SPECIAL CHALLENGES FOR IFP IN STONE AND SOFT FRUIT

Problems like the resistance of Myzus persicae (Sulz.) to insecticides, the response of Anarsia lineatella (Zeller) to pheromones and the need for the availability of stocks resistant to nematodes and insects carrying viruses are briefly discussed. Some of the topics are common to apricot and almond. In plum orchards the monitoring of Cydia funebrana (Treitschke) is still difficult. In cherries Monilia disease may be damaging and needs further research. A very important problem is the characteristics of the Integrated Fruit Production programmes that have been established in several regions of Europe. Among them many unjustified differences may be observed. This points out the need for an effort of harmonisation according to general, common criteria.

In soft fruit production the situation is worse. Only a few biological/biotechnical control methods have been developed, and most of them will not be accepted by the fruit growers for economical reasons. Severe problems in soft fruit production may be caused by fungal root rots (e.g. in strawberries and raspberries), root nematodes, Botrytis and several pests. Appropriate plant protection products for an integrated control of most pests and diseases are hard to find. The registered pesticides mostly are quite toxic and broad-spectrum. Often they do not fulfil the requirements laid down in the IOBC-Guidelines for IFP in pome fruits. Breeding programmes resulted in some cultivars less susceptible to root rot. But these new cultivars mostly either do not meet the quality standards demanded by the market or have a low yield. A further critical point is the supply of healthy planting material. Under these circumstances it seems difficult to establish comprehensive IFP-systems for soft fruits. Breeding activities, efforts to promote biological control and registration of selective compounds may improve this situation.

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