Fruit Bites July 14-16 Woolly Apple Aphids

Fruit Bites July 14-16 Woolly Apple Aphids

Bob Larson
Bob Larson
BL: Welcome back to another “Fruit Bites” brought to you by the good folks at Valent U.S.A. And with us as always is Valent’s Allison Walston. And this week Allison, let’s talk about Woolly Apple Aphids.

AW: Woolly apple aphids are named due to the white cottony, waxy filaments that surround and protect the soft bodied aphid. This covering also makes controlling this aphid rather difficult due to the extra barrier of waxy protection. And you can start seeing them in the tree canopy this time of year.

BL: So, I take it the Woolly Apple Aphid is tough on apples?

AW: Yes, they feed on twigs & branches, producing honeydew droplets that grow sooty mold on the apples, and they can gather in the stem bowl and calyx end causing export issues. They overwinter underground on the roots, where feeding leaves galls that stress the trees. The Malling rootstock series was actually developed to be resistant to woolly apple aphids and the Geneva rootstock series has some resistance too.

BL: Well, thanks Allison. Join us again next time for more Fruit Bites, brought to you by Valent. Until then, I’m Bob Larson.

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