Woolly Apple Aphid in Dry Temperate Zone with Natural Farming

Abstract

Under the changing climate scenario, with rising temperatures, the area apple cultivation is increasing in Spiti, and the orchardists are facing serious infestation of woolly apple aphids in their orchards. The nymphs and adults cause the damage by sucking the sap and forms characteristic knots or galls. Subterranean aphid colonies can kill the young apple plants with prolonged feeding, while fruits from heavily infested trees remain undersized, malformed and insipid in taste. Synthetic pesticides are capable of eliminating pest populations but they also pose a threat to non-target organisms, development of pesticide resistance, and have negative environmental impacts, especially in the fragile agro-ecosystem of these cold desert regions. Natural farming has demonstrated successful pest control using low-cost, locally sourced inputs when compared to conventional farming methods in the region.