ABSTRACT Mealybugs damage a variety of crops worldwide, vectoring viruses and causing problems from sooty mould. The identification of the citrophilous mealybug (Pseudococcus calceolariae, CMB) female sex pheromone has created opportunities for its use as a pest management tool that could potentially result in a reduced reliance on insecticides. Mass trapping is a pest management technique that uses baited traps to decrease pest insect densities. To assess the efficacy of the P. calceolariae sex pheromone as a mass trapping tool, a field trial was conducted in citrus in South Australia. The vertical distribution of CMB within the citrus was examined. Male flight activity was monitored using red delta traps in the centre of six 1-ha ‘plots’, after which time half the plots had 306 tent traps containing synthetic CMB pheromone lures deployed (mass traps). Six weeks after the application of mass trapping we observed a 90% lower catch in treated plots compared to catches in control plots. There were strong spatial patterns in trap catch with the Edge to Centre ratio being 3.6:1. P. calceolariae male flight activity showed peaks in October and May. Mass trapping showed promise as an effective management technique for P. calceolariae. Challenges such as male multiple mating and mealybug airborne dispersal still need to be overcome before mass trapping can be used as a reliable management technique.

中文翻译：

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使用 Pseudococcus calceolariae（半翅目：Pseudococcidae）的性信息素作为在南澳大利亚柑橘中大规模捕获的潜在新工具

摘要 粉蚧在世界范围内危害多种作物，传播病毒并引发煤烟病菌问题。嗜柠檬酸粉蚧（Pseudococcus calceolariae，CMB）雌性信息素的鉴定为其用作害虫管理工具创造了机会，这可能会导致减少对杀虫剂的依赖。大规模诱捕是一种害虫管理技术，它使用诱饵诱捕器来降低害虫的密度。为了评估 P. calceolariae 性信息素作为质量捕获工具的功效，在南澳大利亚的柑橘中进行了田间试验。检查了柑橘中CMB的垂直分布。在六个 1 公顷“地块”的中心使用红色三角洲陷阱监测雄性飞行活动，在此之后，一半的地块部署了 306 个包含合成 CMB 信息素诱饵的帐篷陷阱（大规模陷阱）。应用质量捕获六周后，我们观察到，与对照地块的捕获量相比，处理过的地块中的捕获量降低了 90%。陷阱捕获有很强的空间模式，边缘与中心的比例为 3.6:1。P. calceolariae 雄性飞行活动在 10 月和 5 月出现高峰。大规模诱捕显示出作为 P. calceolariae 有效管理技术的前景。在大规模诱捕可以用作可靠的管理技术之前，仍需要克服雄性多次交配和粉蚧在空中传播等挑战。陷阱捕获有很强的空间模式，边缘与中心的比例为 3.6:1。P. calceolariae 雄性飞行活动在 10 月和 5 月出现高峰。大规模诱捕显示出作为 P. calceolariae 有效管理技术的前景。在大规模诱捕可以用作可靠的管理技术之前，仍需要克服雄性多次交配和粉蚧在空中传播等挑战。陷阱捕获有很强的空间模式，边缘与中心的比例为 3.6:1。P. calceolariae 雄性飞行活动在 10 月和 5 月出现高峰。大规模诱捕显示出作为 P. calceolariae 有效管理技术的前景。在大规模诱捕可以用作可靠的管理技术之前，仍需要克服雄性多次交配和粉蚧在空中传播等挑战。