Abstract
Winter pruning is known to affect aphid infestation and plant growth, but no experimental results have been reported on how this cultural practice affects apple tree–aphid interactions. For this reason, the present field study aimed to assess the effects of increased winter pruning on apple tree–rosy apple aphid interactions. These effects were evaluated by examining tree vegetative growth, aphid dynamics, and fruit yield. The results indicated that vegetative growth increased with increased pruning. The aphid infestation lasted for six weeks in the netted row and became heightened when the pruning level rose, whereas the final growth rate of the shoot was not affected by pruning intensity or aphid infestation index. High levels of infestation induced leaf curling and leaf fall, causing stunted growth. The fruit growth parameters were found to be dependent on pruning intensity and aphid infestation index. Fruit diameter and fresh weight both decreased with increased pruning intensity but were not affected by aphid infestation. Decreases in pruning intensity and aphid infestation elevated fruit yield. Our findings lay a foundation that will help to improve our understanding of the interactions between D. plantaginea and apple trees.
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Acknowledgements
We are thankful to the apple grower M. Benamina Mohamed for his technical help. We also extend our thanks to the greenhouse staff of the Faculty of Natural and Life Sciences (Mascara University, Algeria) for their kind assistance.
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Study conception and methodology were performed by SB and AH. Field data collection was performed by SB. Statistical analyses were performed by AE, TC and RB. The first draft of the manuscript was written by SBAE, AH and TC proofread the drafted article. All authors contributed to and approved the final version of the article.
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Benzina, S., Harizia, A., Elouissi, A. et al. Effects of winter pruning intensity on the interactions between the apple tree and rosy apple aphid Dysaphis plantaginea (Hemiptera: Aphididae). J Plant Dis Prot 130, 1239–1250 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41348-023-00789-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s41348-023-00789-7