Evaluating the Field Efficacy and Durability of Pheromone Mating Disruption Dispensers for Sustainable Swede Midge Management
Tamakloe, Vincent
Tamakloe, Vincent
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Abstract
Swede midge is an invasive fly that causes devastating damage to Brassica crops, such as broccoli and kale, often resulting in 100% crop loss for local organic farmers. While farmers currently rely on intensive insecticide sprays, Pheromone Mating Disruption (PMD) offers a sustainable alternative. PMD works by flooding a field with synthetic female scents, making it impossible for males to find mates. However, traditional sachet/bag dispensers are labor-intensive and expensive to deploy. This study tested a new, easy-to-use pheromone paste dispenser to determine whether it could protect crops as effectively as traditional sachet/bag dispener. Field trials in Vermont and Quebec showed that the new pheromone paste dispenser was highly effective, disrupting 88.2% of male midges from finding traps, which matched the 86.2% performance of traditional sachet/bag dispensers. Both tools successfully "shut down" mating activity during the initial stage of the study. However, the research identified a critical turning point: by the fourth week, the effectiveness of both tools dropped below the 80% success threshold required for commercial control. To understand this decline, we tested weathered dispensers in a laboratory wind tunnel to measure their remaining bioactivity. Statistical survival analysis revealed that both the pheromone paste dispenser and the traditional sachet/bag dispenser exhibited nearly identical degradation patterns over time ($p=0.456$). By the conclusion of the 12-week trial, both dispenser types reached a near-zero level of bioactivity, failing to elicit oriented upwind flight in male midges. These results show that while the new pheromone paste dispenser is a powerful, user-friendly tool for sustainable farming, growers must replace the dispensers every 4 weeks to ensure their crops remain protected from midge damage throughout the season.
Description
Date
1/1/2026
Student Status
Graduate Student
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Poster
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Program/Major
Plant Science
College/School
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
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Life Science