, traps captured only very few males of the target species, whereas captures of the respective non-target species were not reduced (Fig. 1). Both treatments, against B. cranaodes and G. molesta, in combination with an insecticide program, resulted in a reduction of fruit damage, as compared to the regular insecticide program (Tab. 1). Continuous shoot/fruit sampling over the season showed that mating disruption, in combination with insecticide program, provided better control than conventional insecticide alone (Fig. 1). In addition, the pheromone treatment against B. cranaodes also had an effect on fruit infestation by G. molesta (Tab. 1), despite high pheromone trap captures and significant shoot damage by G. molesta in the B. cranaodes mating disruption treatment (Fig. 1). This study demonstrates that mating disruption may has potential for control of B. cranaodes and G. molesta in Brazilian apple orchards. Figure 1. B. cranaodes adult and apple damaged by the larvae Figure 2. Monitoring B. cranaodes, and percentage of shoot and fruit damage in the control and MD block. Table 1. Percentage of damaged apple fruits by B. cranaodes, G. molesta and another lepidopterans, found at harvest time in the control and MD block Acknowledgements: