Introduction: Typically, the early ‘worm’ complex found in commercial apple during the delayed dormant and pre-bloom period begins with the emergence of red banded leafroller (RBLR) and the green fruit worm (GFW), vying for first emergence status. In the Mid-Hudson Valley, we traditionally have our first flight of GFW in early March, which occurred this season on the 26th. We had our first capture of RBLR in Milton, NY on Monday, the 11th of March (thanks to Meaghan Hardeman ! ) over the warmest week of the year to date, with highs hovering above 70F that week (14th March).
As green fruitworm and red banded leafroller populations are in flight, I’d like to briefly highlight this pest complex that can cause injury to buds and terminal shoots in the weeks to come.
This insect group is comprised of at least three different lepidopteran species whose larvae feed on the foliage, flowering parts and developing fruit of pear and apple that may be found during scouting efforts this spring. Although these insects tend to be sporadic pests in commercially managed orchards during the pre-bloom period, upon OBLR emergence during tight cluster to pink phenology stages, the combined insult to fruiting buds in years when high populations occur may produce economic injury requiring pre-bloom insect management. During this period, pollinators are foraging on drive-row dandelion and orchard edge fora. As such, evening applications with rapid dry time under conditions of low relative humidity and use of materials with low impact to pollinators should be included in pest management considerations.
The adult GFW complex are members of the Noctuid family and fly at night. Flight begins during apple bud development and peaks at tight cluster with flight completed by the pink stage.
GFW adults have a wingspread of about 1.5 inches. The forewings are grayish pink; each is marked near the middle with 2 purplish gray spots, outlined by a thin pale border with the hind wings lighter in color than the forewings.
Females begin oviposition on twigs and developing leaves when apples are in the half-inch green stage. GFW eggs are about 3/8” in diameter and 3/16” in height. GFW eggs are white with a grayish tinge and ridges radiating from the center . The egg takes on a mottled appearance shortly before hatch. A female will deposit only 1 or 2 at any given site, laying several hundred eggs from late March to mid-May in the Hudson Valley.
In the northern regions of the Champlain Valley and throughout the mid-Hudson Valley, the GFW can be a severe pest on early developing apple. The GFW larva pass through 6 instars, the early stages possessing a grayish green body, brown head and thoracic shield. Mature larvae, about 1.5” in length, have a light green body and head. A number of narrow white stripes run along the top of the body with wider, more pronounced white line runs along each side. The areas between the stripes are speckled white. Early stages of larvae feed on foliage and flower buds, found inside rolled leaves or clusters.
Mature larvae will damage flower clusters during bloom, feeding on developing fruit and foliage 2 weeks after petal fall with peak populations during bloom . The fruit remaining on the tree will have both shallow and deeply indented corky scars at harvest, indistinguishable from oblique banded leafroller injury.
Larva then drop to the ground, burrow into the soil to pupate and overwinter 2-4 inches into the soil to emerge the following spring as adults.
Control: In years of heavy infestation pressure from GFW, as much as 10% fruit injury can occur. Employing adult pheromone trap captures will provide growers with information on GFW presence and the onset of adult flight. Scouting for larva to determine levels of pest pressure should begin shortly after tight cluster. Although NY has not developed thresholds for this pest, a provisional threshold of 1 larva or feeding scar per tree has been used to begin applications in Massachusetts. A more conservative threshold should be applied in high valued apple varieties on dwarfing rootstock of high-density planting systems. If GFW populations historically cause economic injury to fruit, management should begin from tight cluster to pink to target the pre-bloom Lepidoptera complex.
The GFW complex and OBLR are less susceptible to most organophosphates given their use over the years. Asana, Ambush / Pounce, Baythroid, Danitol, Warrior, generally pyrethroids in IRAC Class 3, tend to have highest efficacy against larva under cooler temperatures (<72F). Generally, as temperature increases larva metabolize / detoxify pyrethroid chemistries more effectively, while OP’s, Carbamates and newer chemistries tend to be more stable and less susceptible to this phenomenon.
The Bt products such as Biobit, Dipel, Javelin, and MVP (IRAC 11 B2) also have a low impact on beneficial mite and are very effective against OBLR and the GFW complex as they feed. The Bt products can be used through bloom as needed and their use should be optimized employing multiple applications at 5-7 day intervals at the low-labeled rate. Intrepid (methoxyfen-ozide) (IRAC 18A) another reduced risk insecticide very effective against the larva, imitates the natural insect molting hormone and works by initiating the molting process. Intrepid is quite safe to birds, fish, and most beneficial insects. Proclaim (emamectin benzoate) (IRAC 6), a second-generation avermectin insecticide related to Agri-Mek, is also an excellent insecticide against the GFW complex while having a low impact on beneficial mites. If European red mite (ERM) has emerged, Proclaim, used with a penetrating adjuvant, would reduce early ERM populations.
Altacor (chlorantraniliprole), Exirel (cyantraniliprole), Verdepryn (cyclaniliprole) in IRAC Class 28, Delegate (spinetoram) and Entrust (spinosad) (IRAC Class 5), have been used successfully against the surface feeding and internal Lep. complex. Placement for these materials in a rotational program has been employed for each emerging generation of OBLR and Codling Moth, providing excellent control of the primary lepidopteran pest complex in NY State.
As we would be managing the overwintering OBLR larva at the same time as we would the control of GFW, we need to consider these applications in light of OBLR management through out the remainder of the season.
Since the development of insecticide resistance is dependent on the volume and frequency of applications of insecticides and the inherent characteristics of the insect species, we should limit one insecticide class to a single generation of the pest for resistance management purposes.
The present model for insecticide resistance management (IRM) practices then is to use a single insecticide class for a single generation of insect pest. For example, an IRM program against the lepidopteran complex, specifically OBLR, would use effective insecticides listed above (X, Y, Z) in three different IRAC classes (A, B, C) throughout the season.
Insecticide X (Class A) 1 application @ TC-P for GFW, or PF for OBLR, RBLR, LAW, OFM larva, and 1st and 2nd Cover for 1st Gen. CM
Insecticide Y (Class B) 2 applications @ 14d; first emergence of 1st brood OBLR larva and CM
Insecticide Z (Class C) 1 application @ first emergence of 2nd brood OBLR larva and 3rd Gen of CM if needed.
Given the historic failures the apple industry has experienced managing the leafroller and internal worm complex, we should consider designing programs to maintain the effectiveness of these excellent IPM tools beginning early in the season, before the heat of the battle begins.