Principle Investigators: T. Weigle, Sr. Area Extension Educator, NYS IPM Program, G. English-Loeb, Dept. of Entomology, NYSAES, Geneva, W. Wilcox, Dept. of Plant Pathology, NYSAES, Geneva, R. Dunst, Research Support Specialist, NYSAES, Fredonia and J. Bixby, Program Assistant, NYS IPM Program.

INTRODUCTION

The implementation of the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA) could drastically alter pest management strategies currently used by grape growers in New York State. There is a need to develop vineyard pest management strategies that provide growers with the information needed to manage pest populations if conventional pesticides currently in use are lost or restricted. Pesticides under FQPA review include organophosphates, carbamates and potential carcinogens (B 1's and B 2's). If the registration of the pesticides on this list are canceled, it could eliminate all insecticides currently used in vineyard insect management programs and EBDC's, the group of fungicides most commonly used before bloom, would be lost.

Using alternatives to conventional insecticides will increase the importance of timing applications correctly. A project conducted by English-Loeb, and Weigle during the 1998 growing season sought to improve the timing of insecticide applications for grape berry moth (GBM) by examining peaks in pheromone trap catches of males. Capture data for male grape berry moth from 15 sites in the different growing areas of the belt from lake to escarpment and southern end to northern end, did not produce the information needed to pinpoint generational peaks. One of the conclusions of this study was there is a need to develop a trapping method which allows for the capture of female grape berry moth before alternative GBM management strategies can be successfully implemented.