Autumn and spring control of black cherry aphid on sweet cherry in Central Otago

Abstract

Black cherry aphid Myzus cerasi has the potential to cause major damage to both the shoots and fruit of sweet cherries It has traditionally been treated with insecticides during the growing season from early spring until close to harvest An investigation into the time of arrival of females followed by males in autumn and egg hatch in spring in Central Otago showed that there was potential to achieve some control before flowering by treating either in autumn or spring The trials identified options for use under organic (mineral oil canola oil or pyrethrum) or integrated fruit production systems (mineral oil or pirimicarb) with carefully timed treatments Aphid numbers in spring (assessed in late October) were significantly reduced by treating in either late April of the previous autumn or in late August at the end of egg hatch Further work is needed to develop fully effective control programmes using combinations of autumn and spring treatments