Author: Sarah Williams

In Australia, typically pseudostem discs or small pitfall traps (less than 500mL volume) are used for monitoring and, to a lesser degree, management of BWB. These strategies are effective in allowing growers to understand their BWB populations and their distribution across their farms. By comparison, international research, and growers, have designed larger pitfall traps (larger than 500mL volumes), to increase rates of BWB capture. These larger pitfall trap designs are possible through the long-lasting pheromone lures which can and historically have also been used domestically in small-scale traps and which can attract both male and female BWB from over 20m away in dry weather. According to an international study (Alpizar et al, 2012), using these large volume mass trapping pitfall traps (with the pheromone lures), at a density of 4 traps per hectare, was 5 to 10 times more effective than traps without pheromone. In this study, corm damage was reduced by half to two thirds after several months of use (from 20-30% corm tunnelling to 10% or less). The resulting reduction of corm damage was shown to increase bunch weights of Dwarf Cavendish (Musa acuminata Colla) by approximately 20%. Trials in Australian growing regions and prominent varieties are yet to be conducted and caution is needed before assuming similar performance outcomes could be attained.

Earlier research by NSW DPI investigated two types of long-lasting pheromone lures (effective for 90 days), to determine the most effective for the NSW region. While both lures are effective at attracting BWB, Cosmolure P160-lure 90 (C.sordidus) is preferred as it does not contain isoamyl acetate, which attracts native turkeys and domestic chickens that damage the traps. Growers who collaborated in the earlier pheromone investigation have continued trapping and over time have developing unique trapping systems using the longer-lasting pheromone.