Use of pheromones and other semiochemicals in integrated production IOBC wprs Bulletin Vol. 25(•) 2002 pp. •-• Mating disruption of codling moth: a perspective from the Western United States Jay Brunner, Steve Welter, 1 Carrol Calkins, 2 Rick Hilton, 3 Elizabeth Beers, John Dunley, Tom Unruh, 2 Alan Knight, 2 Robert Van Steenwyk, 1 Phil Van Buskirk 3 Washington State University, Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center, Wenatchee, WA 98801 - jfb@wsu.edu 1 University of California, Berkeley 2 USDA-ARS, Wapato 3 Oregon State University, Southern Oregon Research and Extension Center, Medford Abstract: An historical perspective is provided of pest management programs in western apple orchards using the Washington situation as an example. The adoption of mating disruption as a key pest management tactic in western pome fruit orchards has resulted from the availability of new technology, a changing regulatory environment, concerns about food safety, and large-scale demonstration projects. Organization of the Codling moth Areawide Management Project (CAMP) is discussed. Results from a specific case study of one CAMP site, Howard Flat, are dis- cussed in detail with comparisons made to other CAMP sites. The future of pheromone-based pest management programs is discussed relative to their long-term stability, research needs, and continuing changes in the US pesticide regulatory environment. Key words: mating disruption, codling moth, codling moth areawide management project Historical perspective History can be a great teacher. By understanding the past we may be better able to understand the present and anticipate the future. A brief history of Pacific Northwest apple pest control is presented in order to place in perspective recent changes in programs. This history provides the foundation on which the current program has been built and now becomes the new basis for assessing future change. In the 1960s, a crisis was developing in Washington’s apple production system. Reliance on chlorinated hydrocarbon insecticides for control of the region’s key pest, the codling moth, Cydia pomonella L., resulted in increased problems with spi- der mites, specifically the McDaniel spider mite, Tetranychus mcdanieli McGregor, and European red mite, Panonychus ulmi (Koch). Specific miticides were employed 1