Mealybug lures for vineyards
Alex Easton, a former viticulturist and now Regional Manager Upper South Island for UPL NZ Ltd, says pest pressure in manageable with the right tools, and mealybug lures can be a simple, cost-effective solution.
“Maybe you don’t even need that insecticide you thought was ‘insurance,” says Alex.
To reduce insecticide use, and to get a better insight into where pests are a problem, Alex recommends using Desire ® mealybug lures. They release female pheromones mimicking the two species, citrophilus (Pseudococcus calceolariae) and long-tailed (Pseudococcus longispinus), most commonly found in New Zealand vineyards to attract male mealybugs.
“To support your crop monitoring data, place the Desire lures around your vineyard. After 10 to 14 days, take a photo of the mealybugs on the trap’s sticky base and compare to the insect density scale or guidance tool, on UPL’s website. To get a rating, you simply divide the pest population estimate by the number of days the trap has been out,” explains Alex.
The guidance tool rates populations from one (zero to 10 mealybugs) through to nine (4,500+ mealybugs).
“A trap estimate revealing more than 50 males a day means spraying should be on your radar,” says Alex.
The Desire mealybug lure was developed through a partnership between Plant and Food Research and UPL NZ Ltd. It is certified organic by BioGro NZ.
Alex believes the lures are the right tool for the job.
“You are not using insecticides because of perceived risk, but only when pest pressure indicates a genuine need. This is better for your workers, beneficial insects, and your bottom line. Trap data also helps you create block history, by comparing annual spray programmes and measuring the efficacy of different mealybug management regimes applied to different blocks.”
