CIR 1417

Florida Crop/Pest Management Profile: Atemoya and Sugar Apple1

Mark A. Mossler and Jonathan Crane2

1. This document is CIR 1417 one of a series of the Environmental Horticulture Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Original publication date, September 2002. Original authors included O. Norman Nesheim, professor, Food Science and Human Nutrition Department. This publication was revised August 2009. Reviewed August 2012. For additional Information, contact the Pesticide Information Office, University of Florida, P. O. Box 110710, Gainesville, Fl 32611-0710, (352) 392-4721. Visit the EDIS website at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu.

2. Mark A. Mossler, pest management information specialist, Department of Agronomy, Pesticide Information Office; and Jonathan Crane, professor, Horticultural Sciences Department, Tropical Research and Education Center--Homestead, FL, Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611.

The use of trade names in this publication is solely for the purpose of providing specific information. UF/IFAS does not guarantee or warranty the products named, and references to them in this publication do not signify our approval to the exclusion of other products of suitable composition. All chemicals should be used in accordance with directions on the manufacturer’s label.

The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A&M University Cooperative Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. Thomas A. Obreza, Interim Dean

Production Facts• Atemoya(Annona squamosa x Annona cherimola)andsugarapple(Annona squamosa)arebothdeciduoustreesoftheAnnonaceaefamily.TheplantsareoftropicalAmericanoriginandthetwospeciesproducesimilarfruits.Inadditiontotheirsimilarfruit,thesetwocropsarealikeinotherways,suchasenvironmentalrequire-mentsandpestspectrum(1).

•Theannualproductionofsaleableatemoyaisanestimated50,000pounds.Atanaverageseasonalpriceof$4.00perpound,thecropwouldbeworthapproximately$200,000.Theannualproductionofsugarappleisapproximately20,000pounds.Atanaverageseasonalpriceof$3.00perpound,thecropwouldbeworthanestimated$60,000(2).

•Theacreageofatemoyaandsugarapplepeakedin1989and1990at120and75acres,respectively(3).Currentacreageislessthan25acresforeithercrop(2,3).

Production RegionsAtemoyaandsugarapplearegrownexclusivelyinsouthFlorida.Approximatelythree-quartersoftheatemoya

productionislocatedinMiami-DadeCounty.Forsugarapple,alloftheproductionisinthissamecounty(2).TheremainingatemoyaacreageisprimarilylocatedincountiesnexttoMiami-DadeCounty.

Production PracticesTheatemoyatreeisrelativelysmall(10m),withanopencanopy.Leavesareelliptic,ovate,orlanceolate,andoftenvariableinshapeonthesametree.Leaflengthistento20cmandwidthrangesfromfourtoeightcm.Flowersarethreetofourcmindiameterwiththreefleshy,pale,yellowish-greenpetals.Theyarebornesinglyorinclustersoftwotothreeinaxilsofleavesonyear-oldwoodoronnewshoots.ThemainbloomperiodinFloridaisMaythroughJune,withaminorbloominAugustthroughSeptember.Theflowersareprotogyrous,functioningfirstasfemale,thenasmale.Atemoyabearsanaggregatefruitfromfivetosixmonthsafterbloomthatmayweighuptoonepound.Itisatfirstgreen,butbecomesmorelightgreenoryellowishgreenuponmaturity.Thepulpiswhitewithacustard-likeconsistencyandasweet,pleasantflavor.Therearetypicallytento40seedsperfruit(1).

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Thesugarappletreeisalsosmall(5m),witharoundedcanopyandslenderbranches.Thin,lanceolateleavesrangeinlengthfromsixtotencm.Theleavesareadull,palegreenwithsparsehairsatflush,butbecomesmoothatmaturity.Flowersareaboutthreecminlengthandareproducedsinglyorinclustersoftwotofourinlatespring.Theaggregatefruitproducedisround,conical,orheart-shaped.Theskinisthickandyellowishgreen.Thepulpiscreamywhiteandfilledwithnumeroussmall,darkseeds(4).

MostsugarappletreesgrowninFloridaareseedlingssincethereislittlevariabilityamongthemandtheygrowtruetotype.Whengraftingisdone,veneergraftingoncustardapple(Anonna reticulata)isthepreferredmethod.Shieldbuddingalsoproducesacceptabletrees.Anumberofselectionshavebeenmadefromatemoyaseedlingpopulations.‘Gefner’producessatisfactoryfruitwithouthandpollination.Othervarietieseithersplituponmaturityorproducefewfruitwithouthandpollination.Atemoyagrownfromseedareextremelyvariable.Superiortreescanbepropagatedbybuddingorgraftingsugarapple,custardapple,orpondapple(Annona glabra).Chipbuddingorveneergraftingarethetwomostsuccessfulmethods(4).

Bothatemoyaandsugarappleareintolerantofsaltyorfreezingconditions,althoughmaturetreesmaybeabletowithstandafewhoursatsub-freezingtemperatures.Thetreesbecomeleaflessduringperiodsofcold.Bothplantsareadaptedtomoderate,evenlydistributedrainfall.Leafsheddingisamechanismusedbybothspeciestowithstandperiodsofdrought.Thetreesgrowandbearbestonneutral,fertilesoils.Treesshouldbespacedfivetosixmapartbetweenandwithinrows.Pruningforsugarappleisneededtoremovedeadwoodandbrokenbranches.However,atemoyaisprunedjustbeforethegrowingperiodtopromoteanopen-centeredformwithfewmainbranches(1,4).

Atemoyaisself-fertilebutindividualflowersusuallyarenotself-pollinatedbecausestigmasarenolongerreceptivewhenthepollenisshed.Poorfruitsetisaseriousprobleminsomeareas,evidentlybecauseofpoorpollinationIncompletepollinationwillalsoresultinmisshapenfruit.Thoseflowersthatopenduringwarm,humidweatheraremorelikelytosetfruitthanthosebornewhenconditionsaredryand/orcold.Handpollinatingwhenthefemaleflowerfirstopensincreasesfruitsetintheseproblemareas(1).

Worker ActivitiesAtemoyaandsugarappleareharvestedabout25timesayear.HarvestisgenerallyeverythirddayforthefirstpeakinAugustandSeptember,andthenweekly

forthesecondpeakinOctoberandNovember(2).Sincematurefruittendtosplit,theyareharvestedafewdaysbeforetheyreachfullmaturity.Treesarepickedbyhandorbyusingalongpickingpolewithacanvasornylonbagattheendattachedtoametalringwithacuttingblade.Laddersandhydraulicliftsallowpickerstoreachfruithighinthetreecanopy.Aworkercangenerallypickuptothreeacresaday.Workersmayalsospendseveralweeksayearpruningtreelimbs(2).Sugarapplefruitarequitefragile,sotheyaresoldlocally.Atemoyacanbeheldattemperaturesaslowas13°Ctofacilitateshipmenttomarket(1,4).

Insect/Mite ManagementInsect/Mite Pests

TheprincipalpestonatemoyaandsugarappleinFloridaisannonaseedborer,whileotherpestssuchasambrosiabeetles,scales,mealybugs,aphids,andlepidopteranlarvaeareminor(5,6).

Annona Seed Borer (Bephratelloides cubensis)

ThischalcidoidwaspwasintroducedintoFloridainthe1920s.Thefemalewaspslayeggssinglyinsmall,immaturefruit.Thelarvaefeedonseedendospermandpupatewithintheseed.Adultwaspsemergebyburrowingtothefruit’sexterior,whichoftenleadstofungalinfectionandmum-mificationofthefruit.Thegenerationtimeforthewaspisaboutthreemonths,andtheadultslivenomorethantwoweeks(5).

Bothatemoyaandsugarappleareattackedbythiswasp.However,sinceatemoyabloomsandfruitsslightlyearlierinthespringthansugarapple,itisgenerallyinfectedatahigherratethanissugarapple.PeakinfestationratesforatemoyaandsugarappleinsouthernFloridainlatesum-merwereapproximately80and20percent,respectively.Thewaspoverwintersinbullock’sheart(Annona reticulata)andthenattacksearly-seasonfruit,whilelate-seasonfruitisattackedbynewlyemergentwasps(5).

Chemical Control

Twenty-fivepercentofatemoyaandsugarapplegrowerswhorespondedtoasurveyreportedthattheyusedinsecticide.Thosesurveyrespondentswhoprovidedinsectdamageestimatesindicatedthatfrom5to100percentofthecropwouldbelosttoinsectdamage(n=5,meanof62percent)(7).InsecticidesandmiticidesregisteredforuseonFloridaatemoyaandsugarapplein2008includeazadirachtin,Bacillus thuringiensis, Beauveria bassiana,buprofezin,imidacloprid,insecticidaloil,insecticidalsoap,methidathion,pyrethrin+/-rotenone,pyriproxyfen,

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spinetoram,spinosad,andsulfur.Pyriproxyfenandmetho-preneareavailableforfireantcontrol(8).

Innon-bearingatemoyaandsugarapple,bifenazateandbifenthrinareregisteredwhilepymetrozine,fenpropathrin,andhexythiazoxarelabeledfornon-bearingnurserytrees.Hydramethylnonandfenoxycarbareavailableforfireantcontrolinnon-bearingatemoyaandsugarapple(8).

Crop OilsCropoilsworkbysmotheringpoorlymobileinsectssuchasscales,aphids,andmites.Theoilsareusuallymadeupas1.5to3percentsolutions,whichareappliedthoroughlytoeachtree.Thepriceofcropoilsvariesbasedontheamountandtheformulationused,butanaverageapplicationcostis$6/acre(9).Therestrictedentryinterval(REI)forcropoilsis4hours,andthereisnopre-harvestinterval(10).Thir-teenpercentofsurveyedatemoyaandsugarapplegrowersinFloridaappliedcropoiltwiceperseason(7).

AzadirachtinAzadirachtinisanaturalcompoundderivedfromtheneemtree(Azadirachta indica)thatactsasaninsectgrowthregulatorandadeterrent.Thecompoundisusedtomanagelacewingbugsandmealybugs.Thepriceofazadirachtinis$2100perpoundofactiveingredientandtheapproximatecostperapplicationis$90peracre(9,11).TheREIis4hours(11).Thirteenpercentofatemoyaandsugarapplegrowersappliedazadirachtintotheiracreagetwiceaseason.

Cultural ControlSurveyresultsofallrespondentswhogrewtropicalfruitshowthat44percentreportedkeepingrecordsofpestproblems,50percentadjustedapplications(timingorrate)toprotectbeneficialinsectsandmites,and52percentalternatedpesticidestoreduceresistance.Sixty-twopercentreportedselectingthepesticidethatisleasttoxictoben-eficialinsectsandmites,and63percentspotsprayedonlyinfestedplantsorareas.Seventypercentreportedselectingpesticidesthatareleasttoxictotheenvironmenttomakethisthedominantformofculturalpestcontrol(7).

Biological ControlSevenpercentoftherespondingtropicalfruitgrowersreportedreleaseofpredatorywaspsforcontroloflepi-dopteranpests.Additionally,30percentreportedtheuseofbiologicallyderivedpesticideslikeB.t(7).

Weed ManagementWeed Pests

Weedscanreduceyieldsbycompetingprimarilyforwaterandnutrients.Althoughindividualweedspeciesmayvary

regionally,predominantweedspeciesingrovesaregrasses,sedges,andpigweeds(12).

Chemical ControlTherearefewherbicideslabeledforuseonbearingatemoyaandsugarapple(glyphosate,oxyfluorfen,carfentrazone,andpelargonicacid).Flumioxazincanbeusedonnon-bearingtrees(8).Eighty-eightpercentofgrowerssurveyedreportedherbicideuse(7).

GlyphosateGlyphosateisaphosphorylatedaminoacidherbicideusedfortotalvegetationcontrol.Glyphosateisappliedasadirectedspraysothatfoliageisnotinjured.Themedianpriceofglyphosateis$10perpoundofactiveingredient,andtheapproximatecostperapplicationis$20peracreforannualweedsand$50peracreforperennialweeds(9,13).TheREIforglyphosateis4hoursandthePHIis14days(14).Eighty-eightpercentofsurveyedgrowersinFloridaappliedglyphosateeitherthree(14percent),four(43percent),five(14percent),orsix(29percent)times,foranaverageuseof4.6times(7).

Disease ManagementDisease Pathogens

TheprincipaldiseasesaffectingatemoyaandsugarappleproductioninFloridaincludeanthracnose(Colletotrichum gloeosporioides)andrust(Phakopsora cherimoliae).Fungaldiseasesthatarenon-manageableandrequireremovalanddestructionincludemushroomrootrot(Armillaria tabescens)andpythiumrootrot(15,16).

Anthracnose(causedbyColletotrichum gloeosporioides)

Thisfungusinfectsflowers,leaves,andfruit.Infectedflowersdevelopdarklesionsonthepetalsthatenlargeandfinallyblackenandthenkillthewholeflower.Infectedyoungfruitrotandmummifyonthetree,butwithmaturefruit,thedamageismostlycosmetic:asmall,shallowareaofhardenedtissue.Infectedleavesdeveloplightgreenlesionsthatenlargeintoirregularbrownareas,givingtheleavesascorchedappearance.Itcanalsocauseprematureleafdrop(15).

Rust(causedbyPhakopsora cherimoliae)Thisfungusinfectsleavesduringthesummerthroughfall.Slightlyyellowspotsdevelopinresponsetotheinfection.Thefungusreproducesrapidlyintheformofaslightlyraisedpustuleorblister.Severelevelsofinfectioncancausedefoliation(15).

Chemical ControlSixty-threepercentofsurveyedatemoyaandsugarapplegrowersreportedfungicideuse.Thosesurveyrespondents

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thatprovideddamageestimatesindicatedthatfrom10to100percentofthecropwouldbelosttodisease(n=4,meanof55percent)(7).Fungicidesregisteredforuseonatemoyaandsugarappleincludeazoxystrobin,copperhydroxide/sulfate,mefenoxam,hydrogendioxide,Bacillus subtilis,phosphoricacid,sulfur,andTrichoderma harzianum.

CopperCopperhaslongbeenusedasafungicide,primarilytomanageanthracnose.Itcanbeappliedinmultipleforms(copperhydroxide,coppersulfate,etc.).Themedianpriceofcopperhydroxideis$2perpoundofactiveingredient.Foratemoya,theapproximatecostperapplicationis$5peracre.Thecostperacreforsugarappleis$20(9,17).TheREIforcopperhydroxide/coppersulfateis24hours(17).Sixty-threepercentofsurveyedatemoyaandsugarapplegrowersinFloridaappliedcopper.Thesegrowersappliedcopperonce(40percent),twice(20percent),threetimes(20percent),orfourtimes(20percent)foranaverageuseof2.2timesperseason.

Nematode ManagementNematode PestsPlant-parasiticnematodesaremicroscopicroundwormsfoundinthesoil.Theytendtoattackplantroots.Generalsignsofnematodedamageincludestunting,prematurewilting,leafyellowing,rootmalformation,andrelatedsignscharacteristicofnutrientdeficiencies.Stuntingandpoorstanddevelopmenttendtooccurinpatchesthroughoutthegroveasaresultoftheirregulardistributionofnematodeswithinthesoil.

Chemical ControlTherearenocurrentlyregisterednematicidesforuseonatemoyaorsugarapple.Noneofthesurveyedgrowersreportedtheuseofnematicides(7).

Key ContactsJonathanCraneisaprofessorofhorticulturalsciencelocatedattheTropicalResearchandEducationCenter(TREC)inHomestead,Florida.Dr.Craneisresponsibleforresearchandextensiondutiesassociatedwithtropicalfruit.Hecanbereachedat:TREC,18905SW280thSt.,POBox111569,Homestead,FL33031-3314,(305)246-7001,jhcr@ufl.edu

MarkMosslerisaDoctorofPlantMedicineintheAgronomyDepartment’sPesticideInformationOfficeattheUniversityofFlorida’sInstituteofFoodandAgriculturalSciences.Dr.Mosslerisresponsibleforprovidingpestmanagementandpesticideinformationtothepublicandtogovernmentalagencies.HecanbereachedatUF/IFAS

PIO,Box110710,Gainesville,FL32611,(352)3924721,plantdoc@ufl.edu

References1. Crane,J.H.,Balerdi,C.F.,andMaguire,I.2008.

AtemoyaGrowingintheFloridaHomeLandscape.EDISpublicationHS64,http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/MG332.HorticulturalSciencesDepartment,FloridaCooperativeExtensionService,InstituteofFoodandAgriculturalSciences,UniversityofFlorida.

2. Personalcommunication,JonathanCrane,TropicalResearchandEducationCenter,Homestead,FL.

3. Degner,R.L.,Moss,S.D.,andMulkey,W.D.1997.UniversityofFlorida,InstituteofFoodandAgriculturalSciencesReport:EconomicImpactofAgricultureandAgribusinessinDadeCounty,Florida.FloridaAgricul-turalMarketResearchCenterIndustryReport97-1.

4. Crane,J.H.,Balerdi,C.F.,andMaguire,I.2005.SugarAppleGrowingintheFloridaHomeLandscape.EDISpublicationHS38,http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/MG330.Hor-ticulturalSciencesDepartment,FloridaCooperativeExtensionService,InstituteofFoodandAgriculturalSciences,UniversityofFlorida.

5. Pena,J.E.andCrane,J.H.2006.Insect/MiteManage-mentinAnnonaspp.EDISpublicationENY-834,http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/IG166.DepartmentofEntomologyandNematologydocument,FloridaCooperativeExtensionService,InstituteofFoodandAgriculturalSciences,UniversityofFlorida.

6. Nadel,H.andPena,J.E.1991.SeasonalOvipositionandEmergenceActivityofBephratelloides cubensis(Hymenoptera:Eurytomidae),aPestofAnonnaSpeciesinFlorida.Environ. Entomol.20(4),1053-1057.

7. UF/IFASPesticideInformationOffice.2001.TropicalFruitManagementSurvey.AgronomyDepartment,InstituteofFoodandAgriculturalSciences,UniversityofFlorida.

8. Crane,J.H.,andMossler,M.A.2006.PesticidesRegisteredforTropicalFruitCropsinFlorida.EDISpublicationHS929,http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/HS177.HorticulturalSciences,FloridaCooperativeExtensionService,InstituteofFoodandAgriculturalSciences,UniversityofFlorida.

9. Anonymouspricing.10. JMSFlowerFarmslabels,VeroBeach,FL.11. CertisUSAlabels,Columbia,MD.12. Knapp,J.L.1999.CitrusCommodity:ABiologic

andEconomicAssessmentofPesticideUsage.USDANationalAgriculturalPesticideImpactAssessmentProgramReportNo.1-CA-99.

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13. WeedScienceSocietyofAmerica.1994.HerbicideHandbook-7thEdition.

14. MonsantoCompanylabels,St.Louis,MO.15. Simone,G.W.1999.DiseaseControlinAtemoya(An-

nona cherimola x A. squamosa).FloridaCooperativeExtensionService,InstituteofFoodandAgriculturalSciences,UniversityofFlorida.

16. Aflieri,S.A.,Langdon,K.R.,Wehlburg,C.,andKim-brough,J.W.1984.IndexofPlantDiseasesinFlorida.FloridaDepartmentofAgriculture&ConsumerServices,DivisionofPlantIndustryBulletin11.

17. DuPontlabels,Wilmington,DE.