Light Brown Apple Moth Summer
Fruit Tortrix
Plum Fruit Moth
apple Orchard survey
Kentucky has approximately 1000 of acres in apple
production in the state.
Based on a survey by a University of Kentucky Fruit and Vegetable
Crops Extension Professor, in recent years yields for semi-dwarf
apples have ranged from 250 to 750 bu/A with an average yield of 448
bu/A. He found that
dwarf apples yields have ranged from 195 bu/A (in a year with
devastating frost) to 825 bu/A with an average of 550 bu/A (data
from J. Strang, Univ of KY).
Nearly 7 million pounds of apples were harvested in 2008, the
most recent year for which data are available (Kentucky Ag
Statistics). Farmers
have been steadily earning more per pound of apples produced each
year. For example,
farmers earned $0.78 per pound in 2008, $0.85 per pound in 2009 and
$1.04 per pound in 2011 (J. Strang).
There is a high demand for locally-produced apples in
Kentucky which are sold locally to restaurants and directly to
consumers at roadside stands, farmer’s markets, and at Kentucky’s
more than 25 U-Pick apple orchards.
Several insect pests would be very damaging to the apple industry in Kentucky if they became established in the state. Many insects can be surveyed using pheromone trapping. The use of these traps will allow for early detection and prevention of pest establishment in the state. We will survey for the following pests: Summer Fruit Tortrix, Light Brown Apple Moth, Variegated Golden Tortrix, European Grapevine Moth, Plum Fruit Moth, and Apple Ermine Moth. We will also have traps in place for a fruit fly pest, the Spotted Wing Drosophila.
We will obtain permission from orchard owners to
place pheromone traps in their fields and we estimate that 10
orchards will participate in the survey.
European Grapevine Moth
Spotted Wing Drosophila
Apple Ermine Moth