How to Deal with Yellow Pear Aphid Damaging Pear Fruit? Detailed Control Methods

    The yellow pear aphid mainly gathers in the calyx depression of pears, feeding and causing damage, and can also harm other parts of the pear; it is most damaging to bagged green-skinned pears, initially appearing as yellow spots that are slightly sunken, then turning into black spots and spreading; damage at the calyx depression of the pear produces large cracked spots, making the pear completely lose its commercial value, and when the yellow pear aphid breaks out severely, it can cause total crop loss. The characteristic sign of yellow pear aphid damage is the accumulation of bright yellow powdery material on the damaged parts of the pear.

Yellow pear aphid

    It produces 6-9 generations per year, overwintering as eggs in cracks of loose bark, on fruit spurs and other places. In early to mid-June it migrates to pears, and in mid to late August, when pears are near maturity, damage peaks, with heaps of yellow powder visible on the pear surface; in August-September sexual aphids appear, migrate to fruit spurs, bark cracks and other places, and lay eggs to overwinter. When pear bagging is improper or after the yellow pear aphid enters the bag, because it is difficult to control, it reproduces faster and causes more serious damage.

    Control methods:

    1. Agricultural control:Along with control of other pests and diseases, scrape off all kinds of old loose bark on pear trees in winter; along with winter pruning, remove all kinds of residues attached to pear trees and burn them in a centralized manner to eliminate overwintering eggs.

    2. Biological control:Protect and utilize the natural enemies of the yellow pear aphid. Common predatory insects in northern pear orchards include ladybugs, lacewings and others; as long as certain measures are taken to protect natural enemies, the yellow pear aphid population can be well controlled.

    3. Chemical control:Early spring spraying should focus on the pear tree trunk and the base of main branches; when applying chemicals during the growing season, care must be taken to ensure the pear is evenly covered with the spray, especially the calyx depression (even more attention is needed for pear varieties with persistent sepals).

    Main chemicals: before pear bud break, spray 5 degrees Baume lime sulfur mixture; chemicals that can be used at other times include imidacloprid, abamectin, cypermethrin, fenvalerate and others.