A NAFEX friend who has run various cider orchards has a hunch that Codling Moth attraction to apples may vary by calyx size. I can’t find a master list of calyx size for apples on the internet in a quick search.
Past threads here seem to show russeting, hardness and lateness sometimes predict less CM damage, other times not. Could calyx size be a missing factor?
From what I have seen in the official literature the only apple that has resistance to codling moth is Arkansas Black. Everything else is listed as susceptible. From what I remember from the paper the apple can still get strikes at a lower rate so the apple is not immune. The resistance is due to the fruit being rock hard during the egg laying season. It’s been suggested that Enterprise might have some resistance as well due to the thick skin but I haven’t seen any evidence of this in the literature.
From forum threads the insects seem to prefer certain apples over others but nothing is really resistant. At one time I was really looking for an apple that was resistant to insects but really there aren’t any. Some experimental apples seem to have resistance but these apples unfortunately are unpleasant to eat so they’re not very useful. And codling moth is just one of the insects that can attack the fruit.
When it comes to insects basically you can bag, or spray surround, or spray an insecticide. Or you can do nothing and hope that the damage isn’t too bad. But I don’t think it will work in the long run for most people once the insects show up in numbers.
GF and NAFEX growers including myself have reported over the years some insect avoidance with Arkansas Black, Enterprise, Hauer Pippin, Belle de Boskoop, Hooples Antique Gold, Keener Seedling, Hubbardston Nonesuch, Suncrisp, Mutsu, Black Limbertwig, old style Golden Delicious, Goldrush, King David, old style Winesap, Yates, Hunge, Little Benny, Mattamuskeet, Dula Beauty, Mary Reid, Royal Limbertwig and Joseph’s.
This year am testing a few Goldrush and Hauer Pippin unsprayed and unbagged. Have high hopes for these two plus Belle de Boskoop, Sundance and Keepsake not bearing here yet but all late and hard.
For my future cider purposes just need a reasonably sound crop, not perfection.
Funny, there is the dumb named Crunch A Bunch apple that they tout as like Goldrush but not as dense. I wonder if it will be more susceptible to codling moth.
I like, maybe even prefer, dense apples. But especially if they’ll be less prone to codling moth. I generally don’t spray.
I have that Crunch A Bunch. It does remind me of Gold Rush but ripen a bit earlier for me which is great.
I am surprised Suncrisp is on the resistant list. It seems like a normal but great apple. I can see why Hoople’s being resistant as fruitlets turn russeted quite early.
Re. arkansas Black. Never mind pests, I almost lost my teeth biting into freshly picked AB.
Scott mentioned good experience with Suncrisp in another thread. I don’t know it.
My Crunch A Bunch (backup graft, shh!) is blooming now for the first time. I’m looking forward to trying it.
My tree is on a standard, or near so, rootstock - hasn’t bloomed yet.