Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/275392
16 MARCH 15, 2014 GOOD FRUIT GROWER www.goodfruit.com Campylomma are a pest only during bloom. PHOTOS BY ELIZABETH BEERS, WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY Pollination C ampylomma is one of the most tricky pests to control in apples because it damages the fruit during bloom—a time when growers try to avoid exposing bees to chemicals. The standard treatment has been Carzol (formetanate) applied during bloom with the aim of killing campylomma nymphs that attack the developing fruitlets. But the U.S. Envi- ronmental Protection Agency announced in 2012 that the tolerance would be revoked on apples, peaches, and pears on December 31, 2013, meaning it can no longer be used. Campylomma overwinters as eggs on the tree. The nymphs that develop from the eggs sting the fruitlets. As the apples grow, they may develop corky warts, russet, or deformities. In a two-year study conducted at Washington State University to compare the susceptibility of various apple varieties, Golden Deli- cious proved the most susceptible. Red Delicious was among the Carzol is no longer registered for use on apples. by Geraldine Warner Campylomma control without CARZOL