Mite control options in fruit crops
Many options are available for controlling mites in fruit crops.
Mites can be significant pests of fruit crops. There is an array of miticides available for control of the European red mite (ERM), two-spotted spider mite (TSSM) and rust mites (RM), such as apple and pear rust mites, pear blister mites, plum nursery mites and blueberry bud mites. But their performance characteristics are not all alike.
The following table is designed to summarize several key variables that can help you determine which miticides are optimal for your integrated pest management program.
Compound |
Fruit crop |
Mites |
Life stage target |
Seasonal timing |
Residual control |
Superior, Stylet |
Oils, ll fruit crops |
ERM, RM |
egg/larvae |
Early (pre-bloom) |
2-6 weeks |
Lime-Sulfur |
pome, stone, blueberry |
RM3 |
motiles* |
Early (delayed-dormant) |
2-6 weeks |
Dimilin |
pear |
RM |
motiles* |
Early (pre-bloom) |
2-6 weeks |
Savey |
pome, stone pome, stone, caneberry, strawberry |
ERM TSSM |
egg/larvae egg/larvae |
Early*** Mid (or threshold)** |
8-12 weeks 6-8 weeks |
Onager |
stone fruits |
TSSM |
egg/larvae |
Mid (or threshold)** |
6-8 weeks |
Apollo |
pome, cherry, peach |
ERM TSSM |
egg/larvae egg/larvae |
Early*** Mid (or threshold) |
8-12 weeks 6-8 weeks |
Agri-Mek |
pome, stone, grape, pome, stone, strawberry, grape |
ERM, RM TSSM |
motiles* motiles* |
Early**** Mid (or threshold) |
8-12 weeks 6-8 weeks |
ABBA |
pome, plum, grape, strawberry |
ERM, RM TSSM |
motiles* motiles* |
Early**** Mid (or threshold) |
8-12 weeks 6-8 weeks |
Agri-Flex |
pome, grape |
ERM, RM |
motiles* |
Early**** |
8-12 weeks |
Zeal |
pome, stone fruits pome, stone, strawberry, grape |
ERM TSSM |
egg/larvae egg/larvae |
Early (or threshold)** Mid (or threshold)** |
8-10 weeks 6-8 weeks |
Envidor |
pome, plum, grape stone fruits |
ERM, RM TSSM |
egg, motiles* egg, motiles* |
Early (or threshold)** Mid (or threshold) |
8-10 weeks 6-8 weeks |
Nexter |
pome, stone1, grape |
ERM, RM TSSM |
motiles* motiles* |
Mid (or threshold)** Mid (or threshold) |
6-8 weeks 6-8 weeks |
Portal |
pome |
ERM, RM TSSM |
motiles* motiles* |
Mid (or threshold)** Mid (or threshold) |
6-8 weeks 6-8 weeks |
Kanemite |
Pome pome, strawberry |
ERM TSSM |
motiles* motiles* |
Mid (or threshold)** Mid (or threshold) |
6-8 weeks 6-8 weeks |
Acramite |
pome, peach, plum pome, peach, plum, grape, strawberry |
ERM TSSM |
motiles* motiles* |
Mid (or threshold)** Mid (or threshold) |
6-8 weeks 6-8 weeks |
Danitol |
apple, grape apple, grape, strawberry |
ERM TSSM |
motiles* motiles* |
Mid (or threshold)** Mid (or threshold) |
4-6 weeks 4-6 weeks |
Brigade |
Pear pear, grape, strawberry, caneberry |
ERM TSSM |
motiles* motiles* |
Mid (or threshold)** Mid (or threshold) |
4-6 weeks 4-6 weeks |
Hero |
blueberry, caneberry, strawberry |
TSSM |
motiles* |
Mid (or threshold)** |
4-6 weeks |
Oberon |
strawberry |
TSSM |
egg, motiles* |
Mid (or threshold) |
4-6 weeks |
Vendex |
pome, stone pome, stone, grape, cane, strawberry |
ERM TSSM |
motiles* motiles* |
Mid (or threshold)** Mid (or threshold) |
4-6 weeks 4-6 weeks |
Endosulfan |
pome, stone, blueberry2 |
RM3 |
motiles* |
Mid (or threshold)** |
2-6 weeks |
Sulforix |
pear, blueberry |
RM3 |
motiles* |
Late (post-harvest) |
2-6 weeks |
*
Motile forms include mite larvae, nymph and adult stages.
**
Optimally used petal fall through August when mites reach threshold.
***
Optimally used pre-bloom through first cover.
****
Optimally used petal fall through second cover.
1 300 day phi for cherry
2
post-harvest only for blueberry
3 including pear blister mite