Organic Control Strategies for Use in IPM of Invertebrate Pests in Apple and Pear Orchards

Abstract

Growers of organic tree fruit face challenges in controlling some pests more easily suppressed by broad-spectrum insecticides in conventionally managed orchards. In recent decades, there has been a move towards organically growing varieties normally reliant on synthetic chemical pesticides (e.g., Gala), often to meet retailer/consumer demands. This inevitably makes crop protection in organic orchards more challenging, as modern varieties can be less tolerant to pests. In addition, there have been substantial reductions in plant protection product (PPP) approvals, resulting in fewer chemical options available for integrated pest management (IPM)-maintained orchards. Conversely, the organic management of fruit tree pests involves many practices that could be successfully implemented in conventionally grown crops, but which are currently not. These practices could also be more widely used in IPM-maintained orchards, alleviating the reliance on broad-spectrum PPP. In this review, we evaluate organic practices, with a focus on those that could be incorporated into conventional apple and pear production. The topics cover cultural control, biological control, physical and pest modifications. While the pests discussed mainly affect European species, many of the methods could be used to target other global pests for more environmentally sustainable practices

Insect pests in apple (Malus domestca Borkh) gardens: Review

“…But, (137), differentiated 475 genotypes of apples and these were distinguished based on multi-locus microsatellite variation. Within the different apple varieties, spread of insect pests in different places underlies their abundance and distribution in space and time, hence, the extent of damages inflicted on crops (121). But, some plants have the capacity to resist pest attacks.…”

“…So, its parasitoid larva emerges and fed on the host's body contents, and finally killed it. Furthermore, (121), said that, predatory mites were widely used in crop protection, though, not common in unprotected crops. However, predicting effects of biological agents before they are released was very difficult.…”

“…Particularly, approaches which include use of entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) and nematodes. More still, conservation biological control, can take years to fully establish and sometime growers are not willing to test and demonstrate efficacy of new biological controls (121). However, some contradictions have stated that, numerous biocontrol agents introduced have adversely affected non-target native species, which was propelled by inadequate research done on potential risks in biocontrol studies.…”

Impacts of Wildflower Interventions on Beneficial Insects in Fruit Crops: A Review

“…Hoverfly and ladybird eggs and larvae ( Figure 2 c) increased in orchards near floral strips, whereas aphid attended by ants significantly decreased with the distance to flower strips. It is hypothesized that by providing alternative sugar resources, flower strips could distract ants from protecting rosy apple aphid attendance and reduce aphid abundance through increased predation by natural enemies [ 92 , 93 ].…”

Morphological and olfactory tree traits influence the susceptibility and suitability of the apple species Malus domestica and M. sylvestris to the florivorous weevil Anthonomus pomorum (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

“…Zabrodina et al (2020) call the apple blossom weevil “one of the most harmful insects in horticulture” and report yield losses for Russia and the Ukraine of 50–100 %. The increasing pest status of A. pomorum poses a serious threat to organic apple orchards and integrated pest management (IPM) systems currently in use in European apple orchards ( Miñarro & García, 2018 ; Shaw, Nagy & Fountain, 2021 ).…”