Intercropping Okra and Castor Bean Reduces Recruitment of Oriental Fruit Moth, Grapholita molesta (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) in a Pear Orchard

Simple Summary: This study used field observations to demonstrate that intercropping okra in a pear orchard reduced pheromone trap catches of Grapholita molesta in two years, whereas intercropping with castor bean reduced them in one year, relative to natural grass cover. GC-MS assays showed that hydrocarbons, phenols, and ketones predominated in the volatiles emitted from okra, whereas aldehydes, ketones, and esters were the most abundant volatiles emitted from castor bean. Five of these compounds exhibited repellency to G. molesta in olfactometry assays, especially cinnamaldehyde, dibutyl phthalate, and thymol; the former also served as an attractant for the egg parasitoid Trichogamma dendrolimi, which is often used in augmentation biocontrol of the moth. Intercrops can lower pest densities by increasing plant diversity, altering chemical communication in the arthropod community, and integrating well with other IPM tactics. We used two years of field observations and Y-tube olfactometer assays to explore the effects of intercropping a pear orchard with okra and castor bean on the cosmopolitan fruit-boring pest Grapholita molesta (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). Intercropping okra reduced G. molesta trap catches in the pear orchard in both years, and intercropping with castor bean reduced them in the second year. Hydrocarbons, phenols, and ketones predominated in the GC-MS assay of okra volatiles, whereas castor bean volatiles were rich in aldehydes, ketones, and esters. Five of the commercially available volatiles released by these plants exhibited repellency to G. molesta in olfactometer trials, especially cinnamaldehyde, dibutyl phthalate, and thymol; the former compound also exhibited attraction to the egg parasitoid Trichogamma dendrolimi (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae). In addition to their repellent properties, okra and castor bean may enhance integrated control of G. molesta in orchards by hosting prey that support populations of generalist predators that either provide biological pest control services within the orchard ecosystem or generate non-consumptive effects that contribute to pest deterence. Among the plant volatiles evaluated, cinnamaldehyde has the best potential for deployment in orchards to repel G. molesta without disrupting augmentative releases of T. dendrolimi.