Peaches and Catfacing Insects

General Fruit Growing
1

I’m new to growing Peaches (first production year) and I’m trying to get up to speed on insect and disease control as soon as possible.

I’m using the NC Peach Pest Management Guide from NCSU combined with the actual spray program from another small commercial grower in my area.

I sprayed Imidan at petal fall, shuck split… About 5 days after the last spray, I counted about 5 stink bugs on 15 trees so I don’t believe the Imidan is controlling the insects as expected. I have a small crop as a result of the 23 record breaking temperature during bloom, so every peach is important. I see some catfacing on about 10% of the Peaches so I changed to another registered insecticide for my first cover spray

In one place the manual rates the effectiveness of Imidan against catfacing insects as 5 stars and in another place it is rated as only 1 star - same as Sevin. I changed to Endigo which is rated as 4 stars. Its a combination of a type of permethrin and nicotine.

How is the best way to kill the PC, Stink Bugs and other insects?

2

Imidan is great on PC, but poor on stink bug. Your permethrin should take care of stink bugs for you.

3

Try a pyrethroid or a neonicinoid. Cornell doesn’t consider Imidan any more than adequate for bugs and a pyrethroid is best for stinkers unless it is too hot. Not sure about the limitations there, but you can search that out.

Imidan never worked for me with TPB either, BTW.

4

Alan and Olpea

Thanks for the information! I did not spray the pyrethroid earlier because the pest management guide indicated it was likely it would aggravate mite populations. Is it common to have a mite flair as a result of spraying a pyrethroid?

5

For apples and Euro plums, yes- peaches- never have I seen them with mites. But this is in the Northeast.