Journal of Oil Palm Research Vol. 29 (1) March 2017, p. 55-65

EFFICACY OF PHEROMONE TRAPPING AND AERIAL SPRAYING OF Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) FOR CONTROLLING BAGWORM, Metisa plana WALKER (Lepidoptera: Psychidae) IN YONG PENG, JOHOR, MALAYSIA

MOHD NAJIB AHMAD*; NORMAN KAMARUDIN*; SITI NURULHIDAYAH AHMAD*; OTHMAN ARSHAD*; MOHAMED MAZMIRA MOHD MASRI*; RAMLE MOSLIM* and A KUSHAIRI*

DOI: https://doi.org/10.21894/jopr.2017.2901.06
ABSTRACT

Recurring bagworm outbreak is a major problem in the oil palm plantation. The continuous use of chemical insecticides to control bagworm outbreaks, the lack of beneficial plants in the plantation to attract natural enemies, and infestation in neighbouring plantations were reported as the contributing factors for bagworm outbreaks. Hence, the aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of pheromone trapping application for controlling bagworm, Metisa plana in Mukim Chaah smallholdings in Yong Peng, Johor, Malaysia. The installation of pheromone traps at Mukim Chaah smallholdings was carried out at four different locations for two consecutive generations of M. plana. Results showed that the first and second generations of pheromone trapping at Kg Sg Berlian and Kg Sawah Padi, without the aerial spraying of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) have successfully reduced 89% and 77% of bagworm population, respectively. Meanwhile, another trapping session conducted at Kg Temehel and Kg Seri Sepakat, together with the aerial spraying of Bt, resulted in the first and second generations of pheromone trapping to successfully reduced 94% and 85% of bagworm population, respectively. Together with the aerial spraying of Bt, the two consecutive generations of pheromone trapping application at two different areas in Mukim Chaah smallholdings successfully reduced bagworm population to manageable levels

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* Malaysian Palm Oil Board, 6 Persiaran Institusi, Bandar Baru Bangi, 43000 Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia. E-mail: