Apple Tree Pests & Diseases

Apple is a delicious fruit that unfortunately does not attract only humans. Aphids, maggots, beetles, leafhoppers, mites and thrips often attack the apple tree in order to lay their eggs and be fed. The common denominator of these pests is that they lay their eggs in various parts of the tree or the fruit and they often cause spots or holes to the fruit, fruit drop and damage to the leaves. They can cause curling and yellowing to leaves, skeletonization and defoliation.

A major fungal disease that causes severe economic damage to commercial apple growers is Powdery Mildew. The pathogen Podosphaera leucotricha attacks flowers, leaves and fruits, causing fruit distortion and discoloration, while the quantity of the fruits decreases. Moreover, the infected tree becomes weak and is more vulnerable to other attacks. Read more on Powdery Mildew.

Fire Blight is a bacterial disease caused by Erwinia amylovora. It can be widely spread in apple orchards with wet and warm climate. As its name reveals, fire blight finally makes the shoots and branches look like they are burned. It mainly affects young shoots and can be faced by pruning only when the tree is dormancy. Pruning during active growth will most likely spread the disease.

Apple Scab is a fungal disease, caused by Venturia inaequalis. It mainly attacks first the leaves and then the flowers and fruits. The first symptoms are olive green spots that appear on the leaves. The spots often increase, darken and merge together, making the leaves look dark brown. Then, the spots appear on the fruits. Infected fruits become hard and dark brown and their flesh often crack opens, making them unsuitable for marketing.

Crown rot, collar rot and root rot are also common apple diseases.

You can enrich this article by leaving a comment or photo of your apple trees’ pests or diseases.

1.) Apple Tree Information

2.) Growing Apple Tree from seed

3.) Growing Apple Trees in pots

4.) Growing Apple Trees professionally

5.) Apple Tree Climate Conditions

6.) Apple Tree Propagation and Pollination

7.) Apple Tree Soil Conditions and Preparation

8.) Planting Apple Trees – Number of Apple Trees per Hectare

9.) Irrigation of Apple Tree

10.) How to fertilize Apple Trees

11.) Apple Tree pruning

12.) Apple Tree Harvest & Yields

13.) Apple Tree Pests & Diseases

14.) Q&As Apple Tree

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