peach97 - Summary of Losses from Insect Damage and Costs of Control in Georgia 1995

Summary of Losses from Insect Damage and Costs of Control in Georgia - 1997

XV. Peach Insects

D. L. Horton, A. A. Amis, and H C Ellis

Georgia's 1997 peach crop was valued at $35.2 million from 145 million lbs. of fruit that averaged $0.24/lb.*

Insect control in partically cropped blocks during the 1996 crop failure was surprisingly good, which encouraged IPM efforts. Unfortunately the sporadic control programs of 1996 exacerbated scale infestations.

1997 peach insect control was generally good. 1997 was a very wet growing season. Rain-off of pesticides was sometimes a problem. Stink bug pressure was light. Fuller rose weevils were damaging in a few late-season blocks. Excessive pyrethroid applications, ca 20% of cover sprays since the loss of ethyl parathion in the early 1990s, appear to have increased scale problems. Dormant oil applications for scale were strictly as-needed in the early 1990s, increased scale problems have made dormant oil applications almost standard by the late 1990s. Control cost estimates reflect only the estimated cost of materials.

*Georgia Farm Report, 1998. Volume 98, Number 2.

Estimates of Losses and Control Costs
Rank	Insect	Cost of Control	Damage	Total
1	Fruit feeders	$1,496,000	$307,000	$1,803,000
2	Scale	232,000	693,000	925,000
3	Peachtree borer	112,000	401,000	513,000
4	Leafhopper	0	211,000	211,000
	Total	$1,840,000	$1,612,000	$3,452,000

Information Pertaining to Control of Major Peach Insect Pests in Georgia in 1997
Insect	No. Units Needing Control	No. Units Treated	No. of Unit Applic.	Avg. Cost Per Units Treated¹	Yield Loss on Units Treated²	Yield Loss on Units Untreated²
Fruit feeders	20,000	20,000	8.0	$ 9.35	1,280,000	0
Scale	22,000	18,000	1.0	13.20	1,126,000	1,760,000
Peachtree borer	22,000	20,000	1.0	5.66	792,000	880,000
Leafhopper	22,000	0	0	0	0	880,000

1Excluding application costs.
²Yield units measured in pounds.
³Control cost included under cover sprays and peachtree borer sprays.


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