FIELD EFFICACY OF SELECTED PLANT PROTECTION TREATMENTS AGAINST APHIS POMI AND TETRANYCHUS URTICAE IN APPLE ORCHARDS

Abstract

Apple orchards are affected by several arthropod pests that can reduce plant health, fruit quality and yield, requiring effective control strategies compatible with integrated pest management. This study evaluated the biological efficacy of selected insecticidal and acaricidal against the green apple aphid (Aphis pomi) and the two-spotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae) under field conditions in a Romanian apple orchard. Prev-Am and Teppeki were assessed against A. pomi, while Limocide and Kanemite SC STD were evaluated against T. urticae. Treatment performance was determined from observed mortality and corrected biological efficacy calculated using Abbott’s formula, accounting for natural mortality in the untreated control. Teppeki provided the highest corrected efficacy against A. pomi (86.25 %), compared with 67.24 % for Prev-Am. Against T. urticae, Kanemite SC STD achieved 91.45 % corrected efficacy, while Limocide reached 84.83 %. The results demonstrate clear differences in treatment performance and support the selection of pestspecific control options within integrated apple orchard management. Further replicated and multi-year field studies are required to confirm treatment consistency under variable pest
pressure and environmental conditions.