ISHS Acta Horticulturae 422: International Conference on Integrated Fruit Production
IPM APPLICATION IN PEACH ORCHARDS AGAINST LYGUS RUGULIPENNIS POPPIUS |
| Authors: | L. Tavella, A. Arzone, A. Alma, A. Galliano |
| Abstract:
Since 1990 the mirid Lygus rugulipennis has become a worrying pest in integrated pest management (IPM) and specific control (SC) peach orchards in an area of northwestern Piemonte, Italy. Previous investigations showed that damages to fruits caused by the feeding activity of this mirid were more severe in the orchards where ground cover was lacking. So an accurate management of orchard weeds was proposed as the most convenient control method. In 1994 further investigations were made to maintain a good ground cover from fruit setting until harvest. Mowing of alternate rows was tested as a possible control method against L. rugulipennis in nine orchards, five of which applied the sexual confusion method and the other four used few chemical treatments to control Cydia molesta. Even if the mirids were present on the herbaceous plants in all plots, at harvest-time the percentage of damaged fruits resulted lower than 1 in seven orchards and between 2 and 4 in the other two. Damages to fruits were independent from cultivars, control methods, and mirid population density. The results of this research show that a correct weed management can avoid chemical treatments to control L. rugulipennis. Mowing of alternate rows is a very efficient method to prevent the mirids from migrating to peach trees and is proposable in ecologically sustainable control programmes. | |
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