Crop Profile for Cherries (Sweet) - Regional IPM Centers

Other products may be used to control this pest, but have not been recommended due to lack of
research-based information. The other possible choices include azinphos-methyl, chlorpyrifos,
methoxychlor, and phosmet. These products are used by growers but are not recommended in the WSU
Crop Protection Guide For Tree Fruits. It is impossible to legally spray endosulfan more than once or
twice a season, so alternatives must be used when adult populations remain high over an extended period
of time.
Cultural Control
These insects prefer weak or dying trees, so growers are advised to remove such trees or portions of
trees. They are also advised to keep trees healthy and vigorous. When pest populations are high, even
healthy trees will be attacked and may become vulnerable to subsequent infestations. There does not
seem to be any significant biological control, as these pests are resident in natural, unsprayed trees
outside of the orchard.
Other Less Common Insects of Economic Importance
Other insects cause sporadic damage to sweet cherries in some areas of Washington, including a number
of leafrollers, fruitworms (green, lacanobia), cutworms, ten-lined June beetle, grape mealybug, fall
webworm, oystershell scale, Pacific flathead borer, and grasshoppers.
A number of insects of great economic importance are not yet established in the commercial tree fruit
production regions in Washington, including cherry bark tortrix and plum curculio.
Diseases
Cherries grown in the relatively dry climate of eastern Washington are generally much less affected by
disease than those grown in warm, more humid, wet-summer regions. Diseases can cause severe losses
in some seasons and in various growing areas. The most important economic losses usually occur as
fruit rots in storage, many of which may be initiated on the fruit during the growing season. Some of the
diseases discussed below damage fruit by marking it, some damage fruit by rotting it, and others damage
or kill the tree. Generally speaking, control materials for diseases tend to be fairly specific to a limited
number of diseases, and may have little or no effect on others. Control is often marginal, timing of
application to prevent disease is critical, and control provided by spray materials may be of short
duration. In many instances, the grower must treat before any signs of the disease are present, as sudden
highly damaging epidemics can result from one skipped critical control application.