Pears are one of the fruits with the highest fiber content, offering 16% of daily requirement in just one pear. Also, pear has a laxative and diuretic effect, so it’s very digestive which makes it suitable for children and old people diets. Pear fruit is low in calories, with 30-35 calories per 100g, formed of about 84% of water, and as other fruit, contains numerous vitamins and mineral salts. All that makes a pear healthy fruit food whose daily consummation contributes to human health.
To produce marketable and edible fruits, farmers are faced with several challenges which make pear farming difficult. Even pears are grown across the world, they are very sensitive to absolute minimal temperatures during the winter and spring frosts during the flowering period which can kill all flowers and newly formed fruits. Pears have also many insect pests and diseases which if not treated properly, can seriously damage the whole plant. One of the most significant pests is the pear psylla (Psylla pyricola).
Damage on pear leaves, fruit and stem due to Pear psylla attack
Pear psylla damages pear in several ways; the loss of yield and tree vigor, and sometimes even the whole plant can die, due to disease caused by phytoplasma organism which is transmitted with pear psylla. Pear decline has varying effects on the trees depending on variety, rootstock, quality of the growing site and a number of pear psylla population.
Trees attacked by pear psylla are covered with sticky honeydew material, which is a result of nymphs feeding. As honeydew drops on the fruits, black sooty mold grows on top and causes fruit skin russets, which downgrades fruits for fresh market use. Growth and productivity of the tree can be severely reduced for one or more seasons.
To protect their trees on time, farmers need to manage pear psylla in a dormant stage of trees, in order to reduce its population. Treatment during the vegetation will not pollute such results. In pest management, organically acceptable control methods like insecticidal oils and kaolin clay can be used. Also, appropriate insecticidal sprays are used in conventional pear farming.
How can Farmers Manage Pests with AGRIVI System?
The system gives farmers an alert of possible pest attack, depending on current weather conditions on a particular field. Beside proper time of treatment, farmers can use AGRIVI system to help them manage pear pests. AGRIVI farm management system guides farmers which active substances and pesticide to use, depending on the pest. They can find a list of pesticide for all major pear pests. In AGRIVI system, farmers can also record all field activities through tasks, as well as pear protection. Everything that farmers enter into the system, like spent quantities of organic or conventional pesticides and related finances, the system automatically calculates and gives clear insight into farm productivity and profitability and overall farm health.
Is it profitable to grow pears regarding all challenges in farm production? Many farmers all over the world manage to improve their farming with AGRIVI farm management software. Be one of them, use AGRIVI to boost your production.
