IPM Stratergies for Apricot

Apricot Insect Pests Flat headed borers Hairy caterpillar Defoliating beetles Leaf curling aphid Brown apricot scale San Jos...

Apricot Insect Pests

1. Flat headed borers
2. Hairy caterpillar
3. Defoliating beetles
4. Leaf curling aphid
5. Brown apricot scale
6. San Jose scale
7. Tent caterpillar
8. Blossom thrips
9. Codling moth
10. IPM for Apricot

Flat headed borers

Biology

Flat headed borers overwinter as larvae inside the tree, and emerge as adult beetles in June-August (India). Adults lay eggs on bark crevices and the newly hatched larvae immediately bore through the bark to feed in the phloem layer.

Life Cycle

Damage symptoms

• Flat headed borers are attracted to diseased or injured limbs of trees, such as those affected by sunburn, scale insects, bacterial canker, or major pruning cuts.
• The beetles lay eggs in the injured area. Eggs hatch and the larvae excavate large caverns just beneath the bark and bore tunnels deep into the heartwood of the tree.
• Excavations are usually filled with finely powdered sawdust. Injury by this borer will cause the sap to flow, and the affected area will appear as a wet spot on the bark. Later, these areas may crack and expose the mines.
• Feeding by flat headed borers may cause a portion of the bark on older trees to die, or it may girdle and kill young trees. This borer can be particularly damaging to new grafts in established orchards.

Hairy caterpillar

Hairy caterpillar populations will go through cycles in which the populations will increase for several years then decline, and then increase again. Area-wide outbreaks can occur for up to ten years, but generally population densities in localized areas remain high for two to three years.

Biology

• Egg: The eggs are covered with a dense mass of tan or buff-colored hairs. The egg mass is approximately 1.5 inches long and 0.75 inches wide. The eggs are the overwintering stage of the insect. Eggs are attached to trees, houses, or any outdoor objects. The eggs hatch in spring (April) into caterpillars.
• Larva: Hairy caterpillars are easy to identify, because they possess characteristics not found on other leaf-feeding caterpillars. They have five pairs of blue dots followed by six pairs of red dots lining on the back side. In addition, they are dark-colored and covered with hairs. Young caterpillars primarily feed during the day whereas the older caterpillars feed at night. When present in large numbers, the older caterpillars feed day and night. Young caterpillars spread to new locations by crawling to the tops of trees, where they spin a silken thread and are caught on wind currents. Older caterpillars are approximately 1.5 to 2.0 inches long. Larval period 66- 100 days.
• Pupa: In early summer (June to early July), hairy caterpillars enter a pupal or transitional stage. The pupae are dark brown, shell-like cases approximately two inches long and covered with hairs. They are primarily located in sheltered areas such as tree bark crevices or leaf litter.
• Adult: Adult moths emerge from the pupae in 10 to 14 days. Females have white to cream colored wings, a tan body, and a two-inch wingspan. Female moths cannot fly. Females lay between 500 to1,000 eggs in sheltered areas such as underneath the bark of trees. Males, which are smaller than females, with a 1.5-inch wingspan, are dark-brown and have feathery antennae. Both the adult female and male can be identified by the inverted V-shape that points to a dot on the wings. Moth has only one generation per year.

Damage symptoms

• Caterpillars are gregarious and voracious feeder.
• They eat voraciously on leaves at night time.
• Under heavy infestation entire leaf eaten sparing only hard vein.
• Defoliation of host completely results in failure of fruit formation.

Natural enemies of hairy caterpillar

Parasitoids :Telenomus sp, Cotesia melanoscela, Glyptapantelos sp, Tachinid (Pales sp), Brachymeria sp

Defoliating beetles

Biology

• Egg: Females lay eggs (app. 60) in June and the eggs develop into larvae after 12 days and are especially attracted to compost and manure piles. The eggs are whitish in appearance and be easily found over the soil.
• Larva: They have head and legs. They live on soil surface and have a length of 2 inches. Their life includes three instars of which first and second get completed by autumn and the final in the spring season of second year. At rest they curl into C shape. When the larvae get matured they become 2 inches long and become cream coloured. The body of larvae is stiff with brown hairs at the back of the thorax. These hairs are used for locomotion. They form hollow cells in the soil and pupate there.
• Pupa: After a few days it reaches a size of 12-50 mm. They develop by June- July. Its duration extends from 25-27 days. The pupae are of size 15 X 25 mm. They are whitish at initial stages and further change to cream coloured as that of larvae stage. At the maturing stages they slightly shift the colour to green.
• Adult: They develop by June- November. They lay their eggs in soil. They are white coloured and large sized approximately range about 12-50 mm in size. They feed on organic matter in soil surfaces. Adults are velvet green in colour. They occupy brownish bands around the edge of the wings and a bright metallic green at the ventral side. Adult females are 17 X 25 mm and adult males are 13 X 22 mm size. At the head portion they are equipped with horn like projections for penetrating into the fruit skin. Adults are tremendous fliers.

Damage symptom

• The plant part affected mainly includes flower parts like pollen, nectar and petals, fruit and larvae damage roots.

Leaf curling aphid

Biology

• It overwinters as an egg, hatches in the spring, feed in opening buds
• Both winged and wingless forms breed parthenogenetically.
• The nymphal period lasts for 7-9 days.
• Adults live for 2-3 weeks and produce 8-22 nymphs per day. Entire life cycle takes 22-25 days. It has 12-14 generations per year depending on weather condition.

Damage symptoms

• Damage is severe because the aphid colonizes young shoots, buds, grafts and young plants.
• Nymphs and adults suck the sap from leaves, shoots and fruits
• It causes tightly curled leaves
• Wilting of terminal shoots and can stunt tree growth

Favourable conditions

• Spring-time attacks are the most deleterious.

Natural enemies of leaf curling aphid

Predator: Scymnus sp, Chilomenes sexmaculatus, Chrysoperla zastrow sillemi, coccinellids, Predatory mite and parasitic wasps

Brown apricot scale

Biology

• Egg: The eggs are pink to dark red and they are laid under the adult female scale’s wax covering.
• Nymph: The first instars are called crawlers. Crawlers are pink andas soon as they hatch, the first instars disperse, find a suitable feeding place and settle. The wax scale females develop through the second and third instars before becoming adults. The wax covering secreted around them gives them a star-like appearance. Nymphs are found on the leaves and twigs.
• Adult: The adult scales are elliptical, reddish brown with short anal process. The adult female is coated with a thick layer of pinkish-white wax. Inside the wax, the body of the adult female is reddish. Adults are mostly found on twigs and branches. The size of the female is about 2 to 4 mm in length and 1 to 3.5 mm in width. Males are not known in this species.

Damage symptoms

The direct damage is caused by insertion of stylets into during feeding by the nymphs, which can cause premature leaf drop and twig dieback. High populations can cause host death. Severe infestations may result in shoot or branch dieback When large populations of scale occur, sooty mold may become a problem due to the mold’s growth on the large quantities of honeydew excreted by these scales

Natural enemies of brown apricot scale

Predator: Coccinellids

San Jose scale

Pest of 700 different species of fruits, shrubs and ornamental plants. Pest is active from March to December. Passes winter black cap stage in tree bark.

Biology

• Nymph: Female San Jose scales give birth to living young ones that emerge from under the edge of the scale covering. Each female gives birth to 200-400 nymphs. These tiny yellow crawlers wander in a random fashion until they find a suitable place to settle. Immediately upon settling, the crawlers insert their mouth parts into the host plant and begin feeding and secreting a white waxy material (white cap stage); eventually the waxy covering turns black and is known as the black cap stage. Later the covers turn various shades from gray to black.
• Adult: Immature male and female scales are indistinguishable until the first molt. At this time, the male scale covering begins to elongate, while the females remain circular. Males molt a total of four times. Following the final molt, adult male scales emerge from the scale covering as tiny, yellow winged insects. They mate with the females who remain under the scale covering. Female insect body covered with grey scales. Yellow lemon coloured female is visible when covering is lifted. Female scales are very prolific and over a 6-week period can produce approximately 400 young. San Jose scale produce living young ones called crawlers; most other scales produce eggs. Crawlers move around for a short period in search of a suitable place to settle. It takes 25 days two instars for males to mature and 31 days four nymphal instars for females Five to six generations in a year.

Life cycle

Damage symptoms

• Nymph and female scales attack all above ground parts.
• Feeding site turns into a characteristic purplish red colour.
• Initially growth of plant is checked but as scale increases in number plant may die.
• Fruits will have distinct “measles” spots on the surface.

Natural enemies of San Jose scale

• Parasitoids: Encarsia perniclosi, Aphytis diaspidis
• Predators: Coccinellid, Pharoscymnus flexibilis and Chilocorus bijugus

Tent caterpillar

Biology

• Egg: In late spring or early summer, female moths deposit an egg mass encircling small twigs or on tree trunks. Egg masses are present on trees during most of the summer, fall and winter. The adult moth uses a sticky, frothy substance called spumaline as an adhesive to attach eggs to bark or twigs. Spumaline is used as a hard protective covering around the egg mass. Pest inactive from March – May, passes 9 month of year in egg stage. Female lays the eggs in broad bands consisting of 200 to 400 eggs.
• Larva: Caterpillars hatch from the eggs in early spring about the time host plants leaf out. The tent caterpillar feed on new leaves, forming small webs within a few days after hatching and enlarging the webs as they grow. The web or tent is most often in a crotch of small limbs, and serves as a refuge for the larvae during the night and during rainy spells. Larvae move from the tents to feed on leaves, so damage can be found for some distance around the web. Tent caterpillars feed in groups, and thus concentrate their defoliation. The tent caterpillars form conspicuous, large webs that are easily recognized. Molting, or skin shedding, occurs several times as the larvae grow. The larvae do not live in these small webs at other times.
• Pupa: During the last stage of larval development, which occurs in late spring, larvae wander considerable distances and may feed on a variety of tree, shrubs and even herbs before finding a site for pupation, or cocoon spinning. Cocoons are formed in the web, under bark, in dead plant material on the ground, or inside a rolled leaf. Cocoons are loosely constructed of silk and have a white or yellowish crystalline substance scattered throughout the mass. Cocoons should not be handled since the crystalline substance may cause skin irritation, especially to people with allergies.
• Adult: Adult tent caterpillars are brown and yellowish moths with two diagonal markings on the front wings. Caterpillar is progeny of a light reddish brown moth with two whitish stripes running across each of the forewings.Their wingspread is about 1 inch. They are attracted to lights and can occasionally be very abundant. The moths live for only a few days, during which they mate and lay eggs. Adults do not feed. There is only one generation of tent caterpillars per year. Males are short lived and female may survive for 2 to 5 days.

Damage symptoms

• Caterpillars during the night rest at their nest and the day feeding on leaves.
• In severe infestation, the entire plant may be defoliated and subsequently the caterpillar may feed on bark of twigs.
• When severe infestation, 40 -50 percent plants in orchard may be defoliated producing a poor harvest.

Natural enemies of tent caterpillar

Parasitoid: Tachnid fly

Blossom thrips

Biology

• Egg: The eggs of thrips are deposited within plant tissues singly.
• Larva and pupa: Larvae have two stages, which feed on plant tissues. The second instar larvae, when mature, fall to ground, where they molt to prepupae and pupae in the soil.
• Adult: After emergence, the adults move to the growing parts of the plants such as young leaves, flowers, or young fruits, where they feed and lay eggs (about 200 eggs per female). Adults are usually found on young leaves, while larvae are found on lower or older leaves. At 25°C, the life cycle is completed in approximately 17 days. Adults are winged sucking rasping insects ranging from 5-14 mm in length. Their slender bodies are shiny pale or black with silver stripes. Life cycle completed in 11-43 days. Produce many generations in a year heaviest damage occur in spring. In colder region, life cycle is longer with fewer generations.

Damage symptoms

• Most species of plant feeding thrips, have piercing and sucking mouth parts. Both nymphs adults lacerate all floral parts and delicate and unfolding of leaves of vegetative buds. Consequently brown spots develops
• The surface of the leaf develops a crinkled silvery appearance as a result of damage to cells below the surface.
• Lightly-infested plants show silvery feeding scars on the under surface of leaves, especially alongside the mid rib and veins
• Heavily-infested plants show silvering and browning of leaves, stunting of young leaves and terminal growth, with fruit scarred and deformed.
• Developing leaves become distorced in the growing tips.
• Heavily infested flowers bears sticky and faded appearance with indication of early senescence.

Natural enemies of blossom thrips

Predators: Coccinellid, predatory thrips, anthocorid bug, Tropidothorax leucopterus(Lygaeid bug)

Codling moth

The rate of development will vary with temperature, proceeding more rapidly in warmer weather and climates. Depending on the climate, codling moth can have two, three, and sometimes four generations per year.

Biology

• Egg: Eggs are deposited singly on apricot and leaves. Each egg is about the size of a pin head and is translucent, gradually darkening as the egg nears hatching (Figure 6). Eggs hatch in six to 14 days, depending on temperature. Within 24 hours of hatching the larvae burrow into the fruit. The first instar larvae have a pink body with a black head and are approximately 1/10 inch in length. The number of eggs laid per female ranges from 30 to 70.
• Larva: After the eggs hatch, young larvae seek out and bore into fruit or developing nuts. Codling moth overwinters as full-grown larvae within thick, silken cocoons under loose scales of bark and in soil or debris around the base of the tree. Larvae appears to be cannibalistics. Full grown larva pinkish or creamy white with brown head and pupates in the soil litter.
• Pupa: After completing development they leave the fruit and drop from the trees to search out pupation sites and continue the life cycle in the soil or on debris under the tree; some crawl back up the tree to pupate in bark crevices. The larvae pupate inside their cocoons in early spring and emerge as adult moths mid-March to early April. The moths are active only a few hours before and after sunset, and they mate when sunset temperatures exceed 62°F.
• Adult: Adults are about 1/2 to 3/4 inch long with mottled gray wings that they hold tent like over their bodies. Their appearance blends well with most tree bark, making them difficult to detect. If you are trapping the adults, you can distinguish codling moth from other moths by the dark, coppery brown band at the tip of their wings. Adult forewings are dark grayish with waxy lines with a copper colored eye like circle toward margin.

Life cycle

Damage symptom

• It is a direct pest and hence causes severe damage to the fruit.
• Neonate larva enters the fruit through calyx and feeds on seed.
• Infested fruits lose their shape and fall prematurely.

Natural enemies of codling moth

• Parasitoid: Trichogramma embryophagum, T. caeoeciaepallidum
• Predators: Parus major, Passer domesticus, birds

IPM for Apricot

To know the IPM practices for Apricot, click here.

Source : NIPHM; Directorate of Plant Protection, Quarantine & Storage

 

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31 ratings and

Apricot Beneficial Insects

1. Natural Enemies of Apricot Insect Pests
2. Parasitoids
1. Egg parasitoids
2. Egg-larval parasitoids
3. Larval parasitoids
4. Pupal parasitoid
5. Nymphal/larval and adult parasitoids
3. Predators
4. IPM for Apricot

Natural Enemies of Apricot Insect Pests

Parasitoids

Egg parasitoids

Egg-larval parasitoids

Larval parasitoids

Pupal parasitoid

Nymphal/larval and adult parasitoids

Predators

IPM for Apricot

To know the IPM practices for Apricot, click here.

Source: NIPHM; Directorate of Plant Protection, Quarantine & Storage

 

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31 ratings

Apricot Crop Stage Wise IPM

1. Pre- planting*
2. Planting*
3. Vegetative stage
4. Flowering stage
5. Fruiting stage

Management	Activity
Pre- planting*
	Common cultural practices: Timely planting. Apply manures and fertilizers as per soil test recommendations
Nutrients	Nutrient should be applied on the basis of soil test report and recommendation for the particular agro-climatic zone. Prepare land by ploughing and harrowing. The pits are dug in summer about a fortnight before planting and left undisturbed. Pits of about 1m x 1m x 1m size are dug at a distance of 4 to 5 meter in square system of planting. Apply lime in soil if pH is below 7.
Weeds	Ploughing and leveling the field before planting to destroy existing weeds in the field.
Planting*
	Common cultural practices: Use healthy and certified plants Grow resistant/tolerant varieties. Planting in rows with recommended spacing. Avoid growing in low-lying areas and flooding. Do not delay irrigation until the crop exhibits moisture stress symptoms.
Nutrients	Planting is done in pits already filled with top soil and farm yard manure during the months of Oct.-Nov. A basket of soil taken from old apricot orchard is added to each pit to ensure mycorrhizal association with apricot roots. At the time of planting, manures and fertilizers are applied @ 50 Kg FYM or compost, 20 g N + 15 g P + 15 g K per plant.
Weeds	Use weed free seedlings for planting. During the initial 2-4 years to suppress the weeds between rows, leguminous crops such as pea, bean, soybean, and cowpea and vegetables should be grown as intercrops. Remove existing weeds in and around the pits at the time of planting.
*Apply Trichoderma viride / harzianum and Pseudomonas fluorescens for treatment of seed/seedling/planting materials in the nurseries and field application (if commercial products are used, check for label claim. However, biopesticides produced by farmers for own consumption in their fields, registration is not required).
Vegetative stage
	Common cultural practices: Deep summer ploughing between rows Timely irrigation Avoid water logging Enhance parasitic activity by avoiding chemical spray, when 1- 2 larval parasitoids are observed Common mechanical practices: Remove and destroy alternate wild hosts and weeds Remove and destroy the dead hearts along with larvae Installation of light trap @ 1/ acre Prune and burn all attacked shoot and branches. Common biological practices: Conserve natural enemies through ecological engineering Augmentative release of natural enemies
Nutrients	Apply fertilizers according to the age of plant @ 20 g N + 15 g P + 15 g K per plant in first year and doubling the dose each year till a stabilised dose is reached at 6th years. Apply manures @ 50kg per plant in Dec - January every year along with full dose of P and K. The fertilizers should be applied in 20-30 cm deep and 30cms wide trench along the drip line of the tree.
Weeds	Intercultural operations between the rows. Tool weeding should be done on regular basis especially around the plants. Use slashing and moving between the rows to control the weeds.
Defoliating beetles	Use of plastic-lined trenches, propane flamers and vacuums.
Hairy caterpillar	Cultural control: Irrigate once to avoid prolonged mid -season drought. Mechanical control: Dig the pits of 1 inch depth between the fields & dust to kill the larvae in pits.
Leaf curl plum aphid	Cultural control: In the early stages, wash away any aphids with a sharp spray from a hose pipe Put on a pair of gloves and crush them between your fingers. Chemical control: Spray dimethoate 30% EC@ 594-792 ml diluted in 600-800 lit of water. Biological control: Conserve predators such as lacewing and ladybird beetle. Companion Planting - Plant yellow/orange nasturtium around the base of fruit trees to attract aphids and lure them away, or alternatively repel aphids by planting strong smelling herbs such as chives, garlic, marigold, and tansy under the trees.
Brown apricot scale	Biological control: Conserve parasites such as Coccophagus, Encyrtus, and Metaphycus spp. Parasitized nymphs are almost black and have convex covers; unparasitized nymphs are flat.
San Jose scale	Cultural control: Grow attractant plants for natural enemies: viz., sunflower family, carrot family plants, buckwheat Mechanical control: See the common mechanical control Biological control: Parasitoids such as Encarsia perniciosi and Aphytis diaspidis cause effective parasitization. Coccinellid predators such as Chilocorus infernalis, Chilocorus rubidus, Pharoscymnus flexibilis
Tent Caterpillar	Mechanical control: Egg mass covered with yellowish hair collect and destroy (between August-March). Put a burlap at the base of tree trunk to destroy the larvae underneath the burlap
Leaf roller	Cultural control: Delayed dormant treatments and bloom time applications helps keep leaf roller populations under control. Regular monitoring each season is important so that prompt action can be taken. Biological control Conserve parasites such as Macrocentrus, Apanteles and Exochus attack leaf roller larvae. Conserve predators such as lacewings, assassin bugs, and minute pirate bugs.
Earwig	Cultural control: Remove all pruning debris and loose bark around trees. Wrapping trunks tightly with plastic wrap
Green capsid	Mechanical control: Grow rootstock sucker, especially at the edges of orchards where the pest is removed.
Consperse sting bug	See common cultural and mechanical practices
Cow rhinoceros beetle	Cultural control: Monitor parasite levels through the use of faecal egg counts to determine. Determine thresholds for parasites such as buffalo fly and do not treat until these levels are reached. This will target treatment times and decrease treatments. Regularly reassess parasite thresholds in light of changing seasonal variations. Genetic selection of animals resistant or resilient to parasites. Mechanical control: Use “off animal” chemical attractants and baits. The use of traps. Vaccines.
Blossom thrips	Cultural control: See common cultural practices. Biological control: Conserve coccinellids, anthocorids, lygaeid, predatory thrips etc. for controlling blossom thrips
Frosty mildew	Cultural control: Spraying at full bloom needs to be avoided. Alkathene bands cleaned at regular interval Mechanical control: Prune diseased leaves and malformed panicles harbouring the pathogen to reduce primary inoculum load.
Brown rot	Cultural control: Fruiting bodies of the pathogen should be removed and destroyed Biological control: Application of Trichoderma spp. and Pseudomonas fluorescence.
Shot hole	Buds can be protected from shot hole during the dormant season (mid-November to mid-December) by a fungicide application before the long winter rains begin.
Powdery mildew	Cultural control: Spraying at full bloom needs to be avoided. Alkathene bands cleaned at regular interval Mechanical control: Prune diseased leaves and malformed panicles harbouring the pathogen to reduce primary inoculum load.
Silver canker	Pruning is carried out during periods of dry weather between harvest and leaf fall. Before pruning it is good orchard practice to clean up any dead wood which may be lying around the orchard environment.
White root rot	White root rot infected plants removed and destroyed. All roots, litter and debris from infected plants must also be removed and destroyed. Creating a trench with a shovel around infected areas prevent water runoff from distributing the fungal pathogen to nearby plants. Preparing the soil before planting with soil solarisation
Collar rot	Cultural control: Pruning diseased wood, removing fruit mummies, light penetration and air circulation, and avoiding poor sites. Good soil drainage and more frequent but shorter irrigations reduce root and crown rot. Biological control Use of biopesticides like Trichoderma spp., Pseudomonas fluorescence,
Gummosis	Cultural control: The disease transmitting ring nematodes should be controlled and maintaining healthy, vigorous trees. Lighter, more frequent irrigation with drip or micro sprinklers, improved tree nutrition [nitrogen], etc.) will help reduce the incidence of this disease. Heavy tree pruning during the dormant period should be prevented. Sandy soils and in some heavy soils, control has been achieved with pre-plant fumigation for ring nematodes.
Flowering stage
Nutrients	Nitrogen is applied in 2 splits, first half at 2-3 weeks before flowering and the remaining half a month later. The fertilizers should be applied in 20-30 cm deep and 30cms wide trench along the drip line of the tree.
Weeds	Intercultural operations to check the weed growth. Same as in vegetative stage.
Flat headed borer	Wrap or paint the tree trunk above and 1 inch below the soil line with white, water-based paint or whitewash to protect the trunk from sunburn and flat headed borer invasions. Prune infested wood and burn or remove it from the orchard
Hairy caterpillar, Leaf curl plum aphid, Brown apricot scale, San jose scale and Tent caterpillar	Same as mentioned in the above vegetative stage
Codling moth	Cultural control: Use synthetic codlemone for mating disruption at a height of 6- 8 feet or Dispensers should be deployed within 1 meter of the top of the canopy prior to spring emergence during late may to 3 rd week of July. . Biological control: Conserve coccinellids, anthocorids, lygaeid, etc. for controlling codling moth. Release Trichogramma spp
Peach twig borer	Mechanical control: · Mating disruption is most effective in orchards with low moth populations that are not close (a mile) to other untreated peach twig borer hosts or almond orchards. Biological control: Conserve natural enemies such as gray field ant, Formica aerata,
Consperse sting bug, Cow rhinocerus beetle and Blossom Thrips	Same as mentioned in the above vegetative stage
Brown rot, Frosty mildew, Powdery mildew, Silver canker, White root rot, Collar rot and Bacterial Gummosis	Same as mentioned in the above vegetative stage
Fruiting stage
Nutrient Management	For mature trees, a mixture of 40 kg farmyard manure, 500g N, 250 g P2O5 and 200 g K is recommended. The farmyard manure should be applied during December-January along with full dose of P and K. Nitrogen is applied in 2 parts, first half at 2-3 weeks before flowering and the remaining half a month later. The band application of nitrogenous fertilizers should be preferred over broadcasting. Under rainfed conditions, apply N through 1 or 2 foliar sprays of urea (0.5%) after fruit set. Apply recommended micronutrients, if symptoms are observed. Fruits are deformed under boron deficiency. To avoid boron deficiency, apply H2BO3 (0.1%) as foliar spray.
Weed Management	Remove weeds around the plants. Use straw or black polyethylene Mulch to avoid weed growth and to maintain soil moisture for longer period. Mulching tree basins with 10-15 cm thick dry grass also checks weed growth.
Flat headed borer, Hairy caterpillar, San jose scale, Tent caterpillar and Codling moth	Same as mentioned in the above maturity stage
Peach twig borer and Dung beetle	Same as mentioned in the above maturity stage
Brown rot, Frosty mildew, Powdery mildewm Silver canker, Collar rot and Bacterial Gummosis	Same as mentioned in the above maturity stage
Whisker rot	Mechanical control: Preventing skin cuts and punctures during harvest and packing is of prime importance in controlling rhizopus rot. Clean containers and good housekeeping in the packing shed and storage reduce the rot. Store fruit at or below 39°F—the fungus does not grow at temperatures below 40°F.

Note: The pesticide dosages and spray fluid volumes are based on high volume spray.

Source: NIPHM, Directorate of Plant Protection, Quarantine & Storage

 

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31 ratings and

Apricot Diseases

1. Brown rot & Blossom blight
2. Frosty mildew
3. Powdery mildew
4. Coryneum blight/shot hole
5. Silver leaf and canker
6. White root rot
7. Whisker rot
8. Collar rot
9. Bacterial gummosis
10. Disease cycles

Brown rot & Blossom blight

Disease symptoms

• The blossom and twig blight phase begins with the death of young blossoms and their associated spurs and leaves
• Infection moves from flowers into twigs to form small cankers. Gum exudes at the base of infected flowers.
• Cankers on blighted twigs have tan centers with dark margins.
• In high humidity gray brown spore masses form on diseased flower parts and twig cankers.

Transmission and favourable conditions

• The fungus survives on diseased twigs and mummified fruits, either on the tree or on the ground.
• Brown rot fungus spores are airborne and are also spread by rain splash and insects.
• Moderate temperatures and moist weather during bloom favor blossom blight.

Frosty mildew

Disease symptoms

• Irregularly shaped necrotic lesions were observed on leaves in orchard.
• The main signs and symptoms were expressed as conical white to cream coloured tufts of the causal fungus on the brown lesions, followed by premature defoliation.

Favourable condition : Relative humidity 100% and temperature is 18°C

Powdery mildew

Disease symptoms

• Powdery mildew appears as weblike white growth on fruit, leaves, and stems. Older lesions on fruit are scabby.
• yellowing or distortion of leaves, stunted shoot growth, reduced yield
• White powdery residue, which is a mixture of the fungal mycelium and spores on leaves and fruit.

Survival and spread

• Sphaerothecapannosa does not overwinter on apricot; primary inoculum comes from infected roses in spring. Remove nearby roses to reduce sources of inoculum.

Favourable conditions

• The disease is more under dry condition to the end of the winter months.

Coryneum blight/shot hole

Disease symptoms

• Infections on leaves will develop small round purple to tan lesions that are seldom 1/4 of an inch in diameter.
• Infected tissues can become raised and scurfy and will often drop out as the diseased tissue cannot expand with the growing leaf.
• Lesions can be circular to slightly elipsoid. These diseased leaf tissues will tear along the lesion margins and may hang on at one attached point, but eventually drop out giving the shot hole appearance.
• Infected buds will often develop a canker that can expand to girdle the twig and kill it.
• Often infected buds will show signs of gumming. T
• These infected buds are easily recognized as they are often darker than healthy noninfected buds.
• Infection on fruit often appears first as small purple spots that become white to gray lesions, often accompanied by gumming.
• Infections on fruit degrades their quality and often will result in the loss of the fruit.

Transmission and favourable conditions

• The fungus survives within infected buds and on twigs. Spores are rain splashed, and disease increases during the rainy season. Fruit infection is favored by wet spring weather.
• Shot hole is often confused in coastal orchards with fog spot. Fog spot, however, does not cause leaf lesions, and the lesions it causes on fruit have a red margin.
• The fungal pathogen can infect a suitable host if moisture is continuous for 24 hours or longer at 36 °F, meaning that infections can occur when host plants are still dormant.

Silver leaf and canker

Disease symptoms

• Silver Leaf causes dieback of a tree, branch by branch. Leaves appear silvery and a brown stain is produced in the inner tissue.
• The silvery leaves themselves are not infectious; their abnormal appearance is caused by toxins produced by the fungus in the wood of stems and branches.
• Often the fungus is not visible on the exterior, even on trees showing pronounced silvering.  However, as the infected branches die, the fungus bursts through the bark and appears at the surface.
• The bracket-like toadstools are often numerous and more or less overlapping, varying in size from 8mm to 5cm across. Silver Leaf is often confused with False Silver Leaf, a common disorder which as the name suggests looks like Silver Leaf at first glance.
• Leaves are silvery, but the effect appears all over the tree rather than progressively along a branch.

• A cut branch reveals that the staining of Silver Leaf disease is absent. The cause of False Silver Leaf is starvation, cold weather or irregular watering.

Transmission and favourable conditions

• The airborne spores of this fungus are released from the bracket-shaped fruiting bodies found on dead branches.
• These spores infect healthy branches through wounds, especially pruning cuts.
• The fungus grows down into the wood and kills it, producing a dark stain.
• Spores are released mainly in the autumn and winter months under damp conditions.

White root rot

Disease symptoms

• Yellow foliage, shriveled fruit, and little or no new growth are symptoms of Dematophora root rot.
• Cottony, white mycelia cover small feeder roots, and roots decay. Mycelia grow into soil and upward in the tree, forming small, pale patches under or in bark of major roots, the root crown, and lower trunk, which eventually decay.
• Older mycelium become grey or black. The fungus can also cause a purple canker in wood at the root crown of young trees.
• Diseased trees will defoliate and always die prematurely, usually within 1 to 3 years of initial infection.

Transmission and favourable conditions

• The fungus persists for years in buried wood and organic matter in soil.
• It spreads to nearby trees through root grafts and can also be moved longer distances in infected soil or wood.
• Spores apparently are not important in causing disease

Whisker rot

Disease symptoms

• Rhizopus rot begins much like brown rot--as a small, brown, circular spot--but with a detectable difference.
• The skin of Rhizopus rot-infected fruit slips readily from the underlying flesh, while the skin of brown-rotted areas is tough and leathery.
• At normal temperatures, the small spots of Rhizopus rot enlarge rapidly and can involve the entire fruit in 24 to 48 hours.
• A white, whiskery mold appears on the surface of infected fruits, spreading to nearby fruit and the walls of the container.
• By this time, the fruit tends to leak and to smell like vinegar. Finally, tiny, black, spherical structures are produced on stalks above the white mold.
• Each of these contains thousands of spores that are released to float in the air. At this stage, the mold looks mostly black.

Transmission and favourable conditions

• An injury through the fruit skin must be present for the first infections to occur, and injuries as tiny as the prick of a pin are sufficient.
• In packed fruit or clustered ripe fruit on trees, the fungus can spread over the uninjured skin from an infected nearby fruit and eventually cause a rot.
• High temperatures and humidities favours the rapid growth of the fungus and the decay of the fruit.

Collar rot

Damage symptoms

• Symptom expression depends upon how much of the root or crown tissues are affected and how quickly they are destroyed.
• Generally, crown rots advance rapidly and trees collapse and die soon after the first warm weather of spring.
• Leaves of such trees wilt, dry, and remain attached to the tree. Chronic infections, usually of the roots, cause reduction in growth and early senescence and leaf fall.
• These trees may be unthrifty for several years before succumbing to the disease.
• Phytophthora infections typically kill young trees because their root systems and crown areas are small compared to those of mature trees.

Transmission and favourable conditions

• Periods of 24 hours or more of saturated soil favor phytophthora infections.
• Conversely, good soil drainage and more frequent but shorter irrigations reduce the risk of root and crown rot.
• These fungi are more active in soils with high moisture and in temperatures ranging from 55 F- 70 F (13 to 21 degree C).

Bacterial gummosis

Damage symptoms

• Symptoms are most obvious in spring, and include limb dieback with rough cankers and amber colored gum.
• There may also be leaf spot and blast of young flowers and shoots.
• The sour sap phase of bacterial canker may not show gum and cankers, but the inner bark is brown, fermented, and sour smelling.
• Orange or red flecks and pockets of bacterial invasion under the bark occur outside canker margins.
• Frequently, trees sucker from near ground level; cankers do not extend below ground. Gelatinous-like ooze on bark that is clear, milky, or amber colored.

Transmission and favourable conditions

• Pseudomonas syringae survives on plant surfaces, is spread by splashing rain, and is favored by high moisture and low temperatures in spring.
• The bacterium is commonly found on healthy as well as diseased plants and becomes pathogenic only on susceptible or predisposed trees.

Disease cycles

Brown rot & Blossom blight

Source:NIPHM; Directorate of Plant Protection, Quarantine Storage

 

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31 ratings

Apricot pests

1. Pests of National Significance in Apricot
1. Insect pests
2. Diseases
2. Pest of Regional Significance
1. Insect pests
3. Weeds
1. Broad leaf Weeds
2. Grassy weeds
3. Sedges
4. IPM for Apricot

Pests of National Significance in Apricot

Insect pests

• Flat headed borers: Chrysobothris mali Horn (Coleoptera: Buprestide) &Capnodis tenebrionis Linne (Coleoptera: Buprestidae)
• Hairy caterpillar:Lymantria obfuscata Walker (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae)
• Defoliating beetles: Adoretos sp. & Brahmina sp
• Leaf curl plum aphid: Anuraphid helichyrysi Kaltenbach (Hemiptera: Aphididae)
• Brown apricot scale: Lecanium corni (Bouché) (Hemiptera: Coccidae)
• San Jose-scale: Quadraspidiotus perniciosus Comstock (Hemiptera: Diaspididae)

Diseases

• Brown rot Blossom blight: Monilinia laxa (Aderh. &Ruhland) Honey
• Frosty mildew: Cercosporella persica (Sacc.) Sacc
• Powdery mildew: Sphaerotheca pannosa (Wallr.) Lév
• Coryneum blight/shot hole: Stigmina corpophylla (Lév.) M.B. Ellis
• Silver leaf and canker: Chondrostereum purpureum (Pers.) Pouzar
• White root rot: Dematophora necatrix Berl. exPrill
• Whisker rot: Rhizopus stolonifer Ehrenb
• Collar rot: Phytophthora spp & Pythium spp
• Bacterial gummosis: Pseudomonas spp

Pest of Regional Significance

Insect pests

• Tent caterpillar: Malacosoma indica Walker (Lepidoptera: Lasiocampidae)
• Leaf rollers: Archips argyrospilus & subsidiaria sp Walker (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae)
• Blue beetle: Heltica semipicens (Coleoptera:)
• Ear wig: Forficula auricularia Linnaeus (Dermaptera: Forficulidae)
• Codling moth: Cydia pomonella Linnaeus (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae)
• Peach twig borer/Apricot fruit borer: Anarsia lineatella Zeller (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae)
• Consperse sting bug: Euschistis conpersus (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae)
• Coconut rhinoceros beetle: Oryctes rhinoceros Linnaeus (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae)
• Blossom thrips: Taeniothrips spp, Frankliniella dampfi Priesner (Thysanoptera: Thripidae)
• Apricot chalcid: Eurytoma samsona vivarsiliev (Hymenoptera: Chalci)
• Mealy plum aphid: Hyalopterous pruni Geoffroy (Homoptera: Aphididae)

Weeds

Broad leaf Weeds

• Tropical spiderwort: Commelina benghalensis L. Commelinaceae
• Creeping wood sorrel: Oxalis corniculata L. Oxalidaceae
• Goat weed: Ageratum conyzoides L. Asteraceae
• Sowthistles: Sonchus spp. Asteraceae
• Congress grass Parthenium hysterophorus L. Asteraceae
• Musk rose: Rosa moschata Herrm. (Rosaceae)
• Brambles: Rubus spp. (Rosaceae)
• Spurge: Euphorbia hirta L (Euphorbiaceae)
• Common sorrel: Rumex dentatus L (Polygonaceae)
• Lambs quarter: Chenopodium album L (Chenopodiaceae)

Grassy weeds

• Bermuda grass: Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. Poaceae
• Cogon grass: Imperata cylindrica (L.) Raeusch.Poaceae
• Blanket grass: Axonopus compressus (Sw.) Beauv. Poaceae
• Large crabgrass: Digitaria sanguinalis L. (Scop.) Poaceae
• Knot grass: Paspalum conjugatum L. Poaceae

Sedges

• Purple nut sedge: Cyperus rotundus L. Cyperaceae
• Flat sedge: Cyperus iria L Cyperaceae

IPM for Apricot

To know the IPM practices for Apricot, click here.

Source: NIPHM; Directorate of Plant Protection, Quarantine & Storage

 

 

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28 ratings and

Nutrient disorders in Apricot

1. Nitrogen
2. Zinc
3. Iron
4. Sunburn at planting
5. Boron
6. Gumming of apricot trees
7. IPM for Apricot

Nitrogen

If nitrogen is deficient, older lower leaves of fruit trees may become yellow, terminal shoot growth is reduced, and fruit yields decline since the tree may not set or carry much fruit. Severe deficiency causes reddish leaves. If nitrogen is excessive, vegetative growth may be lush, but fruit set may be reduced and fruit maturity delayed by 7 to 10 days. Therefore, either an excess or deficiency of nitrogen should be avoided.

Zinc

Leaves are small, narrow, closely spaced and mottled with yellow, especially new leaves. Lateral leaf buds may fail to grow. Affected trees have small new leaves. In severe cases the entire tree may be yellow.

Iron

Younger leaves appear yellowish because of intervainal chlorosis.

Sunburn at planting

The bark of newly-planted apricot saplings is easily damaged by intense sun light. The injured bark is easily infested by borer insects. Protect the bark from sunburn by painting with white dilute paint. Apply the paint mixture from the soil surface up the entire trunk, including the dormant buds.

Boron

B deficiency symptoms include chlorosis, necrosis, and deformations on young leaves and at growing points. Twigs die back and fruit fails to set. To avoid boron deficiency, apply H2BO3 (0.1%) as  foliar spray.

Gumming of apricot trees

Severely symptoms appear on trees more than 10 years old. Affected trees are smaller and exhibit shoot dieback and less overall vegetative growth than healthy trees. The trunk, branches appeared rough with gummy spots in inner bark tissues. Leaves become yellow and may drop. The disorder is caused by high level of water table, acidity in the soil and irrigation water.

For control: Improve drain system in the orchard.

IPM for Apricot

To know the IPM practices for Apricot, click here.

Source : NIPHM; Directorate of Plant Protection, Quarantine & Storage

 

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