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Caged greenheaded leafroller (Planotortrix excessana (Walker)) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) and lightbrown apple moth (Epiphyaspostvittana (Walker)) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) adults were provided with the leaves of known larval host plants to determine the relative amount of oviposition on the different hosts. Relative to apple leaves, lightbrown apple moth oviposited fewer eggs on narrow-leaved plantain (Plantago lanceolata L.), and blackberry (Rubus st~igolosus agg.) and equal numbers on poplar (Populus nigra L.). Greenheaded leafrollers laid more eggs on poplar leaves than on apple leaves. Close examination of the likely factors determining oviposition sites revealed that hairs on the dorsal leaf surface could affect the choice of oviposition sites.Lightbrown apple moths therefore tended to oviposit more frequently on the less hairy mature leaves of apple shoots compared to more hairy, emerging leaves which had a greater density of dorsal surface leaf hairs. Arrangement of host plant leaf clusters may have affected oviposition site preference as lightbrown apple moths tended to lay relatively more eggs on apple fruiting clusters than shoots.

Approximately 370 apple growers in seven districts participated in the implementation of an Integrated Fruit Production (IFP) programme during the 1997-98 season. Pest management was based on monitoring and threshold-based applications of selective insect growth regulator and organophosphate insecticides. Post-bloom insecticide use across all regions ranged from 2.4 -4.1 applications on Gala apples to 3.0 -5.8 applications on the cultivar Braeburn. Average levels of codling moth and leafroller damaged fruit across all regions were low and ranged from 0 -0.06% and 0.01 -0.73% respectively. Mealybug and scale were important pests and infestation ranged from 0 -0.40% and 0.01 -2.90% respectively. Revised IFP recommendations for leafroller control provided acceptable fruit quality, but further revision is required to improve scale and mealybug control.

Apple leafcurling midge (Dasineura mali) (ALCM) can seriously damage apple tree leaves. Insecticides may be applied to the soil in spring to kill ALCM emerging from overwintering sites. ALCM emergence was studied in the Waikato, Hawke's Bay, Nelson, Canterbury and Central Otago over two seasons (1998/99 and 1999/ 2000) using cages placed over the soil beneath apple trees. ALCM and its egg parasitoid (Platygaster demades) emerged over a similar period of time. Emergence in southern districts began later and over a shorter period. A single soil treatment with diazinon, reduced the numbers of ALCM emerging from treated soil, but also very few P. demades emerged.

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