Abstract

The damage caused by larvae of the noctuid Graphiphora augur to raspberry canes was studied in the field in the UK in April 1987. Destruction of primary fruiting laterals in spring by larvae resulted in a reduction in the number of berries produced per plot, a slight increase in mean berry weight and a delay in ripening. Secondary fruiting larterals which developed on canes with 90% or more of their primary laterals destroyed, enabled affected plots to produce nearly two-thirds of the yield obtained from unaffected canes. Insect damage to laterals on fruiting canes also resulted in an increase in the numbers of vegetative canes produced per plot, but not in their height. There was no interaction in terms of either fruit or cane production between lateral injury to fruiting canes and the removal of the first flush of vegetative canes.