The species composition of pests of peach gardens in the Crimea

In the Crimea, peach is the main stone fruit crop, occupying 2634 ha at the beginning of 2016. The study purpose was to investigate species composition of phytophagans, which has changed in recent years, in peach orchards of Crimea (Bakhchisaray district) during 2015-2017. The taxonomic structure of phytophagans was dominated by sucking pests: Brachycaudus cardui L., Pterochloroides persicae Chol., Parthenolecannium corni Bouche and Tetranychus urticae Koch. Lepidopterans were represented by two species: Grapholita molesta Busck. and Anarsia lineatella Z. In spring, Tropinota hirta Poda and Sciaphobus sgualidus Gyll. from the Coleoptera order caused significant damage to the plantings. It was established that Pterochloroides persicae Chol. and Parthenolecannium corni Bouche were dominant, affecting 21.5 and 18.0%, respectively, of trees in 2016. In the summer of 2017, Brachycaudus cardui L. was dominant, with about 30% of the trees having 5 to 25 colonies tree^‑1. Aphid damage affecting more than 50% of the leaf was observed in 10% of trees. Tetranychus urticae Koch damaged peach leaves annually, but the numbers did not exceed the threshold value. Grapholita molesta Busck was the main species causing damage to fruits. The first and second generations of eastern fruit moth damaged 5-10% of shoots, with summer (July-August) generations affecting about 5% of fruits. The share for the second fruit damaging species, Anarsia lineatella Z., was about 10%. In young peach orchards, the beetle Tropinota hirta Poda damaged up to 50-70% of flowers, and for fruit-bearing trees under systematic protective measures, this figure was 5-20.0%.