Pheromone trap catches of the olive moth, Prays oleae (Bern.) (Lep., Plutellidae) in relation to olive phenology and degree-day models

Abstract

The population dynamics of the olive moth, Prays oleae (Bern) (Lep., Plutellidae) was monitored using pheromone traps containing (Z)-7-tetradecenal, from 2000 to 2002 in abandoned and commercial olive groves of Bursa in north-western Turkey. The carpophagous generation lasted significantly longer than the phyllophagous generation. The degree-days required for the anthophagous generation were significantly shorter than that for the phyllophagous and carpophagous generations. The relationship between temperature accumulations and pheromone trap captures of male P. oleae in Bursa olive groves showed a significant sigmoid relationship for the phyllophagous and anthophagous flights. Although there was generally a linear relationship between cumulative male catch and olive tree phenology, the use of the prediction model for insecticide treatments was insufficient. Cumulative male catch-degree days together with the olive tree phenology model can be used as a forecasting method for proper timing of insecticide applications against anthophagous and carpophagous larvae in olive groves.