RIDGE QUEST INC. — Department of Agriculture SBIR Phase II: 8.13

Description

Title: Tangler Trifecta Advanced Mating Disruption that Allows for Time and LaborSavings.Principle Director: Chandra Maleckas-BunkerNON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: Many factors acting together including concerns about worker safetyfood safety pesticide resistance and new regulations governing pesticides have heightened growerawareness to reduce insecticide inputs and increase reliance on biopesticides. Foremost among theforces leading to change is the need to reduce input costs to maintain economic viability. Matingdisruption is among the most effective biopesticides for managing various fruit crop pests includingCodling Moth Oblique Banded Leafroller and Oriental fruit moth. Although this tactic has proven to be aviable alternative to insecticides for some key pests it is yet to be embraced as an economically viablealternative to insecticides in many fruit production regions. A major impediment to widespreadadoption of disruption technologies are the number of devices needed timing physical application ofthe product and the high product and application costs.OBJECTIVES: The major aim in developing the Tangler Trifecta technology is to greatly improve themating disruption application process and substantially reduce its cost especially the application costthereby increasing adoption. The Tangler system consists of a bolo loaded with pheromone and alauncher that enables the grower to rapidly apply numerous modules to the upper tree canopy. Themodule consists of a cap and a base each made of biodegradable plastic. As a result of the bola designthe propelled modules readily become tangled in the tree branches. It took a single applicator 30minutes to treat a 1 ha orchard with 1000. Currently registered hand-applied disruption formulationsrequire 3-4 hours to treat a 1 ha orchard at this high rate. The greatly improved efficiency provided byTangler Trifecta will mean that growers no longer will need to skimp on the number of dispensersapplied because it is time consuming and labor intensive. Moreover their dependence on labor to usemating disruption and the expense associated with the application will be substantially reduced.APPROACH: First this research project will determine the efficacy of the Tangler Trifecta for season longcontrol and the long-term reduction of populations. Secondly compare Tangler Trifecta to thecommercially available competitor Isomate OFM (Pacific Biocontrol). Thirdly clarify the optimal rate ofTangler Trifecta required to achieve mating disruption long term population reduction and preventionof crop damage. Lastly optimize Tangler Trifecta's membrane to achieve the release of all activeingredients for the duration of the CM OBLR and OFM flight with emphasis on providing superiormating disruption.COMMERCIALIZATION: The goal of this research will be to develop a highly efficient and effective matingdisruption product for CM OBLR and OFM that will prevent damage caused by these pests and increasegrower adoption of this technology in organic and commercial fruit crops. Further development of thisproduct will lead to a triple dispenser which will control seven different insects and reduce pesticide useby its implementation.