Alternative Management Strategies for European Red Mite in North Central Ohio Apple Orchards

Alternative Management Strategies for European Red Mite in North Central Ohio Apple Orchards

Summary

"Changes in apple fruit production are creating challenges for growers to meet the social and environmental concerns of customers and the general public. In additon, we need to remain economically sustainable to assure the future of our family farms."

Objectives: To implement a scouting/monitoring program of the European Red Mite (ERM) with a group of growers. The program will encourage populations of predator mites (Stethorus punctum) and other beneficials, and protect them by controlled use and selection of chemicals. Cooperators will be surveyed to determine mite control and social, environmental and economic impact of program.

Results: The project coordinator and approximately 20 cooperating growers in northern Ohio implemented an ERM control program utilizing scouts to monitor populations of both predator and benificial insect populations. They performed timely spraying with judicious selection and use of chemicals, applied only when apple pests, other than ERM, reach threshold levels.