Fruit Research and Extension Center

Orchards work together to reduce pesticides

In Pennsylvania, 400,000 tons of tree fruit such as apples, peaches, cherries and pears are produced each year, with more than 50,000 orchards and vineyards spanning the state. Internal fruit worms such as Oriental fruit moth and codling moth pose a serious economic threat to this valuable industry. According to Jeff Mizer, Penn State extension education in Snyder county, fruit-damaging worms not only reduce marketability of the fruits they infest, but can cause the rejection of entire truckloads of apples at processing plants, which has occurred in Pennsylvania and other states. "In Snyder County, 11 orchards are working together under a Penn State apple worm monitoring project. The project was previously funded by Penn State and the PA Horticulture Association of Pennsylvania, but starting in 2006 the project was funded by the growers themselves," said Miser. (more)