The regulation of diseases and pests is the key to successful organic cultivation of pome fruit.

Besides preventive measures such as the selection of a suitable site, vigorous varieties and rootstocks, as well as maintenance measures for crops, a great number of products are now available for direct plant protection.

The black cherry aphid (Myzus cerasi) is the main pest in modern organic table cherry production. In orchards with installed rain protection and insect nets, robust aphid populations can build up, leading to significant yield losses and tree damage.

Organic fruit growing often faces challenges like lack of water or nutrient availability, which in turn can have significant adverse effects on the health of the fruit tree and harvest.

Application of mycorrhizal fungi products to the soil during fruit growing can enable plants to absorb water and nutrients from the soil better.

During storage, this disease causes significant damage. Infection occurs in the field, but symptoms become evident after a few months. Crop losses can exceed over 50 percent.

Precautionary measures and the correct placement of the orchard (aeration) make it possible to reduce the pressure of this disease.

Organic fruit orchards are dependent on commercial organic fertilizers derived from intensive conventional animal husbandry. These inputs are contentious and to be phased out. The document proposes as a solution to develop new fertilization strategies based on farm internal resources (e.g., clover based), plant-based sources (e.g., grain legumes as living mulch in the tree row, cover crops).