Hail netting excludes key insect pests and protects from fruit damage in a commercial Minnesota apple orchard.

ABSTRACT: Exclusion netting in some European and North American apple (Malus domestica Borkhausen, Rosaceae, Rosales) orchards has been documented to be an effective method of control for multiple insect pest species. By minimizing reliance on insecticides, these orchards have reduced costs, risks to the environment and non-target species, and reduced the risk of insecticide resistance. This study examined the use of commercially available hail netting (DrapeNet®; Prosser, WA) as a pest exclusion strategy under conditions in Minnesota, USA. In 2021 and 2022, we assessed the efficacy of hail netting as a tool for pest suppression in orchards by monitoring pest species in netted and open plots crossed with and without insecticide applications. Our findings show that both of the major pest species in M

SUBMITTER: Nelson SGA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10711545 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature