The award recognizes the excellence of the technique of sexual confusion, which consists of using pheromone diffusers, a substance comparable to a perfume, to fight against one of the main enemies of apples: the codling moth. Thus, producers greatly reduce the use of pesticides. The PPQs emphasize the phenomenal support of producers for this project. In fact, in 2017, 137 companies used sexual confusion and 1,521 hectares, the equivalent of 2,800 football fields, had a defense made up of pheromone diffusers!
This award demonstrates the efforts of the apple industry to adopt best practices in integrated fruit production. The PPQs thank the investigators and idealizers of the project: producers Marc Chiasson, Michael Leahy and Joël Mackenzie, as well as IROM's entomology researcher, Daniel Cormier and MAPAQ for the financial support.
