Abstract
Simple SummaryOrganic pear production is challenged, in part, by short lived effects of biopesticides when applied as foliar sprays. Trunk injection may enhance their performance by delivering the biopesticides directly to the vascular system of the tree, right where pear psylla feed. The objective of this study is to compare trunk injections to foliar sprayed applications of two insecticides, azadirachtin and abamectin, on their ability to control pear psylla in pear trees. The azadirachtin and abamectin trunk injected treatments performed equally or better than two foliar applications in the control of the pear psylla. The trunk injected trees from the first season provided a moderate level of control into the second season, one year after the injections. This study suggests that trunk injection is a superior delivery system for biopesticides used in organic pear production.Organic production of pears is challenging in part because OMRI (Organic Materials Review Institute) approved biopesticides are short lived when applied as foliar sprays. Trunk injection is an alternative method of insecticide delivery that may enhance the performance of biopesticides for control of pear psylla. The objective of this study is to compare the efficacy of azadirachtin and abamectin in the control of pear psylla using two different application methods, airblast sprayer and trunk injection. Trunk injections of azadirachtin and abamectin were compared to airblast applications of equal labeled rates on 33-year-old Bartlett Pear trees (Pyrus communis L., var “Bartlett”). The azadirachtin and abamectin trunk injected treatments performed equally or better than the two airblast applications in the control of the pear psylla. The trunk injected trees from the first season provided a moderate level of control into the second season, one year after the injections. This study suggests that trunk injection is a superior delivery system for biopesticides used in organic pear production.
Highlights
Pear Psylla, Cacopsylla pyricola (Forster), is the number one insect pest to the pear industry
The objective of this study is to compare the efficacy of azadirachtin to the conventional insecticide, abamectin [21], in the control of C. pyricola using two different application methods, airblast sprayer and trunk injection
Our study shows that the trunk injection of insecticides to control C. pyricola in pear trees has many promising aspects for future pear production
Summary
Pear Psylla, Cacopsylla pyricola (Forster), is the number one insect pest to the pear industry. More than half of the money spent to control insect pests in commercial pear orchards are directed at controlling pear psylla [1]. Psylla nymphs feed on sap from the trees and produce honeydew, which drips down onto the leaves and fruit. A black sooty mold grows in the honeydew, and the black color on the pears downgrades the fruit [2]. In cases where trees have been chronically heavily infested, they become stunted, reduce fruit production, and lose their leaves [3]. Pear psylla transmit a disease that causes pear decline, which renders the tree unable to move nutrients to the roots and can cause the death of the tree [4]
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