Evaluating biopesticides for codling moth management in apples

Codling moth is a key pest in apple infesting 95% of fruit when unmanaged.  Larvae burrow into fruit feeding near the apple core and producing frass filled galleries.  Because of the extremely low tolerance for internal worms, orchard growers have intense management regimes targeting each generation of codling moth.  Recent chemical restrictions and resistance to insecticides have reduced management options and increased the injury associated with this pest. Furthermore, climate change has increased the number of codling moth generations during the growing season.  We evaluated a biopesticide for managing codling moth in apple compared to conventional insecticides.  We also qualified beneficial insects including predators, parasitoids, and pollinators between treatments.