Delottococcus aberiae is a widespread invasive mealybug native to South Africa. It reaches high population levels and causes severe distortion and size reduction in developing fruits. Combining different methodologies, such as precautionary measures, application of plant protection products, an attract-and-kill system with sexual pheromone, physical barriers against ants and the release of predators, may help control mealybug.

Beneficial insects often lack enough food supply and nesting spots in orchards. Most of the measures to enhance biodiversity also require investment for implementation. Alternate mowing is a cheap, easy and fast implementable measure to raise food and nesting supply of natural antagonists. The workload decreases, and therefore it saves time and costs. Alternating mulching preserves the driving lanes and increases the diversity of other indifferent plant and animal species in the orchard.

The codling moth (Cydia pomonella) is the most important and most frequent pest in organic fruit growing. The larvae of the codling moth damage apples in particular and can cause considerable crop losses.

The confusion technique can be considered as an elementary component of codling moth control. The most important condition for successful control is a low initial population.

The Woolly apple aphid (E. lanigerum) can cause severe damage, especially in organic cultivation; sucking activity causes bark growth, the so-called blood louse canker. Promoting natural antagonists in organic orchards is a key element in controlling E. lanigerum. Further, the tree growth should be balanced through proper (root) pruning.

A BIOFRUITNET- Boosting Innovation in ORGANIC FRUIT production through stronger networks publication - A Pear sawfly (Hoplocampa brevis) is a pest in organic fruit production. Eggs are laid during bloom in the flower bottom. Larvae move to 2-3 other fruits and devastate the young fruitlets. Sawflies are attracted to the white colour of the flowers. White sticky traps have been used for many years to monitor flight.

Soil-borne pests and pathogens can bring major constraints to crop production and their suppression often relies on synthetic chemicals that can be ineffective and/or expensive. A crop protection approach with broad efficacy and applicability for a wide range of crops and agronomic situations is needed. A group of UK growers who have been using and developing biofumigation and two industry experts in the field have explored the practicalities of applying the technique.

A BioFruitNet practice abstract. The spotted wing drosophila Drosophila suzukii is an invasive pest attacking soft fruit species (berries, cherries, plums, grapes), as well as many wild berry plants. D. suzukii female adultslay eggs into the fruits from which larvae develop. The control strategy of D. suzukii includes preventive measures1 such as orchard management, field hygiene, and choice of cultivar. The combination of preventive measures and intervention measures can reduce D.

Codling moth (Cydia pomonella) is the primary pest in organic fruit growing. It damages apple, pear, quince, rowan, medlar, walnut and kaki. Generations/years vary depending on the soil and climates zones. Several control methods can be applied in organic farming depending on the infection rate, but plant protection products and mating disruption are the most common. Choosing suitable methods may reduce the time for intervention in the field.

Sawflies, such as apple sawfly (Hoplocampa testudinea) and Pear sawfly (H. brevis), are major pests in organic fruit production which can cause massive yield losses. Regulation is possible by only a few measures.

Combining different preventive strategies and direct measures can help to control the pest.

Conventional pest control based on the use of synthetic insecticides is very effective, however, this has important negative effects on the environment such as the loss of farmland biodiversity, especially in the group of invertebrates, including many beneficial organisms. Another key problem is the presence of insecticide residues in surface and groundwater or, potentially, in harvested products.