A portable electroantennogram sensor for routine measurements of pheromone concentrations in greenhouses

Mating disruption using pheromone dispensers is an emerging insect control method in greenhouses in the Netherlands. For routine measurements of the pheromone level in greenhouses a portable and compact device based on electroantennography (EAG) was developed. The instrument was tested in different greenhouses under varying conditions using antennae of males of the noctuid moth Chrysodeixis chalcites. Relative differences in pheromone concentration between greenhouses loaded with pheromone dispensers and control greenhouses could be measured in a reliable way. Changes in pheromone concentration were clearly demonstrated by measurements during the growing season. The advantages of the instrument presented over previously described devices are its true portableness, ease of use and uncomplicated measuring principle. The device can be operated routinely by non-experts, and many measurements can be made in a short period of time. Preliminary outdoor measurements using antennae of male Cydia pomonella as sensor showed the potential of the instrument for use in the open field. The portable EAG sensor described here may provide a practical means for monitoring pheromone concentration and dispersal from dispensers applied for mating disruption.