Controlling the pink bollworm by disrupting sex pheromone communication between adult moths

Abstract

The synthetic sex pheromone (gossyplure) of the pink bollworm was evaporated into the atmosphere of three cotton fields during an entire growing season. The resulting disruption of premating pheromone communication between male and female moths led to a reduction in the population of larvae infesting cotton bolls. This larval control was comparable, in terms of both effectiveness and expense of materials used, to the control achieved in ten comparison fields by growers using conventional insecticide applications.