SYSTEMICS FOR APHIDS ON NONBEARING APPLE TREES 



The green apple aphid causes serious injury to young nonbearlng trees If not 

 controlled. The injury is twofold: new growth is stunted and deformed by toxic 

 secretions In the saliva of feeding aphids, and the honey dew secreted by the 

 aphids drips on the foliage and provides an ideal medium for sooty molds to grow. 

 This reduces the photosynthetic area of the leaves and results in poor tree 

 growth. 



Since most growers do not take the time to adequately spray or dust for 

 Insects on young nonbearing trees, a systemic insecticide might prove helpful, 

 especially in aphid control. Its use would make repeated applications unnecessary. 

 Application of a suitable systemic should be made before the aphid Infestation 

 has had time to build up. Several of the systemic phosphate materials have been 

 used successfully in experimental trials against aphids. With few exceptions, 

 systemic insecticides are not yet cleared for use on bearing trees. 



Two methods of application are available for use on nonbearing trees: 

 (1) foliar application, and (2) soil application (granular) . Demeton at 3/4 

 pint/100 gallons as a full coverage foliar spray is currently recommended for 

 aphid control on bearing trees and can be used at this dosage on nonbearing trees. 

 Di-syston 107o granular, applied at 4 ounces for each inch of trunk diameter, has 

 given good control of aphids. Spread granular uniformly from trunk to dripline 

 on all sides, work into soil, and water thoroughly. Higher dosage may be neces- 

 sary on heavy organic soils. Follow label directions and do not overapply. 



H. E. Wave 



Department of Entomology 

 and Plant Pathology 



I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 



OBSERVATIONS OF NEW YORK STATE ORCHARDS AND PACKING SHEDS 



Visits to fruit growing areas in other states are always of interest and 

 profitable. Growers should make an effort to visit orchards and packing sheds in 

 their own area and in other fruit growing regions, because ideas obtained during 

 these visits will result in better oi'chard and packing house management procedures 

 and in savings. In March, three Massachusetts apple growers and the writer had 

 the opportunity to visit orchards and packing sheds in the Hudson Valley and 

 Champlain areas. Below are a few comments on what we observed. 



Orchard Managemen t 



There appears to be a tendency to leave more scaffold limbs in bearing apple 

 trees in New York than Massachusetts. Interplanting young trees in bearing 

 orchards was frequently observed. Having two ages of trees in the block presents 

 a spray, fertilizer and pruning problem. Naturally\ the New York growers are well 

 aware of this fact and many would prefer to rotate blocks of trees rather than 

 rotate trees within a block. 



