New Zealand Journal of Crop and Horticultural Science abstracts

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⁺Author for correspondence.
H99042
Received 15 October 1999; accepted 31 August 2000

Factors affecting feeding site preferences of lightbrown apple moth, Epiphyas postvittana (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), on apple trees in New Zealand

P. L. LO¹
D. M. SUCKLING²⁺
S. J. BRADLEY¹
J. T. S. WALKER¹
P. W. SHAW³
G. M. BURNIP²

¹The Horticulture and Food Research
  Institute of New Zealand Ltd
 Private Bag 1401
 Havelock North, New Zealand
 email: plo@hort.cri.nz
²The Horticulture and Food Research
  Institute of New Zealand Ltd
 P. O. Box 51
 Lincoln, New Zealand
 email: msuckling@hort.cri.nz
³The Horticulture and Food Research
  Institute of New Zealand Ltd
 P. O. Box 220
 Motueka, New Zealand

Abstract  The infestation of apple (Malus domestica) trees by Epiphyas postvittana (Walker) larvae was studied over 3 years. Fresh damage to leaves increased progressively during the season, although in Nelson it declined in April. Fruit damage was first detected in December and increased throughout the season. The incidence of fruit damage was most strongly correlated with the surface area of fruit. Single leaves were the preferred feeding site for larvae on terminal shoots, although when whole branches were examined, most shelters occurred between two leaves. Feeding sites on fruit predominantly involved contact with a leaf or another apple. A field experiment examined the influence of physical contact and fruit maturation on leafroller damage. E. postvittana larvae were offered a choice of feeding sites involving leaves and three types of "apple"; namely untreated apples, apples treated with chlorethephon to promote ripening, and plastic balls. There was 16% more damage on treated compared with untreated fruit, but similar levels of damage to leaves touching the three types of apple. Although riper fruit were more attractive to E. postvittana larvae, their preference for physical contact had a greater influence on the selection of feeding sites. The increase in fruit damage over time was mainly due to the increasing extent of contact between leaves and other fruit as the apples enlarged.

Keywords  Epiphyas postvittana; leafrollers; Tortricidae; apple; damage; fruit maturity

New Zealand Journal of Crop and Horticultural Science, 2000, Vol. 28: 245-253

0014-0671/00/2804-0245 $7.00 (c) The Royal Society of New Zealand 2000

PDF file of entire paper: medium quality (613K); (scanned from paper original: notes about this process)

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