Rival scientists' painted apple moth lures face test

By ANNE BESTON

Two scientists who have raced each other to come up with a copy of the sexual scent of a female moth will present their findings today at a meeting on the future of the painted apple moth eradication campaign.

But while Dr Max Suckling of HortResearch was given $500,000 last year and another $400,000 budgeted this year to come up with a synthetic copy of the painted apple moth pheromone, his rival, Dr John Clearwater, is the one claiming success.

Pheromones are a key tools in eradicating moth pests because trapped male moths are the best indication of population density and location - and synthetic lures are likely to be more efficient and cheaper than using live females in traps.

Dr Clearwater, a former employee of HortResearch who is now an independent consultant, believes his lures are good enough to replace live females.

He says that in the two years he has spent researching his formula for the sexual scent, he has had only two MAF-paid airfares to Wellington.

His work on the white spotted tussock moth pheromone was credited with helping to eradicate the pest from East Auckland in 1996.

But Dr Suckling believes he is just as far down the track.

"What we're saying to MAF at the moment is that there are definitely logistical problems with using a synthetic pheromone in the formulation that we have, and that we believe that anyone else has," he said.

Seven scientists, one independent of MAF, will assess the men's claims.