European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization
Organisation Europe
´enne et Me
´diterrane
´enne pour la Protection des Plantes
PP 1/264 (2)
Efficacy evaluation of plant protection products
PP 1/264 (2) Principles of efficacy evaluation for mating disruption
pheromones
Specific scope
This Standard describes the general principles of trial design
for the efficacy evaluation of mating disruption techniques
based on pheromones. Generally, these techniques are based
on female sex pheromones, but others could be used, for exam-
ple aggregation pheromones which attract both sexes for mat-
ing or, in rare cases, where males produce sex pheromones.
Pheromones and other
types of semiochemicals
may
also be used in other pest control methods. These include
use as repellents and in mass trapping techniques (with or
without chemical insecticides). Whilst not directly covered
under this guideline, a number of the practical aspects relat-
ing to trial design and assessment methods may also be rel-
evant considerations for other semiochemical techniques.
This Standard should be read in conjunction with EPPO
specific Standard PP 1/314
Evaluation of mating disruption
techniques against Lepidopteran pests in grapevine, pome
and
stone
fruits
under
field
conditions
and
on
the
Evaluation
of
mating
disruption
techniques
against
Lepidopteran pests in grapevine, pome and stone fruits
under semi-field conditions
(in preparation)
1
.
Specific approval and amendment
First approved in 2008-09.
Second revision approved in 2019-09 following adoption
of
EPPO
Standards
PP
1/314
Evaluation
of
mating
disruption
techniques
against
Lepidoptera
pests
in
grapevine, pome and stone fruits under field conditions
and
the preparation of the Standard on the
Evaluation of mating
disruption
techniques
against
Lepidoptera
pests
in
grapevine,
pome
and
stone
fruits
under
semi-field
conditions
(in preparation).
1. Introduction
Mating disruption techniques may be based on several pos-
sible mechanisms. One common approach is false trail fol-
lowing, based on using high levels of female insect sex
pheromones. These disrupt the male insect’s sensory ability
to locate and therefore mate with females. Prevention or
delay of mating can cause significant impairment of breed-
ing success with commensurate benefits in reducing subse-
quent crop damage. Because sex pheromones are typically
species-specific, the mating disruption products usually tar-
get one pest species. It is also possible to have a product
mixture containing more than one pheromone, each specific
to an individual species. In such cases, data (from prelimi-
nary
trials,
published
sources
and
field
trials)
should
demonstrate the activity of each component against each
individual
species.
Furthermore,
careful
consideration
should be given if claims of extrapolation to other species
are proposed, particularly for pheromones involved in mat-
ing disruption because these are typically species-specific.
Most techniques are based on the principle of releasing
high
rates
of
pheromone,
creating
a
localized
high
concentration area within which males cannot locate indi-
vidual females. Example techniques include simple manu-
ally
placed
dispensers,
programmed
‘puffers’,
sprayable
formulations,
micro-encapsulated
formulations
or
luring
males into a non-lethal trap where they are coated with a
pheromone-loaded powder. The emerging males are unable
to detect females, act as false lures and point sources of
further pheromone release.
These techniques are very specialized and present partic-
ular challenges when considering trial design. A conven-
tional
design
based
around
randomized
small
plots,
replicated treatments and direct comparisons with a refer-
ence product and untreated controls is not usually practical.
This guideline has therefore been developed to provide gen-
eral guidance on those factors which should be considered
when generating data and designing field trials.
1
For
EU
Member
States,
SANTE/12815/2014
rev.
5.2
May
2016
Guidance
document
on
semiochemical
active
substances
and
plant
protection products
provides additional guidance on semiochemicals
and addresses the risk assessment areas. For efficacy, it refers to this
EPPO Standard.
ª
2019 OEPP/EPPO,
Bulletin OEPP/EPPO Bulletin
0
, 1–4
1
Bulletin OEPP/EPPO Bulletin
(2019)
0
(0), 1–4
ISSN 0250-8052. DOI: 10.1111/epp.12594