INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT OF APPLE INSECTS, 1972 



G.L. Jensen, E.J. Blyth and A.W. Rossi 



1 



"Integrated pest management" is receiving a great deal of 

 attention these days. New integrated techniques can, and in some 

 instances have, proven to be economical and effective control 

 measures. A desirable and highly popular chai^acteri sti c of inte- 

 grated pest management programs is the supplementation of current 

 chemical controls with other more environmentally acceptable tech- 

 niques. The use of such techniques will hopefully help solve the 

 dilemma of a need for increasing food production while, at the same 

 time, maintaining and preserving environmental quality. 



In light of these needs, an integrated pest management program 

 was initated at the University of Massachusetts Horticultural Re- 

 search Center at Belchertown. In 1971, a standard spray program 

 was applied to a segment of the orchard; however, only alterate 

 rows were sprayed. Thus only half the usual amounts of pesticide 

 was applied to the block. A subsequent check for insect and disease 

 damage to the fruits from this block, as compared to the regularly 

 sprayed blocks , indicated that this method had definite promise. 



In 1972, a block of trees at the Horticultural Research Center 

 was divided into three equal parts. On one-third of the block, the 

 pesticide sprays were applied with a Kinkelder 1 ow-vol ume "sprayer , 

 using a standard spray program. Fifteen spray applications were 

 made: 3 of fungicide only, 1 fungicide-oil combination, 10 of an 

 insecti ci de- fungi cide combination, and 1 i nsecti ci de-mi ti ci de com- 

 bination. 



The second one-third of the block was sprayed with the same 

 machine and materials on the same dates, except that only alternate 

 rows were treated, i.e., the rig was drawn between rows 1 and 2, 3 

 and 4, 5 and 6 etc., with the machine spraying from both sides. 

 For the next application, the rig was drawn between rows 2 and 3, 4 

 and 5, etc. Thus, only half of each tree was sprayed during each 

 application. This pattern of spraying supposedly provides an un- 

 sprayed haven for the parasites and predators which are generally 

 more mobile than their prey. After spraying, the beneficial in- 

 sects are able to move to the unsprayed portion of the trees and 

 avoid being killed. As predator and parasite populations increase, 

 fewer pesticide applications should be necessary. 



The pesticides on the ic 

 spray) were applied only when 

 insect pressures were consi'^'^ 

 level . As a resul t, only 



remaining third of the block (limited 

 lien it was deemed "necessary", i.e., when 

 idered to exceed the economic threshold 

 11 pesticide appli "" ---■- 



cations were made, and 



Extension Entomologist, Graduate Student, Department of Entomology 

 and Orchard Foreman, respectively 



