Integrated Management of Insect and Mite Pests in Commercial Apple Orchards in Massachusetts2

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
An integrated program of arthropod pest management was conducted in 8 commercial apple orchard blocks (ca. 4 ha each) in Massachusetts in 1978 and in 16 such blocks in 1979. The overall approach was use of visual traps, pheromone traps, and visual inspection of fruit and foliage in intensive weekly or semi-weekly sampling of pest and beneficial predator populations, use of economic threshold levels of principal pests, and advisement to growers of need, optimal timing, and type of pesticide to be applied for pest control. Compared with check blocks (which were treated with pesticide according to a traditional preventative-type program), integrated pest management blocks (both years combined) evidenced only 60% as much fruit injury, received only 63% as many insecticide and 37% as many miticide treatments, had substantially greater numbers of beneficial predators of pest mites and aphids, and realized a net benefit of $278.18/ha (exclusive of scouting and program management costs).