The Influence of Fertilization on Pomegranate Susceptibility to Infestation by Ectomyelois ceratoniae

Abstract

Carob moth, Ectomyelois ceratoniae Zell (Lep.: Pyralidae), is the most important pest in Iranian pomegranate orchards and imposes tremendous annual economic loss to the pomegranate producers. A two-year study was conducted to investigate the effects of the utilization of different fertilizers on the carob moth infestation of pomegranate cv. ‘Bajestani’. Fertilizer programs significantly affected fruit infestation. The highest infestation rate was recorded in unfertilized plants (38.07%, 31.44% in the first and the second years, respectively). Among different treatments, chemical and humic fulvic-containing fertilizers proved to be the most efficient treatments for controlling carob moth. A Significant correlation was observed between carob moth infestation and various fruit and tree-related attributes. The peel hardness and its hardness-associated nutrients (Ca, K and Si), as well as total phenolic content of fruit juice, were among the factors that showed a high negative correlation with carob moth infestation. According to our results, a combination of organic and Si, Ca, and K-containing fertilizers has great practical potential in the management of pomegranate orchards to reduce the carob moth damages.