Impact of Microtus arvalis and Lepus europaeus on apple trees by trunk bark gnawing

A unique evaluation of the apple tree trunk bark damage caused by common vole and European hare was presented. Damage was found in an apple orchard under organic farming, in Central Moravia (Czech Republic), at 700 m a.s.l. There were two cultivated apple cultivars Red Spring and Melodie/Angold. Dam...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Plant Protection Science
Main Authors: Josef Suchomel, Jan Šipoš, Ladislav Čepelka, Marta Heroldová
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences 2019
Subjects:
common vole
european hare
malus × domestica
orchards
tree damage
Plant culture
SB1-1110
Malus
Common vole
Microtus arvalis
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.17221/64/2018-PPS
https://doaj.org/article/6d30336902304a3f9f0b6ccb04509074
Description
Summary:A unique evaluation of the apple tree trunk bark damage caused by common vole and European hare was presented. Damage was found in an apple orchard under organic farming, in Central Moravia (Czech Republic), at 700 m a.s.l. There were two cultivated apple cultivars Red Spring and Melodie/Angold. Damage occurred in winter with the snow cover lasting from December to February. In total 1 012 trees and 95.7% of trees were damaged. The cv. Red Spring was damaged more than cv. Melodie/Angold. Almost 90% of the dead trees were killed by common voles. While hares damaged both cultivars equally, voles damaged the cv. Red Spring to a significantly greater extent (P = 0.04). The study confirms the need of further research on the development of methodologies for orchard protection from damage caused by small mammals.

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