ARMOURED SCALE INSECT INFESTATION ON KIWIFRUIT IN RELATION TO POSITION ON THE VINE

The infestation of armoured scale insects on kiwifruit at various distances from the leader in a commercial organic cv. Hayward block in the Bay of Plenty was examined at harvest in 2005. This was to test the hypothesis that fruit further from the leader have fewer armoured scale insects than those nearer to the leader. From the 25 pergola-trained vines examined, kiwifruit from directly beneath the leader had a significantly higher probability of being infested with armoured scale insects (26%) compared with fruit sampled from 0.8 m (11.6%) or 1.6 m (6.3%) away from the leader. The orientation of fruit on the vine (west-facing or east-facing) had no effect on armoured scale insect incidence. Individual vines differed significantly in their level of armoured scale insect infestation. Latania scale comprised 84% of the scale insects. The implications of these results for growers are discussed.