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Expansion and intensification of pear growing in the German-speaking part of Switzerland during the last 10-20 years also triggered an extension of European pear psylla, Cacopsylla pyri, which causes serious problems in several orchards. Field experimentation about this pest was therefore increased during the last five years. Several direct and indirect control measures were tested separately and in combination. Spraying with amitraz, abamectin, spirodiclofen or kaolin led to good results when applied at the right time, but pesticides seldom solved the problem lastingly. Mass releases of predatory bugs Anthocoris nemoralis did not always succeed and hardly led to the expected positive results. Pear psylla could be controlled effectively in those orchards by common earwig, Forficula auricularia, either it was already present or when released and successfully increased. Effective and persistent control of european pear psylla can be reached with a truly «integrated» management when all regulation options are optimally combined.

Keywords: pear psylla, integrated pest management, antagonists, earwigs, Cacopsylla pyri, Forficula auricularia

E-Mail: heinrich.hoehn@agroscope.admin.ch

Adress: INRAE, UMR LAE, 68000 Colmar

After a first case in Switzerland of summer fruit tortrix (A. orana) resistance detected in Etoy in 2004, followed by a second in Aigle in 2005, a pre-bloom treatment with lufenuron failed in 2006 in Founex. The larvae collected in that orchard in July on the damaged shoots allowed to test some insecticides applied either by dipping of leaves or by incorporation to the artificial diet. Like the population of Etoy, the strain of Founex was resistant to lufenuron, tebufenozide, methoxyfenozide and fenoxycarb. Compared to the susceptible strain, the resistance factor of these two populations to fenoxycarb, tested on artificial medium, reached approximately 1000.

Keywords: summer fruit tortrix moth, Adoxophyes orana, Switzerland, insecticides, resistance

E-Mail: denis.pasquier@agroscope.admin.ch

Adress:

The forecasting tool SOPRA has been developed with the objective to optimize timing of monitoring and control measures of insect pests in fruit orchards. Applying time-varying distributed delay approaches, phenology-models were developed driven by solar radiation, air temperature and soil temperature on hourly basis. Models are developed and validated for Dysaphis plantaginea, Hoplocampa testudinea, Cydia pomonella, Grapholita lobarzewskii, Cacopsylla pyri, Rhagoletis cerasi, Anthonomus pomorum and Adoxophyes orana. The implementation of body temperatures in the models is based on habitat selection and biophysical simulation of habitat conditions. On base of local weather data, age structure of the pest populations is simulated and crucial events for management activities are announced. Through a web-interface, the simulation results are available to consultants and growers (www.sopra.info) and can be applied as decision support system (DSS) for the eight major insect pests of fruit orchards in the alpine valleys and north of the Alps at local and regional scale.

Keywords: phenology, model, forecasting, decision support system, temperature, pest insects, monitoring, plant protection, fruit growing

E-Mail: joerg.samietz@acw.admin.ch

Adress: INRAE, UMR LAE, 68000 Colmar

The working-time requirement for table-apple production depends substantially on the harvest method used, as well as the yield. With modern methods and a yield of 45 t/ha, a working-time of 400 to 600 MPh/ha is needed. The harvest alone accounts for about 40% of this time. Manual fruit-thinning, pruning and shaping tasks are also manually labour-intensive and time-consuming. Here, the intensity of performance of the task has a decisive impact on the working-time requirement. The time necessary for mechanised working processes such as mulching and plant protection is relatively low compared to that of the manually intensive processes.

Keywords: table-apple production, working-time requirement, harvest, fruit-thinning, shaping

E-Mail: matthias.schick@art.admin.ch

Adress:

The study of «terroirs» conducted on Swiss vineyards (Vaud) from 2000 to 2004 led to the development of an interactive internet application. A georeferenced database containing information gathered from pedological and climatic studies is available on-line. Further data input, collected by members of the network, will be made and can be consulted by the private or public sector. The application is composed of three modules. The first module, «Vigne» (vineyard), proposes plot management of vineyards. The «Cave» (cellar) module enables the management of suppliers and grape harvests. Finally, the «Recherche & Vulgarisation» (search and extensions) module allows the creation of new geographic strata with specific themes. Data linked to these themes can be accessed in a decentralised way by simple Internet connection. This tool will facilitate the technical management of wine-growing farms, speed up the execution of investigations, and provide an accessible database being updated by various concerned parties, as well as the forwarding of results to professionals involved.

Keywords: viticulture, «terroirs», interactive network, management of vineyards

E-Mail: philippe.droz@agridea.ch

Adress:

Cases of resistance to Cydia pomonella granulosis virus (CpGV) have recently been observed in Germany and France. Reference effectiveness curves of the three formulations of virus (Madex 3, Madex Plus and Granupom) have been elaborated in the laboratory in order to detect rapidly an emerging resistance. The evaluated products had LC50 situated between 2.5 107 and 2.2 108 granules/l.

Keywords: Cydia pomonella, codling moth, granulosis virus, larvicidal activity

E-Mail: denis.pasquier@agroscope.admin.ch

Adress: