Annual Disease and Pest Control and Pesticide Reduction and Efficiency Enhancement Plan for Apple Orchards

June Disease and Pest Control

1. Disease control. In mid-to-late June, continuous rainy weather often occurs in northern regions. Before the continuous rain arrives, the entire orchard should be sprayed once with a protective fungicide that has strong adhesion, resistance to rain erosion, and a long lasting effect, to prevent massive reproduction and infection of pathogens during the rainfall period; in mid-to-late June, in areas where the ten-day average rainfall exceeds 20 mm, it is recommended to spray Bordeaux mixture. Before spraying, inspect the orchard to remove dead branches, rot cankers, dry rot cankers, and other sources of infectious pathogens, while also monitoring the occurrence and damage of various pests.

2. Pest control. June is a critical period for controlling pests such as leaf mites, the apple leafminer (Lithocolletis ringoniella), and the peach fruit moth (Carposina sasakii). Generally, one application is made after bagging or combined with bagging. The type of pesticide and timing of application should be determined based on the monitored pest species, pest population density, and pest occurrence trends. After entering June, inspect the orchard every 7-10 days, combined with trapping using sex pheromones and light traps. In June, focus on monitoring red spiders, the apple leafminer (Lithocolletis ringoniella), and the peach fruit moth (Carposina sasakii), followed by monitoring the population dynamics of woolly apple aphid, Comstock mealybug (Pseudococcus comstocki), leaf-eating pests, and trunk-boring longhorn beetles. The apple leafminer (Lithocolletis ringoniella) and the peach fruit moth (Carposina sasakii) are mainly monitored through sex pheromone trapping. When a large number of moths are caught, spray an insecticide once on the fifth to seventh day after the peak of moth trapping. For controlling the apple leafminer, hormone-type pesticides such as diflubenzuron and triflumuron may be considered; for controlling the peach fruit moth, chlorantraniliprole and pyrethroid pesticides may be considered; for controlling leaf mites, triazotin, abamectin, or spirodiclofen with a longer lasting effect may be considered. For other pests, insecticides such as emamectin benzoate, abamectin, and imidacloprid may be considered. If conditions permit, fungicides and insecticides may be mixed to reduce the number of applications.

3. Disease prevention after trunk girdling. After trunk girdling of apple trees, to prevent infection by ring rot and rot pathogens, 25% pyraclostrobin at 500-600 times dilution, or 70% carbendazim or thiophanate-methyl wettable powder at 100-200 times dilution can be applied to coat the wounds.

July Disease and Pest Control

1. Disease control. July is a critical period for controlling diseases such as brown spot, anthracnose leaf blight, trunk ring rot, and rot, generally requiring 1-2 applications in normal years. After spraying fungicides in June, whenever there are more than 3 rainfall events with more than 10 mm of rain lasting over 24 hours, or more than 7 days of continuous rainy weather, immediately spray a systemic fungicide after the rain. For varieties sensitive to anthracnose leaf blight, it is recommended to spray a fungicide with pyraclostrobin as the main active ingredient; for orchards with severe brown spot, it is recommended to spray a fungicide with triazole as the main active ingredient. In mid-to-late July, before forecast rainfall, spray the entire orchard once more with a protective fungicide that has strong adhesion, resistance to rain erosion, and a long lasting effect, to prevent massive reproduction and infection of pathogens during the rainfall period; in late July and early August, in areas where the ten-day average rainfall exceeds 20 mm, it is recommended to use Bordeaux mixture. Each spraying should cover the branches and trunk. Before spraying fungicides, it is recommended to inspect the orchard to remove dead branches, rot cankers, dry rot cankers, and other sources of infectious pathogens, while also monitoring the occurrence and damage of various pests.

2. Pest control. July is also a critical period for controlling various pests, generally requiring 1 application in normal years; the specific number of applications, pesticide types, and timing should be determined based on the monitored pest species, pest population density, and pest occurrence trends. Pest monitoring and forecasting should be combined with trapping using sex pheromones and light traps, and the orchard should be inspected every 7-10 days; in July, focus on monitoring 3 types of red spiders (two-spotted spider mite, apple red spider, and hawthorn red spider) and the apple leafminer (Lithocolletis ringoniella), followed by fruit-boring pests (peach fruit moth, pear fruit moth, etc.), leaf-eating pests (browntail moth, nettle caterpillar, tiger moth, fall webworm), Comstock mealybug (Pseudococcus comstocki), and trunk-boring longhorn beetles; for insecticides, abamectin, emamectin benzoate, diflubenzuron, and triflumuron may be considered; for acaricides, spirodiclofen (Envidor), triazotin, and abamectin may be considered. If conditions permit, fungicides and insecticides may be mixed to reduce the number of applications.