Vine Mealybug Season Tips: When to apply mealybug treatment?

Seeking advice on when to deploy mating disruption for vine mealybug and which of our platforms is best for your operation? Our technical team is here to provide best practices for deployment and elaborate on each of our pheromone delivery systems.

How to Choose the Best Vine Mealybug Mating Disruption Platform for Your Operation

Growers typically deploy mating disruption for vine mealybug in the spring. Although deployment is dependent on scheduled crop production activities and availability of labor, it is best done before the onset of the first flight (around April).

The Suterra vine mealybug portfolio includes Celada^™ VMB a continuous release pheromone vapor dispenser and CheckMate^® VMB-F, a sprayable pheromone formulation. These products each deliver pheromone in their own unique way, which allows growers the opportunity to determine which will fit their needs best with respect to equipment, labor, or budget.

Celada VMB 180 is a continuous release vapor dispenser technology. It emits vine mealybug pheromone into the field year-long, making it the longest lasting VMB dispenser on the market. With seven plus generations a year and VMB’s ability to vector grapevine leafroll associated viruses, we understand the need for a high performing pest management tool. Celada dispensers have undergone rigorous retention testing and hold firm past crop production activities such as pruning or mechanical harvest.

CheckMate ® VMB-F is a microencapsulated sprayable version of our vine mealybug pheromone. One application of VMB-F is equivalent to dispersing billions of microscopic dispensers into your field. It can be tank-mixed with most foliar-applied sprays throughout the season. Application timings are flexible; growers report using VMB-F alongside their fungicide sprays as well as closely targeting VMB flights. For more information on tank mix compatibility, contact a Suterra representative.

When Does Vine Mealybug Become Most Active in Vineyards?

Vine Mealybug is always present at one life stage or another within the vineyard. VMB overwinters on the lower part of the grapevine under the bark, close to or under soil surface where it can reside unseen for many months. Growers with unknown populations of vine mealybug are often unaware of this and can be caught by surprise as temperatures increase and VMB becomes more active.

Compared to other mealybugs, vine mealybugs are aggressively prolific and can have up to seven overlapping generations and are much more likely to be found on the upper leaves during the growing season than the other mealybugs. During summer when vine mealybugs are in the canopy, they can be located well above the fruit zone and will lay eggs on the leaves, while Pseudococcus mealybugs do not.

Both coastal and inland grape-growing regions of California have autumn VMB flights after harvest season. Growers in both regions have reported vine mealybug activity in their field as late as November. These end-of-season flights can set the foundation for a large overwintering population of crawlers, which can be seen in root systems as early as January in some parts of the state. With seemingly no break in the life cycle of vine mealybug, growers are increasingly realizing the importance of using yearlong mating disruption to help combat rising pest populations.

Which Platform Is Best for My Farm?

Celada^™ VMB is applied at a rate of 200 dispensers per acre. Dispenser hang patterns depend on vine spacing and the number of vines per acre, but the most important deployment factor is even distribution. Growers can review our deployment guide for common spacing patterns or reach out to our care team for custom spacing requests. Any extra dispensers can be added to known hot spots or field edges.

CheckMate^® VMB-F is applied at a rate of 0.9 fl oz per acre. Spray applications (frequency, row pattern) are at the grower's discretion, but similar to dispensers even distribution of pheromone throughout the field is crucial. VMB-F deployment guides are available on our site, and technical team members are available for spray application questions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: If I do multiple applications of VMB-F sprayable pheromone in one season, will I surpass the 150g of ai/ac label maximum?

A: There is no risk of exceeding the max allowed pheromone level per acre in one season. If applied monthly from April through October (seven applications at 0.9 grams of active ingredient per acre) it would only amount to 6.3 grams of active ingredient per acre. 

Q: Are there any rules to follow when making an ultra-low application of the sprayable pheromone?

A: The most important thing to keep in mind for an application of any volume is that the pheromone needs to be evenly distributed throughout the field to saturate the environment properly. All other things (tank mixes, equipment, speed) are at the discretion of the grower to customize depending on what will work best for their operation. 

Q: What part of the vine should I hang Celada dispensers on?

A: Celada dispensers can be hung on the cordon wire or at the base of canes. The most optimal placement for pest and AI interaction is underneath the vine canopy, in the middle of the vine fork. When deployed properly, dispensers hang on tight regardless of harvest activity. See our deployment guide for detailed deployment instructions.

Q: Does Q: I have leftover bags of Celada dispensers; can I use them next season?

A: Unopened bags of Celada dispensers have a two-year shelf life. As long as bags are not opened or stored in extreme heat, they can be deployed within two years of the manufacturing date. The 365-day longevity starts as soon as the bag is opened, which means to get full use out of the dispensers you should hang on vines as soon as possible. 

We provide this information and guidance so that growers can make informed decisions when choosing a product to disrupt vine mealybug. If you have additional questions, you can connect with a technical representative here.