Insect pests of apple

Crop: Apple S.N: Malus sylvestris Family: Rosaceae Pests

Major pests of apple

Woolly aphid, Eriosoma lanigerum	Symptoms	Identification	Management
San Jose scale, Quadraspidiotus perniciosus	Symptoms	Identification	Management
Codling moth, Cydia (=Carpocapsa) pomonella	Symptoms	Identification	Management
Cottony cushion scale, Icerya purchasi	Symptoms	Identification	Management
Stem borer, Apriona cinera	Symptoms	Identification	Management

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1. Woolly aphid, Eriosoma lanigerum

		Symptoms of damage Nymphs and adults suck the juice from bark of the trunk or fruits Weakening and death of the smaller plants Infested twigs shrivel and die Galls on the roots White, woolly patches on the trunk.
Wolly aphids on twig	Cottony mat

Identification of the pest

• Purplish aphid covered with white cottony mats

Management 

• Use resistant root stocks M 778, M 779, MM 14, MM 110, MM  112
• Spray dimethoate 30 EC 0.06% or methyl demeton 25 EC 0.025%
• Release the parasitoid: Aphelinus mali
• Predators: Chilomenus bijugus and Coccinella septumpunctata

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2. San Jose scale, Quadraspidiotus perniciosus

		Symptoms of damage The infested region in bark becomes reddish pink Purple discolouration on fruits. Infested shoots – loss of vigour and death of young tree or branches
San Jose scale on apple	Red colour discoloration

	Identification of the pest Female: Round, slightly convex with a black pustule Male: Linear.
Adult - San jose scale

Management

• Select nursery stock free scale infestation
• Fumigate nursery stock with HCN gas or methyl bromide
• Summer spray with phosalone 50 EC 0.05% or fenitrothion 50 EC  0.05%
• Winter spray with diesel oil emulsion at 8-12 l/ tree ( diesel oil 4.5 l, soap 1 kg, water 54 -72 l)
• Encourage the activity of parasitoids: Prospaltella perniciosi and Aspidiotophagus sp
• Field release of coccinellid, Chilocorus circumdatus predator

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3. Codling moth, Cydia (=Carpocapsa) pomonella 

		Symptoms of damage Caterpillar bore into the fruits and feed on the pulp Infested leaves and fruits show tunnels with frass
Codling moth damage to apple	Codling moth feeding site

		Identification of the pest Larva - Pinkish-white caterpillar with black or mottled black head Adult - small greyish moth, chocolate brown patches near the tip of foreswings
Larva	Adult

Management

Field sanitation Collect and destroy the infested fruits and cocoons Banding - corrugated cardboard bands should be applied to tree trunks Use sex pheromone trap Mass trap males with codling moth lure traps Release egg parasitoids, Trichogramma embryophagum at 2000/tree Apply Virosoft CP4 Granulovirus Codling moth larvae must eat the virus before they enter the fruit Spray DDVP 0.04% Apply diazinon, acetempride (4 application per season) during egg laying stage

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4. Cottony cushion scale, Icerya purchasi 

	Symptoms of damage Nymph and adults suck the sap from leaves and twigs Yellowing of leaves. Identification of the pest Female with a cottony ovisac. Nymph - Pinkish crawler, long antenna and group of hairs.
Cottony cushion scale on stem

Management

• Select healthy and pest free rootstock
• Collect and destroy the infested plant parts
• Spray application of neem oil 2% , NSKE 5%
• Spray application of chlorpyriphos 20 EC 0.04% with sticking agent
• Field release of some coccinelid predators and chilocorus nigritus

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5. Stem borer, Apriona cinera 
Symptoms of damage

• Grub provide circular holes and mass of excreta
• Chewed up wood particles protruding out;
• Bark gnawed and leaves defoliated
• Shoots with circuitous galleries and the infested trees stunted

Identification of the pest Grub - Creamy yellow with dark brown, flat head Adult - Ashy grey beetle with numerous black tubercles at the base of elytra.

Management

• Prune the branches containing grubs before they entered the tree trunk
• Inject 10 ml of monocrotophos 36 WSC and plug with wet clay to kill the grub