Ktima Kir-Yianni is using the sexual disruption method for the male adults of the European grapevine moth, for the last six years. Specialized dispensers are deployed on the vines with a specific density per hectare, releasing the adult female’s mating pheromone. The pheromone disorients the adult males, which cannot find the females to mate. It’s a natural insect’s population reduction and as a result the decrease or the elimination of grapes infection. At the same time, we do not use inscecticides, so the beneficial insects can survive.

The sexual mate disruption method is officially certified for organic viticulture.

What is European grapevine moth?

European grapevine moth – Lobesia botrana – is the main inscect threat for the grapevines. It belongs to Lepidoptera family and has 3-4 generations per year. The larvae are damaging the flowers, the green and mature berries, opening holes on the surface. In addition, the holes on the mature berries create the conditions for secondary infections from fungi, which leads to serious degradation of the berries.

Before this method, the insect was fought in the IPM program by spraying insecticides, in accordance with the adult male conceptions in pheromonic traps, deployed at proper positions in our vineyards.