Population and harmfulness of phytophages in peach orchards in the conditions of the Southern Steppe of Ukraine

Goal. To determine the number and harmfulness of the main phytophages on peach cultivars of different ripening terms in order to plan measures to protect the crop from pest damage. Methods. Laboratory-field. The research was carried out in peach orchards of the Scientific and Production Site «Naukova» of Melitopol Fruit Growing Research Station named after M.F. Sydorenka of Institute of Horticulture of NAAS according to generally accepted methods. Monitoring of the number of phytophages was performed on peach cultivars of different ripening terms: Iiun`s`kyi rannii, Melіtopol’s’kyi iasnyi, Charivnyk, Zlatodar, Vireneia, Redhaven, Spokusa, Zolotystii, Mriia and Yuvileinyi Sydorenka during bud swelling, inflorescence opening (pink tip), flowering, growth and maturations of the fruits. Results. Entomoacarocenosis of peach plantations has 15 species of insects pests and 2 species of mites. During the flowering period, the main harmful species was Epicometis hirta Poda., the number of imagoes in different cultivars was 0.3—5.8 specimens/100 flowers. Population intensity of peach trees with green peach aphids (Myzodes persicae Sulz.) for certain cultivars reached the level of 1.9 points, mealy plum aphid (Hyalopterus pruni Geoffr.) — did not exceed 0.8 points. Density of mites, Thrips fuscipennis Haliche and Typhlocyba rosae L. varied in the range of 0.4—2.5; 0.8—2.4; 0.5—1.6 specimen/leaf, respectively. The main fruit-damaging pests in peach orchards were oriental fruit moth (Grapholitha molesta Busck.) and peach twig borer (Anarsia lineatella Zell.). The degree of fruit damage by Lepidoptera pest oriental fruit moth on early-ripening peach cultivars was 3.0—4.0%, increased on medium- and late-ripening cultivars to 6.8% and 11.7%, respectively. The level of fruit damage by peach twig borer compared to the eastern fruit moth was 2.8—10.7 times lower, depending on the cultivar. Conclusions. In the conditions of the South of Ukraine, 15 insect pests and 2 species of mites were recorded in peach orchards. During the growing season, the number of most species of phytophagous, including weevils, leafroller moths, mites, thrips, Typhlocyba rosae on different peach cultivars did not exceed the economic threshold of harmfulness. During the flowering period, Epicometis hirta was the threat to peach orchards. In the summer of 2019, the harmful effects of sucking phytophages, in particular aphids, led to delayed growth and development of shoots, deformation of leaves. The main species of pests that reduced the yield and fruit quality were oriental fruit moth and peach twig borer.