Impact of insecticides treatment on phytoplasma infection risk in apple orchards

Abstract

During 2013-2015, a monitoring study was carried out on the migration, abundance, and infectivity of Cacopsylla picta and C. melanoneura in apple orchards that were under different types of management. The presence of symptomatic and non-symptomatic apple trees infected by 'Candidatus Phytoplasma Mali' was studied. It was demonstrated that the infectivity of psyllid vectors is the same without regard to the growth management applied in the orchard. The potential risk of phytoplasma spreading in the orchards under an integrated management was lower due to the side-effects of insecticides on psyllids. Their shorter occurrence, lower abundance and the absence of a new vector generation were observed and compared to the orchard grown under organic management.