ARS | Publication request: MONITORING PLUM CURCULIO POPULATIONS IN APPLE AND PEACH ORCHARDS IN THE MID-ATLANTIC

Submitted to: Annual Cumberland Shenandoah Fruit Workers Conference
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: April 30, 2003
Publication Date: June 1, 2003
Citation: Leskey, T.C., Wright, S.E. 2003. Monitoring plum curculio populations in apple and peach orchards in the mid-atlantic. Annual Cumberland Shenandoah Fruit Workers Conference. PP: 88-98

Technical Abstract: The plum curculio (PC), Conotrachelus nenuphar is a major pest of both apples and peaches in the mid-Atlantic region. We evaluated responses of PCs to black pyramid and Plexiglas panel traps placed outside the orchard 2 m from the border row and branch-mimicking cylinder and circle traps deployed in the border row of commercial and unsprayed apple and peach orchards. We also evaluated four bait treatments in conjunction with each trap type: (1) the synthetic fruit volatile benzaldehyde, (2) aggregation pheromone, grandisoic acid, (3) benzaldehyde in combination with pheromone; and (4) an unbaited control treatment. We captured 340 PCs across all orchards; 183 in apple orchard blocks and 157 in peach orchard blocks. Greatest number of PCs was captured in circle traps, followed by cylinder, panel, and pyramid traps, respectively across all orchards and all bait treatments. The greatest number of PCs was captured by trap baited with benzaldehyde in combination with pheromone, followed by benzaldehyde, pheromone, and unbaited traps across all orchard blocks and trap treatments. However, none of the baited traps tested here provided any strong correlation with oviposition injury. Thus, our results agree with previous studies in other geographic regions in which experimental traps have been evaluated for their ability to be used as monitoring tools; amount or timing of trap captures fails to reflect amount or timing of oviposition injury observed in fruit trees and hence, have thus far, failed to serve as a reliable tool to determine need for and timing of insecticide application.