Harmfulness of Euzophera bigella (Zell.) in horticultural agrocenoses

Abstract

Analysis of foreign and domestic works devoted to the study of harmfulness, distribution and bioecological features of the development of Euzophera bigella (Zell.) is given. It has been found that this species occurs under several Latin names (Ephestia bigella, Ephestia stenoptycha, Ephestia egeriella, Euzophera punicaella), presented as synonyms, but the main remains Euzophera bigella. Phytophages are widespread in 23 countries, including the Russian Federation. It has been established that the pest is polyphagous; its caterpillars feed on the fruits and wood of crops such as quince, apple, pear, plum, apricot, cherry, peach, pomegranate, grape, walnut and olive trees. Fruits damaged by phytophages become contaminated with fungal spores, viruses and bacteria, which leads to rotting, drying out, cracking, mummification and falling off of the fruit. When wood is damaged, the bark of the branches and the periderm of trunks swell and crack, which is accompanied by extensive internal necrosis, causing the branches to dry out and the death of entire trees. Depending on the country, region and crop cultivation conditions, E. bigella has two to five generations per year, and fruit damage can reach 20–80%. Caterpillars overwinter in silky cocoons or as third to fifth instar caterpillars and  pupae. Pupation is observed from the end of April or from the middle of May, when the average daily temperature is established and is from 10 to 12 °C. Flight is observed when the sum of effective temperatures (above 10 °C) is from 185.9 to 210 °C (on average 187.5 °C).