Hotan, Xinjiang Province.
The walnut industry occupies an important position in the fruit industry in Hotan County. Up to date, total area of economic forest in Hotan is around 38,000 ha, while walnuts is 20,000 ha alone. It shows that walnut planting in Hotan County is the priority of the county's economic development. In recent years, in the development of the walnut industry, due to the lack of scientific cultivation and management experience and the influence of abnormal weather, high population of codling moths (Cydia pomonella) has appeared in Hotan County, and the trend has been spreading further.
Field investigations by plant protection specialists from Pherobio found that the local walnut industry has suffered severe damage from codling moths, affecting fruit quality and yield. Led by local forestry protection unit, mating disruption technology for codling moth has been introduced to local walnut orchards, a total of 15,000 hectares will be treated with Pherobio's mating disruption dispensers.
Mating disruption technology uses sex pheromone of codling moth to interfere the mating process among codling moth colonies. This technology reduces the chances of mating and reproduction of female adults, thereby reducing the occurrence of offspring larvae, and protecting host plants from pests. Mating disruption with insect pheromone has very low environmental impact, compared to conventional pesticide.