ABSTRACT
The main wine-grape insect pests in Sardinia are Lobesia botrana (Den. et Schiff.) and Eupoecilia ambiguella (Hb.). L. botrana was found in all types of vineyard, producing three generations a year in central and northern areas and a fourth partial generation in the south. E. ambiguella was only present in some irrigated arbour-type vineyards; three generations a year were observed, but with high population densities only in years with moderately hot summers and high humidity. The most severe infestations normally occurred in vineyards with extended training systems (e.g., arbour) and on compact-cluster varieties. L. botrana populations varied considerably over the years; limiting factors were high summer temperatures and mortality of overwintering pupae from numerous parasites and predators. Infestations were controllable by intervening on the second generation with a single insecticidal treatment, on the basis of pheromone–trap captures and when the intervention thresholds (10–15% of clusters attacked for loose-cluster varieties and 5–10% for compact) were exceeded.
