How to reduce the risk of pesticide resistance in apple pests in Oregon

Abstract

Pesticides—including insecticides, acaricides, fungicides, and bactericides are essential for maintaining healthy crops with reliable yields and quality. In many instances, pesticides have become less effective as target organisms have developed resistance. The first record of resistance dates to 1897, when orchardists began having problems controlling San Jose scale (Quadraspidiotus perniciosus [Comstock]) and codling moth (Cydia pomonella [L.]). Since then, pesticide resistance has become a worldwide threat to commercial agriculture. By the end of 2006, there were 645 specific cases of agricultural insecticide resistance, with 542 species of arthropods resistant to at least one compound. In total, 316 compounds are affected.