Differentiation of Competitive vs Noncompetitive

Authors: J R Miller L J Gut F M de Lame L L Stelinski

Publish Date: 2006/10/04

Volume: 32, Issue: 10, Pages: 2115-

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Abstract

Eleven out of 13 disruption profiles plots of dispenser density vs male catch from moth sex pheromone literature were consistent with a competitiveattraction mechanism in which dispensers attract males and thereby divert them from females Mean dispenser activity D a across all competitiveattraction cases was 004 ± 006 SD values ranged from 00005 for a tiny laminated flake dispenser of racemic disparlure targeting gypsy moth to 02 for polyethylene tube dispensers used against lightbrown apple moth A dispenser application activity D overlinerm Arm a can be calculated by multiplying D a by the number of such dispensers applied per hectare of crop The highest dispenser application activity D overlineA a values approached 200 and corresponded to 99 inhibition of catches of male moths in monitoring traps Relative to the D overlineA a scale inhibition of catches of male moths compressed and obscured large differences in D overlineA a when disruption exceeded 90 For cases of competitive attraction these two efficacy scales can be interconverted by using the formula D overlineA a approx 100 mathordleft/ vphantom 100 left 100text text minus text disruption right right kernnulldelimiterspace left 100text text minus text disruption right When disruptive point sources of pheromone were directly observed male moths were seen approaching pheromone dispensers whose disruption profiles matched competitive attraction Two cases fit noncompetitive disruption mechanisms which include camouflage desensitization adaptation and/or habituation and sensory imbalance In these cases pheromone was released at rates higher than for cases of disruption by competitive attraction Practical ramifications of the finding that competitive attraction appears to be the prevalent mechanism for moth mating disruption by pheromone point sources are listed We believe that the congruence of diverse sets of mating disruption field data with explicit a priori predictions validates competitiveattraction theory The analytical tools and principles governing competitive attraction that were uncovered during this study of mating disruption of moths should be generally applicable to competitiveattraction phenomenaJM credits Professor Joseph Meier of Millersville University for teaching the benefits of analyzing data as a set so as to comprehend underlying relationships rather than being satisfied with an ANOVA and assignments of statistical significance to pairs of means Appreciation is expressed to Naomi Miller and to senior technician Piera Siegert for affording JM the many long periods with few interruptions necessary to produce this and the previous paper Aspects of this work were financially supported by grants to JM and LG from the USDA Special Grants Program Michigan State University Project GREEEN and The Michigan Apple Commission

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