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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Kearneysville, West Virginia » Appalachian Fruit Research Laboratory » Innovative Fruit Production, Improvement, and Protection » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #184795
Title: STINK BUG (PENTATOMIDAE) FEEDING PREFERENCES AMONG APPLE CULTIVARS

Author
item Brown, Mark
item Miller, Stephen
item YODER, KEITH - VA TECH, WINCHESTER, VA

Submitted to: Journal of the American Pomological Society
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/3/2006
Publication Date: 8/24/2006
Citation: Brown, M.W., Miller, S.S., Yoder, K. 2006. Stink bug (pentatomidae) feeding preferences among apple cultivars. Journal of American Pomological Society. 60(3): 144-148.

Interpretive Summary: Stink bugs are an increasing problem for apple growers in the mid-Atlantic growing region and are a difficult pest to control. The study was done to determine if there was any genetic resistance to stink bug injury among currently available apple cultivars. Fruit from 31 apple cultivars were examined for stink bug injury at harvest. A number of cultivars were found to have lower levels of damage than other cultivarss over two years in both Virginia and West Virginia. These results will be used by growers, consultants, and extension agents to recommend specific cultivars that will reduce the injury by stink bugs in apple orchards.

Technical Abstract: Thirty-one apple cultivars were evaluated for stink bug feeding injury at harvest in 2003 and 2004. Injury levels of 0 to 28% were found with significant differences among cultivars. There was no significant difference in injury among orchards and there was a significant positive correlation of injury between years, indicating repeatability of estimates geographically and temporally. The cultivars ‘Imperial Gala’, ‘Pioneer Mac’, ‘Red Fuji’, and ‘Nittany’ had consistently low levels of stink bug injury, whereas ‘Braeburn’, ‘Jonica’, ‘Jonagold’, ‘Starkspur Dixiered’, ‘Granny Smith’ and ‘Stayman Winesap’ had consistently high stink bug injury levels. These results show that there are differences in cultivar susceptibility to stink bug feeding on mid- to late-season apples. Cultivars with consistently low levels of injury could be used to reduce losses due to stink bugs in areas where they have been a problem.