Mating disruption

A method of pest control. Overdoses of a synthetic sex pheromone of a pest is released at numerous sites within the area of the crop that is to be protected. Such overdoses render the males unable to find their females, which reduces the number of matings and subsequently the pest population. Mating disruption is effective as a control strategy for various pests, especially moths, like the pink bollworm, Pectinophora gossypiella and the grapevine moth, Lobesia botrana.