Carpocapsa (Cydia pomonella) is a noctuid lepidopteran, with three annual generations, and is the most serious pest of apple, pear, walnut and quince trees.
The continuous chemical treatments of conventional crops have caused resistance to some insecticides and this has forced us to look for alternative methods of control.
Its control in organic agricultural production has gradually improved, and at present, with good monitoring and control, it is possible to obtain damage-free harvests or with an acceptable percentage of damage (0-5%).
Symptoms are visible when the larvae penetrate the fruit, leaving a characteristic sawdust on the outside of the cavity they make in the epidermis. Many of the damaged fruits cannot be harvested, as they fall early and are not even suitable for juice production.
Monitoring and control Monitoring and control is very important since this insect hibernates in the plot, and it is necessary to reduce its population by using several control strategies simultaneously:
- Delta traps with a female pheromone diffuser for attracting males.
- Sexual confusion: A cloud of female pheromone specific to Carpocapsa is created in the whole plot, preventing males from finding females and thus avoiding both mating and, therefore, laying.
Control of very high populations is very difficult, and control of the first generation is key.
Auxiliary fauna: None of the natural enemies can control this pest naturally, but it is necessary to boost their presence (Chrysopa sp, Trichogramma, Ichneumonidae).
Products for treatment: Usually they are used together with sexual confusion. They act only against larvae and must be treated as soon as they hatch (Granulosis virus or granulovirus, Bacillus thuringensis, Spinosad).
Anti-carpocapsa netting
The anti-hail netting is 5×4 threads/cm2, white, with a pore size that prevents the passage of the apple moth.
They can be placed in single-row (it is the most effective and covers a row of trees) or in single-plot (placed on stakes as a net house)
In the single-row system, netting is left rolled up at the top during the winter and brought down once flowering is over. At this time it can be rolled up during the day, but at night it must be pulled down and left closed at the bottom, since this is when the adult carpocapsa are active.
Anti-hail netting is characterized by a higher mechanical resistance due to the type of fabric (leno), which is why it is used in hail protection systems. In addition, it protects against birds and bats. It promotes a more sustainable agriculture, since it reduces plant water consumption. It reduces mechanical damage to the fruit, its fall, and protects against sunburn.
