UC IPM: UC Management Guidelines for Orange Tortrix on Apricot

How to Manage Pests

UC Pest Management Guidelines

Apricot

Apricot

Orange Tortrix

Scientific name: Argyrotaenia citrana

Orange Tortrix

Scientific name: Argyrotaenia citrana

DESCRIPTION OF THE PEST

DAMAGE

MANAGEMENT

PUBLICATION

UC Pest Management Guidelines

(Reviewed 11/07, updated 11/07)

In this Guideline:

Description of the pest
Damage
Management

The orange tortrix is found mainly in coastal areas. The larvae are straw to light green caterpillars with brown heads. When disturbed, they wiggle backward and drop to the ground on a silken thread. Adults are fawn or gray moths with darker mottling on the forewings. The orange tortrix overwinters as larvae, and there are two to four generations each year in coastal areas.

Larvae feed on leaves and buds. They also cause shallow feeding injury on the surface of fruits, especially where two fruit are touching. Leaves webbed together to form protective cases indicate their presence.

Orange tortrix is a cyclical pest. In coastal orchards, natural enemies and treatments for other pests usually keep this pest controlled. In other areas treatment is not needed.

Biological Control
Several parasites and predators attack orange tortrix. Parasites include the wasps Cotesia (= Apanteles) aristolidae, Exochus sp., and Hormius basalis and a tachinid fly (Nemorilla pyste). Predators include spiders and brown lacewing larvae (Hemerobius pacificus).

Organically Acceptable Methods
The Entrust formulation of spinosad is acceptable use on organically grown apricots.

Monitoring and Treatment Decisions
Spray programs for other insects generally help reduce populations. The postbloom and May timings for peach twig borer are also effective for orange tortrix.

Common name

Amount to Use**

R.E.I.+

P.H.I.+

(trade name)

(conc.)

(dilute)

(hours)

(days)

The following materials are listed in order of usefulness in an IPM program, taking into account efficacy and impact on natural enemies and honey bees. When choosing a pesticide, also consider information relating to environmental impact.

SPINOSAD

(Entrust)#

1.71–2.5 oz

0.43–0.6 oz

(Success)

6–8 fl oz

1.5–2 fl oz

MODE OF ACTION GROUP NUMBER¹: 5

COMMENTS: Most effective when applied at petal fall. This product is toxic to bees for 3 hours following treatment; apply in the late evening after bees have stopped foraging. Do not apply more than 29 fl oz/acre/year of Success or 9 oz/acre/year of Entrust.

METHOXYFENOZIDE

(Intrepid) 2F

8–16 fl oz

2–4 fl oz

MODE OF ACTION GROUP NUMBER¹: 18A

COMMENTS: Do not apply more than 16 fl oz/acre/application or more than 64 fl oz/acre/season.

PHOSMET

(Imidan) 70WP

4.25 lb

1 lb

3 days

MODE OF ACTION GROUP NUMBER¹: 1B

DIAZINON* 50WP

3 lb

1 lb

MODE OF ACTION GROUP NUMBER¹: 1B

COMMENTS: Avoid drift and tailwater runoff into surface waters. Where apricots are grown adjacent to waterways, do not use this material.

UC IPM Pest Management Guidelines: Apricot
UC ANR Publication 3433
Insects and Mites
W. W. Coates, UC Cooperative Extension, San Benito Co.
R. A. Van Steenwyk, Insect Biology, UC Berkeley
W. J. Bentley, UC IPM Program, Kearney Agricultural Center, Parlier
K. R. Day, UC Cooperative Extension, Tulare Co.
K. A. Kelley, UC Cooperative Extension, Stanislaus Co.
J. L. Caprile, UC Cooperative Extension, Contra Costa Co.
Acknowledgment for contributions to the insects and mites section:
L. C. Hendricks, UC Cooperative Extension, Merced Co.

For noncommercial purposes only, any Web site may link directly to this page. FOR ALL OTHER USES or more information, read Legal Notices. Unfortunately, we cannot provide individual solutions to specific pest problems. See How to manage pests, or in the U.S., contact your local Cooperative Extension office for assistance. /PMG/r5300411.html revised: November 28, 2007. Contact webmaster.

For concentrate applications, use the amount given in 80-100 gal water/acre or lower if the label allows; for dilute application, amount is per 100 gal water to be applied in 300-400 gal water/acre, according to label.

Restricted entry interval (R.E.I.) is the number of hours (unless otherwise noted) from treatment until the treated area can be safely entered without protective clothing. Preharvest interval (P.H.I.) is the number of days from treatment to harvest. In some cases the REI exceeds the PHI. The longer of two intervals is the minimum time that must elapse before harvest.

Permit required from county agricultural commissioner for purchase or use.

Rotate chemicals with a different mode-of-action Group number, and do not use products with the same mode-of-action Group number more than twice per season to help prevent development of resistance. For example, the organophosphates have a Group number of 1B; chemicals with a 1B Group number should be alternated with chemicals that have a Group number other than 1B. Mode of action Group numbers are assigned by IRAC (Insecticide Resistance Action Committee). For additional information, see their Web site at http://www.irac-online.org/.