Incidence of postharvest fungal diseases of apples in integrated fruit production

In 2014–2017 an investigation was carried out into the occurrence of fungal storage diseases of five apple varieties (Red Jonaprince, Gala, Golden Delicious, Gloster and Ligol) in the Sandomierz orchard region. The fruit was stored at a CA cold storage room with ULO controlled atmosphere for six months. Occurrence of eight storage diseases was found. The most frequently occurring disease was bull’s eye rot and the losses caused thereby were even 24% of the affected fruit. The cultivars most susceptible to this disease were the Golden Delicious and Ligol apples; the least susceptible were the Gloster ones. The apples were significantly less affected by the fungi that cause brown rot, grey mould rot, blue mould rot and apple scab. Very seldom were the symptoms of calyx end rot, mouldy core and core rot, and anthracnose. Varying severity of infection of the varieties was noted in each season of observation.

Combined Effects of Mating Disruption, Insecticides, and the Sterile Insect Technique on Cydia pomonella in New Zealand

Codling moth was introduced into New Zealand, and remains a critical pest for the apple industry. Apples exported to some markets require strict phytosanitary measures to eliminate the risk of larval infestation. Mating disruption and insecticide applications are the principal means of suppression in New Zealand. We tested the potential for the sterile insect technique (SIT) to supplement these measures to achieve local eradication or suppression of this pest. SIT was trialed in an isolated group of six integrated fruit production (IFP) orchards and one organic orchard (total 391 ha), using sterilized insects imported from Canada, with release by unmanned aerial vehicle and from the ground. Eradication was not achieved across the region, but a very high level of codling moth suppression was achieved at individual orchards after the introduction of sterile moths in combination with mating disruption and larvicides. After six years of releases, catches of wild codling moths at three IFP orchards (224 ha) were 90–99% lower than in 2013–2014, the year before releases began. Catches at three other IFP orchards (129 ha) decreased by 67–97% from the year before releases began (2015–2016), from lower initial levels. At a certified organic orchard with a higher initial population under only organic larvicides and mating disruption, by 2019–2020, there was an 81% reduction in wild moths capture from 2016–2017, the year before releases began.

Control and Management of Plant-Parasitic Nematodes in Integrated Production of Garden Strawberries (Fragaria×Ananassa Duchesne Ex Rozier)

Arable soils are one of the most valuable natural resources and their long-term sustainable management is a determining factor in the integrated production of strawberries. It is well known that the current large-fruited garden strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duchesne ex Rozier) cultivars are more susceptible to many species of plant-parasitic nematodes and other plant pathogens. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of some cultural practices as potential methods for control of nematodes in the integrated production of strawberries. The investigation of the nematode populations was carried out in the region of western Balkan Mountains in Bulgaria (43°33'22.3"N 22°47'03.4"E), with cultivar ‘Maya’. In the surveyed area, plant protection products were applied under an approved scheme complying with the requirements for integrated fruit production (IOBC, IFP). Nematode populations were identified and classified to trophic level. The following genera of plant-parasitic nematodes were identified: Pratylenchus crenatus, P. neglectus, P. thornei, Tylenchorhynchus sp., and Paratylenchus spp. The density and species composition of plant parasitic nematodes were significantly reduced at the end of the study period comparing to the beginning of the study. From the results, it is clear that the integrated production can be defined as an economically feasible production of high quality fruits, giving priority to environmentally safe methods of pest control.

Risks to pest management in New Zealands pipfruit Integrated Fruit Production programme

Pest management in New Zealands pipfruit Integrated Fruit Production (IFP) programme relies on selective pesticides biological control and pheromone mating disruption The current situation is potentially precarious and one concern the impact of less selective pesticides was tested Apple trees received synthetic pyrethroid (deltamethrin) sprays during the first half of two growing seasons Beneficial and pest species were monitored monthly from November to April Treated trees had fewer predatory bugs (91 100 reduction) lacewings (64100) earwigs (80100) predatory mites (67100) spiders (2064) and Hymenoptera (1649) than untreated trees Ladybird numbers varied depending on the assessment method Outbreaks of phytophagous mites and woolly scale and Froggatts apple leafhopper on untreated trees Factors that make pest management under IFP vulnerable in the future include a loss of biological control and the consequences of new pests establishing

Vulnerability of pest management in New Zealand apples pesticide toxicity to Aphelinus mali (Hymenoptera Encyrtidae)

New pest management practices in New Zealands apple sector have provided ecological and economic outcomes that are recognised by growers and exporters Integrated Fruit Production (IFP) pest control systems that combine biological control selective insecticides and mating disruption have been developed to achieve these outcomes Although pest management in apple orchards is now more sustainable it is also highly vulnerable to pesticideinduced disruption The toxicity of four pesticides (spinetoram thiacloprid spinosad and spirotetramat) on the natural enemy of woolly apple aphid Aphelinus mali was examined While applications of spinetoram were the primary cause of aphid outbreaks in 200708 other insecticides can contribute to the instability of this biocontrol system The consequences of applying these disruptive pesticides to aphid control are discussed together with strategies to mitigate the vulnerability of the IFP programme to pest outbreaks

An investigation of San Jos scale (Quadraspidiotus perniciosus) predation by the European earwig (Forficula auricularia)

The European earwig (Forficula auricularia) is a generalist predator of a wide range of insect pests in pipfruit orchards including scale insects Since the development of an integrated fruit production programme that uses selective pesticides and biological control of pests earwigs are now more frequently found in commercial pipfruit orchards San Jos scale (Quadraspidiotus perniciosus SJS) is a diaspid species that is an important insect pest in the main applegrowing regions in New Zealand This study investigated the potential of earwigs to feed on SJS in a nonchoice laboratory trial Individual mature earwigs were placed inside containers with small sections of apple wood infested with mixed age stages of SJS A total of 157 SJS on the apple wood were photographically indentified and marked so that subsequent predation by earwigs over 6 nights could be recorded Predation over this period was 1290 (mean 56) These results indicated that earwigs would potentially feed on scale insects but as they are generalist predators their impact on scale infestations in orchards would depend on scale density and the availability of other prey Very little earwig predation of SJS on fruit was recorded in a similar assessment