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The blackcurrant gall mite (Cecidophyopsis ribis) is the most important pest of blackcurrant crops. Over recent years withdrawal from plant protection programmes of chemical products (endosulfan and amitraz) used for the control of this pest in Poland, has led to an observed increase in population numbers. In 2013, fenpiroxymate (Ortus 05 SC) became registered for control of this pest. It is deemed best that chemical protection should be used during the migration period; when big gall mites emerge from buds in search of new buds. The studies were carried out in a plantation of blackcurrants during 2011-2013. The assessment of migration of the blackcurrant gall mite was carried out on the cultivars ‘Ben Hope’, ‘Ben Alde’r, ‘Ojeby’n and ‘Ruben’. Every year, from selected cultivars buds were collected. They were then placed on blackcurrant leaves within Petri dishes. After one, three and five days of placing buds on the leaves, the estimated number of eriophyid mites on the leaves was calculated. The data has shown a very useful method for monitoring blackcurrant gall mite, which can be used in calculating the treatment dates for this pest. Also, the data has shown that differences in the periods of migration of the mite are dependent on the cultivar and time of flowering. Among the cultivars observed the least susceptible to colonization by the blackcurrant gall mite was a Polish cultivar ‘Ruben’, while the most susceptible cultivar was ‘Ben Hope’.

BACKGROUND: The Strawberry is an economically important crop in Poland. However, the production of strawberries is difficult and costly, as pests and pathogens causing diseases often damage plants. The strawberry mite - Phytonemus pallidus (Banks) is the most dangerous among pests and one of the most difficult to control. In the past, active substances such as Endosulfan, Amitraz and Propargite, were used to control the pest but they have been withdrawn from the pest control program a few years ago. OBJECTIVE: The intention of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of Abamectin and fungus Beauveria bassiana to control the strawberry mite on strawberry plants in the open field, as well as the susceptibility of selected strawberry varieties and genotypes to the pest. METHODS CONTROL EXPERIMENTS: Studies were performed on ‘Honeoye’ plants. Naturalis (Beauveria basiana )a t a dose of 1.0–1.5 l/ha+adjuvant Protector (pine resins) at a dose of 0.3 l/ha, Naturalis – 1.0 l/ha+TerraSorb ® Complex SB ( – amino acids, biostimulants) – 1.5 l/ha (2013) and Vertimec 018 EC (abamectin) at a dose of 1.0 l/ha were estimated. The population of strawberry mite was notated both before, and after the application of the tested products. SUSCEPTIBILITY OF CULTIVARS: The observations of the strawberry mite presence on the strawberry cultivars, were carried out in years 2012–2013 on an experimental cultivar trial plantation. The population of the pest was counted on strawberry leaves, taken from plants of different varieties and genotypes. RESULTS: Vertimec 018 EC showed good efficacy in the control of the strawberry mite, but the long-lasting effect was observed only following two applications of the product. Naturalis (Beauveria bassiana)+Protector proved to be more effective than the treatment of Naturalis+TerraSorb ® Complex, however the pest control was poorer and of short duration than after application of Vertimec 018 EC. CONCLUSIONS: In experiments carried out in the open field Abamectin proved to be more effective than Naturalis. Some strawberry varieties such as ‘Dukat’, ‘Flair’, ‘Real’, ‘Salut’, ‘Vima Rina’, ‘Malling Pearl’ were not infested by to strawberry mite - the pest specimens were not observed on experimental plots within two years of this experiment. A high population of the strawberry mite was noted on strawberry cultivars such as ‘Evita’, ‘Hokent’, ‘Albion’, ‘Feriusz’, ‘Honeoye’ and ‘Karel’.

Spirotetramat applied as Movento 100 SC at dose rates: 0.7 and 1.0 L·ha-1 in a single treatment just after blossom resulted in a very high reduction of currant-sowthistle aphid - Hyperomyzus lactucae L. (Aphidoidea, Aphididae) on blackcurrants ‘Ojebyn’ and ‘Titania’. The results obtained with this pesticide applied at both tested dose rates: 0.7 and 1.0 L·ha-1 were comparable. The efficacy of spirotetramat at 7th day after treatment was similar or slightly poorer compared to standard insecticides, but at 21st day after treatment a higher reduction of aphids than with reference insecticides such as pirimicarb (Pirimor 500 WG at the rate 0.75 kg·ha-1), thiacloprid (Calypso 480 SC 0.15 L·ha-1) and thiamethoxam (Actara 25 WG at the rate 0.1 kg·ha-1) was recorded. With regard to environment safety and biodiversity it must be underlined that on plants treated with Movento 100 SC, high populations of Coccinellidae (both larvae and beetles), Syrphidae (larvae) and Phytoseiidae were noted.

The vapourer moth (Orgyia antiqua L.) is a polyphagous pest occuring on many trees and bushes, including apple, currants and raspberry. In 2013 and 2014 monitoring of this pest using pheromone traps to attracting males was carried out in apple orchards at the Research Institute of Horticulture. Butterflies of the vapourer moth were caught on pheromone traps placed in all monitored orchards however: there was no damage to the leaves caused by caterpillars. Adult flight of O. antiqua usually began in the second half of June and ended in late of October or even early November. The second generation of butterflies was more numerous in monitored orchards than the first one. The main flight of males of the first generation took place in July and another in September. The vapourer moth population was not abundant in the monitored orchards and there was no need to control it.

Summary The blackcurrant gall mite (big bud mite) – Cecidophyopsis ribis (Westw.) is the most dangerous pest of blackcurrant in many countries. C. ribis is a key pest in Poland and causes severe damage on some plantations, destroying even more than 50% of the buds. The big bud mite infests most of the commonly grown cultivars and only a few are resistant. Looking for new possibilities to control the pest is still necessary. The experiments were carried out at the Research Institute of Horticulture in 2008–2011. Fenpyroximate active substance in Ortus 05 SC showed high effectiveness in reducing the number of the blackcurrant gall mites emerging from treated buds. Ortus 05 SC (1.25; 1.5 l/ha) and Ortus 05 SC (1.5 l/ha) + Slippa (0.1 l/ha) applied 3 times during migration of the big bud mite, reduced the number of damaged buds by 76–90% compared to the control bush. Also Ortus 05 SC (1.5 l/ha), applied twice: at the beginning and during the full blossom of black currant significantly reduced the number of buds infested by the big bud mite. On the bushes where Ortus 05 SC (1.5 l/ha) + Slippa (0.1 l/ha) were used twice, slightly less damaged buds compared with the treatments without wetting were reported, but the differences were not statistically significant.

Summary The strawberry mite (Phytonemus pallidus) is a very important pest of strawberry in Poland. The pest feeds on the smallest, young folded leaves, flower buds and flowers. Plants heavily infested with mites become severely stunted and crinkled, resulting in changes in fruit size and quality. The pest easily spreads on plantation with strawberry seedlings. P. pallidus has to be control on many strawberry plantations however, its controls is very difficult due to the lack of registered products. Recently there was only one acaricide permitted on strawberry. The aim of these trials was to evaluate the effectiveness of fenpyroximate (Ortus 05 SC) against the strawberry mite. Ortus 05 SC at the rate of 1.25 and 1.5 l/ha as well as Ortus 05 SC (1.125 l/ha) + Slippa (0.2 l/ha) was applied twice with one week interval after strawberry harvest and it gave average level of the control (about 80%). Ortus 05 SC used at the rate 1.0 l/ha gave lower efficacy (30%), especially on heavily infested plantation. In 2013 Ortus 05 SC was registered for control of the strawberry mite in Poland and may be use once during a vegetation season.