An apparatus was developed for investigating the release rates of pheromone formulations at temperatures and air velocities that correspond with those in the field. Polyurethane foam proved an excellent adsorbent for the recovery of tetradecen-1-ol acetates, allowing high air flows at low differential pressure and without breakthrough of these compounds. The experimental setup and procedures are described. The release rates of all formulations investigated were almost proportional to the square root of air velocity, and their logarithms were proportional to the reciprocal of temperature (K). When temperature is increased from 15°C to 25°C, the release rates increase by about 2-2.5 ×. Both relationships were combined into one equation that allows a reliable estimate to be made of the actual release rates of a formulation, under varying conditions, on the basis of its specific parameters and the relevant meteorological data. © 1990 Plenum Publishing Corporation.
