Pheromone Mass Trapping of Bagworm Moths

CHARLENE COR CORY Y C. HILARION ELIZABETH JAMES  ALFIZA BINTI ABDULLAH SAMANTHA JESSICA TAM  JENIFFER ANAK NAGA KHOO SEZ CHING

BR08110002 BR08110004 BR08110038 BR08110039 BR08110057 BR08110060

INTRODUCTION 

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Bagworms (Lepidoptera: Psychidae) are leaf eating caterpillars, recognized by the distinctive bag which made from tough silk (Barlow, 1982). In Malaysia, bagworms are common pest  which infected orchard, landscape and ornamental tree (Ahmad and Ho, 1980). Infestation of bagworms in oil palm plantation could inflict great loss in the production yield. Common species of bagworms that can be found in oil palm plantation are  Metisa  plana, Pteroma pendula, and Mahasena corbetti.

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 Mahasena corbetti is a major pest in Eastern Sabah but not in peninsular Malaysia, (Wood & Nesbit, 1969). Bagworms attack all stage of palms but bring more severe damage in mature palms as the dispersal is via overlapping of fronds (Basri, 2003). The damage is caused by the young larvae that scrapes leaf epidermis and late larvae that creates hole on the leaves (Basri, 2003). Even with moderate attack of 10-50% of leaf damage, it may cause severe loss about 43% production yield Basri, 2003).

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There are many methods used to corbetti control  Mahasena population in oil palm plantation. Pheromone traps has not yet been used to control the bagworm population in Sabah oil palm plantation. Live, virgin females hung within a sticky vane trap and placed in high concentration of bagworm populations in the field to attract male moths. The sticky trap will serves to trap the males.

JUSTIFICATION 

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This study was done as there had been no study on using pheromone trapping for M. corbetti in Malaysia. This study will provide control method of  M. corbetti  without using chemical insecticide. Thus, providing a sustainable agriculture practice for farmers. This methods is an easier option for smallholders to adopt as trunk injection can only be use by trained personnels.

OBJECTIVES 

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To evaluate the effectiveness of pheromone trap as a control method for M. corbetti. To compare the population of  M. corbetti in population in plantation with pheromone trap and plantation without pheromone trap

HYPOTHESIS. 

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Ho : There is no significance difference between the M. corbetti population in plantation with pheromone trap and plantation without pheromone trap. Ho : There is a significance difference between the M. corbetti population in plantation with pheromone trap and plantation without pheromone trap.

LITERATURE REVIEW. 

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The first study on potential of using pheromone trap for monitoring and controlling  Metisa plana in smallholder plantation with oil palm aged about 4 years. The study was done in Teluk Intan, Perak. Receptive virgin female was used as pheromone source since no sex pheromone for Metisa plana had been developed thus far (Norman & Othman, 2006). Norman and Othman had used 3 types of traps (Delta, Open-Delta, and Vane) to evaluate which traps will be effective to catch the male bagworms.  Vane traps appeared to be the most affective as the mean catches of moths per night in it was significantly greater than in other traps (Norman & Othman, 2006).

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The rates of  Metisa plana female bag which produced offspring in trap-treated plot were significantly lower than those in control plot (Norman & Othman, 2006).  Another study was done in the same district with different palms ages (16 years, 7 years and 6 years) in smallholder plantation to evaluate the efficiency of pheromone trapping as a control method. The study was also done to determine suitable trapping height. There was no significant different in number of  male moth captured between 2m pole and 4m pole (Norman et al., 2009).  According to the study, the number of live larvae and the percentage of bags with eggs in the trapping plots were always relatively lower (9.1–28.2%) compared to the control plots (28.6–48.6%) (Norman et al., 2009).

METHODOLOGY Trap design - Sticky vane trap are made from two zink (overlapping both zink) plates (30 x 30cm).Receptive female will be placed on each plane of the trap. Polybutene glue sprayed evenly on each plane. 

Trapping location - One trapping plot and one control plot are put at the infested block.3 different location were chosen. - Each location has different ages of oil palm (16, 7 and 6 years). Each block was named A, B and C. - Each of plot consist of 6 x 18 palms.For each plots, ten traps were placed with distance of 18m each. 

Control plot - Similar in size with traps. Located approximately 100-200 meters away from the trapping plot. 

Experiment procedures. - Sticky traps were hung on wooden poles 2m tall and surrounded by palms of approximately 11m tall. - Randomized complete block design was used. Three replicates for each trap height and five traps per replicate. - Captures were recorded up to 14 days with the frequency of  trapping every 2-3 months. - The effects of mass trapping were determined. This was done by dissecting the female bags to determine the percentage of bags with eggs. - The result above indicates mating and reproduction success, bagworm larval numbers and damage ranking of  palms. 

GANTT CHART FOR RESEARCH ACTIVITY.

References. 

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Norman Kamarudin & Othman Arshad., 2006. Potentials of Using the Pheromone Trap for Monitoring and Controlling the Bagworm,  Metisa plana Wlk (Lepidoptera: Psychidae) on Young Oil Palm in a Smallholder Plantation.  Journal Asia-Pacific Entomology 9 ( 3): 281-285 Norman Kamarudin, Siti Nurulhidayah Ahmad, Othman  Arshad, & Mohd Basri Wahid., 2009. Pheromone Mass Trapping of bagworm moths,  Metisa plana Walker (Lepidoptera: Psychidae), for its control in mature oil palms in Perak, Malaysia. Journal Asia-Pacific Entomology 13 (2010): 101-106

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 Ahmad, Y. and T.H. Ho, 1980. List of economic pests, host plants, parasites and predators in West Malaysia (1920-1978). Ministry Agric. Malaysia Bull., pp: 538. Barlow, H.S., 1982.  An introduction to the Moths of  South East Asia. Art Printing Sdn. Bhd. Kuala Lumpur.  Wood, B.J. and D.P. Nesbit, 1969. Caterpillar outbreak  on oil palms in Eastern Sabah. Planter.