COMPLEMENTARY STRATEGY BASED ON FLUPYRADIFURONE (SIVANTO PRIME^®) AND SPIROTETRAMAT (MOVENTO^®) FOR INTEGRATED CACOPSYLLA PYRI CONTROL IN IPM PEARS WITH FOCUS ON THE TEMPORAL DISCRIMINATION TOWARDS BENEFICIALS

Pear sucker remains a major concern of modern pear growing. A successful control of pear sucker relies on the control of both generations: the first generation (G1), which occurs before flowering, and the second generation (G2) occurring during May-June. The action of predatory bugs (Anthocoris spp.) as well as that of other beneficials is very important for the control of subsequent summer generations of the pear sucker, and must be supported by the use of selective insecticides, as soon as the predator populations appear in the orchards. Flupyradifurone applied during pre-flowering period offers a correction spray on the devastating first generation of pear sucker which compromises fruit set, and causes damage on the fruit skin. When applied at pre-flowering, flupyradifurone does not disrupt population dynamics of the Anthocoris population in summer due to the principle of time selectivity. Also for some other beneficial arthropods no harmful effects were observed by flupyradifurone when applied during pre-flowering. Spirotetramat applied on the G2 offers a good control of young and old larvae of Cacopsylla pyri, both on the shoot tips and on cluster leaves in the central part of the tree. Spirotetramat has no impact on Anthocoris spp. (IOBC 1). The long lastingness of spirotetramat in shoot tips is linked with its systemicity towards these growing parts of trees. In the older cluster leaves possibly a switch from sink to source may happen which may cause a decline in the spirotetramat-enol concentration. A directed spray in the central part of the tree guarantees a full control of C. pyri and avoids honeydew and sooty mold staining. On top of that, spirotetramat offers simultaneously control of other pests like Dasineura pyri midges and scales. For pears, spirotetramat offers a multi target control, avoiding the need for other multiple correction sprays.