Gholamhossein Gharekhani, Claus P. W. Zebitz, Ghasem Tohidloo:
Modelling the Influence of Climatic Factors on Dispersal of Codling Moth Cydia pomonella L. (Lepidoptera, Tortricidae)

GHOLAMHOSSEIN GHAREKHANI¹, CLAUS P. W. ZEBITZ², GHASEM TOHIDLOO^3
1Maragheh University , Department of Plant protection, Iran
²University of Hohenheim, Institute of Phytomedicine, Germany
³Islamic Azad University of Karaj, Iran

Fluctuations of insect population are influenced by the biotic and abiotic factors. With regard to the prominent role of weather factors on dispersal of codling moth we studied the influence of climatic factors on dispersal of male and female moths in detail. For this purpose, delta pheromone traps and cylinder shape pear ester traps utilised for sampling male and female moths. Weather data were measured as well. Several circadian climatic data including minimum, maximum and mean temperature, relative humidity, precipitation, wind speed, degree day, and the same factors for the twilight were utilised in the analysis. Diversity and plenty of variables led us to use Akaike's Information Criterion (AIC) for selecting appropriate regressors and fitting models for feral and marked insects distinctly.

The main influential regressors for the marked female moths were flight height, ageing, wind speed at twilights in low elevation and the twilight precipitation. For the marked male the

same regressors plus the distance from the releasing point were the best subset. In the case of the feral moths the flight height, relative humidity, degree day, twilight temperature and wind speed at low and high elevations were the best subset regressors.

In general we concluded that the present study provided new knowledge in basic as well as in applied science. Twilight temperature, rainfall, wind speed and degree day impress the distribution of the moths in a superior way than the circadian weather data. Furthermore, relating climatic factors male and

female Codling moth capture in pheromone traps proposes behavioural insight to individuals and monitoring their flight patterns for commercial purposes.

Keywords: Climatic factor, Codling moth, dispersal, modelling, trap

Footnotes

...P

Contact Address: Gholamhossein Gharekhani, Maragheh University , Department of Plant protectionMother Sqr., 83111-55181 Maragheh, Iran, e-mail: ghgharakhanyyahoo.com