Practicing Mass Trapping to Limit Pest Populations
1. Presentation
Characterization of the technique
Description of the technique:
Information initially from the Practical guide for the design of vegetable cropping systems saving phytosanitary products (2014) / Technical sheet T13. For more information: see link and from the Guide for the design of fruit production systems saving phytosanitary products (2014) / Technical sheet no. 18. For more information: see link
Principle :
The technique consists of installing in a plot a sufficient number of traps to collect adults, larvae or eggs of a specific pest in order to strongly limit its population and offspring. Several types of mass trapping can be used: pheromone trapping which attracts and traps pest insects; the use of food baits or kairomones which attract and neutralize pests in traps; sticky chromatic traps which attract pests according to color; light traps... These techniques can also be used for monitoring to detect flight periods and ensure population tracking.
Example of implementation:
Examples of application in vegetable production:
Pheromone trapping: "pheromone Tuta absoluta"
Target: adult males of Tuta absoluta in greenhouse or protected cultivation.
- Setup for detection of first adults and population monitoring: the pheromone capsule must be placed on the sticky plate of a Delta trap. It is suspended about 10 cm above the crop, in a place where regular checks are not difficult. Distribution must be uniform to avoid any interference.
- Setup for mass trapping of males: the capsule is placed in a basket located above and at the center of the trap filled with water with a small amount of vegetable oil or soap. A minimum distance of 15 to 20 m between traps is recommended. Traps are placed on the ground or at a maximum height of 40 cm and must be kept filled with water at all times.
- Dose and application: for detection, it is recommended to place four traps per hectare of shelter. For mass trapping, the density will be between 20 and 25 traps per hectare. In both cases, pheromone capsules are effective for 4 to 6 weeks after placement in the trap. The same type of pheromone must be used for replacement. Now, pheromones are available in gel form to be renewed every 3 months.
- Application conditions: traps are placed as soon as soil preparation or planting. Respect pheromone usage conditions.
- Product storage: Respect storage conditions and shelf life indicated by the supplier.
Example of trapping for the cherry fly and Drosophila suzukii in cherry orchard
Image: Chromatic trap for capture of cherry fly (Rhagoletis cerasi) and trap for Drosophila suzukii - © Mandrin Jean François, CTIFL. see link
Details on the technique:
The effectiveness of the technique to limit pests populations depends on the type of trapping (pheromones, chromatic...), the type of trap (Delta, sticky plates...), as well as their density and location in the crop. Therefore, for maximum effectiveness, it is advised to:
- install traps as early as possible before pest presence or as soon as the first bio-aggressors are detected (for detection, a trap must be set up as soon as the installation of the crop)
- have an effective attractant
- provide a trapping device on sufficiently large plots (in orchard systems minimum 1 ha)
- in fruit production, leave traps at least 15 days after the last harvest in the case of ceratitis on peach trees.
Moreover, combining several types of biological protection and preventive methods is recommended for better effectiveness.
Implementation period On established crop
Spatial scale of implementation Plot
Farm
Mass trapping works better when implemented on large groups of plots (an entire production area for example)
Application of the technique to...
All crops: Easily generalizable
This technique can be applied to all vegetable crops (greenhouse, protected) and also to fruit species
All soil types: Not applicable
Regulation
The use of mass trapping methods for pests is covered by several CEPP sheets:
- Action no. 41: Fighting against flies in orchards and vineyard using traps listed as biocontrol products
- Action no. 56: Fighting against flying insects under shelters using sticky colored traps placed at high density
2. Services provided by the technique
3. Effects on the sustainability of the cropping system
"Environmental" criteria
Effect on air quality: Increasing
phytosanitary emissions: DECREASE
GHG emissions: DECREASE
Effect on water quality: Increasing
pesticides: DECREASE
Effect on fossil resource consumption: Decreasing
fossil energy consumption: DECREASE
Other: No effect (neutral)
Comments
Reduction of pollutant transfers to water, air and soil thanks to the reduction of phytosanitary products.
No mechanized intervention, thus reduction of energy.
"Agronomic" criteria
Productivity: No effect (neutral)
No effect
The effect is positive insofar as the technique is effective (or contributes to the effectiveness) on targeted pests.
Quality of production: No effect (neutral)
No effect
The effect is positive insofar as the technique is effective (or contributes to the effectiveness) on targeted pests.
Soil fertility: No effect (neutral)
No effect
Water stress: No effect (neutral)
No effect
Functional Biodiversity: Variable
Variable
In principle, no impact on functional biodiversity, as the technique is generally very selective (except perhaps in the case of some non-specific food attractants that could kill beneficials: Hymenoptera parasitoids for example). Or in the case of chromatic or light traps which can attract other insects than those targeted. Take necessary measures to limit this risk.
"Economic" criteria
Operational costs: Variable
Variable
The difference depends on the price gap between chemical treatment programs and mass trapping programs, knowing that it is generally a complementary method to improve protection effectiveness while limiting the application of phytosanitary products.
As an example in fruit production:
- Cost of trapping ceratitis: €250/ha for supply (50 traps/ha)
- Cost of trapping xylobore: about €300/ha (with 8 traps/ha)
Take into account the cost of traps, installation and maintenance.
"Social" criteria
Effect on farmer health: No known impact
No known impact
This alternative generally has no toxicological classification for the applicator (except pheromones = use gloves)
Less application of phytosanitary products
Observation time: Increasing
Increasing
Working time depends on the number of traps set up and the lifespan of the trap. However, the technique requires time for installation, trap maintenance as well as regular monitoring.
Whatever the technique used, monitoring of crops must be precise and regular to detect attacks and follow their evolution.
4. Organisms favored or disadvantaged
Favored pests
| Organism | Impact of the technique | Type | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zeuzera (Zeuzera pyrina) | pest, predator or parasite | Mass trapping of zeuzera can have a reverse effect with attraction of moths from the orchard environment. | |
| thrips of vegetable crops | MEDIUM | pest, predator or parasite | Use of blue sticky traps associated with a kairomone can sometimes have a multiplying effect on thrips populations and cause an opposite result to the expected one (?) |
Disadvantaged pests
| Organism | Impact of the technique | Type | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drosophila (Drosophila suzukii) | pest, predator or parasite | Technique used as a complementary lever on raspberry in some regions | |
| Cherry fly (Rhagoletis cerasi) | pest, predator or parasite | ||
| Scolytid (Xyleborus disparate) | pest, predator or parasite | Under low pressure conditions, the technique is used on chestnut tree in some regions. | |
| Tuta absoluta | STRONG | pest, predator or parasite | There are effective pheromone traps to mass trap males of Tuta absoluta, especially under shelter |
| whiteflies | STRONG | pest, predator or parasite | Yellow sticky traps are very effective to trap whiteflies, especially under shelter |
| Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata) | pest, predator or parasite | This technique is a main lever against ceratitis (Mediterranean fruit fly) on stone and pome fruits (late varieties) | |
| vegetable crop flies | STRONG | pest, predator or parasite | Yellow sticky traps and yellow bowls filled with soapy water are very effective to trap flies (delia platura, delia radicum, psila rosae) but effectiveness depends on the shade of yellow used |
| noctuids of vegetable crops | STRONG | pest, predator or parasite | There are effective pheromone traps to mass trap noctuids, in open field or under shelter |
| thrips of vegetable crops | STRONG | pest, predator or parasite | Blue sticky traps are very effective to trap thrips, especially when associated with a specific kairomone |
| raspberry cane borer (Byturus tomentosus) | pest, predator or parasite | Under low pressure conditions, the technique is used on raspberry in some regions. |
Beneficials favored
| Organism | Impact of the technique | Type | Details |
|---|
Disadvantaged beneficials
| Organism | Impact of the technique | Type | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parasitoids | MEDIUM | Natural enemies of pests | Chromatic traps used to regulate phytophagous fly populations are not selective (yellow bowl and yellow sticky plates) and risk in particular attracting and killing hymenopteran parasitoids. |
| Predatory thrips | STRONG | Natural enemies of pests | Blue sticky traps used to kill phytophagous thrips also attract aeolothrips |
Favored climatic and physiological accidents
| Organism | Impact of the technique | Details |
|---|
Disadvantaged climatic and physiological accidents
| Organism | Impact of the technique | Details |
|---|
5. For more information
- Thematic sheet: mass capture of pests
- -2011
AFPP Guide working group
- The hoplocampa, a pest increasing in cider orchards
- -Corroyer N., Cardon J.-C., Corroyer B., Dupont N.
Technical brochure, 2014
Apple for cider, 35, 11-13.
- Fighting ceratitis by mass trapping
- -Tison G., Bénaouf G.
2010
Alter Agri, 104, 17-18
- Trapping xylobores: less alcohol on plum trees
- -Coutal T., Courtois C.
Technical brochure, 2008
Phytoma-Plant protection no. 612, 21-25
- Protection against the Mediterranean fruit fly 2004-2012.
- -Bouniol M.
2013
MedEx, 26 March 2013, Experimental station La Tapy, Carpentras-Serres.
- Evaluation of mass trapping as an alternative to chemical control against Ceratitis capitata on peach trees in the Pyrénées-Orientales.
- -Fratantuono M
University work, 2009
Engineering diploma thesis, Montpellier SupAgro.
6. Keywords
Pest control method: Biological control
Mode of action: Avoidance Catch-up Action on initial stock Mitigation
Type of strategy regarding pesticide use: Substitution
Annexes
S'applique aux cultures suivantes
Favorise les bioagresseurs suivants
Défavorise les bioagresseurs suivants
Défavorise les auxiliaires
