Susceptibility of Some Apple wild rootstock And Varieties Spread in As-Suwayda Governorate To infestation by The Woolly Apple Aphid Eriosoma lanigerum (Hausmann).

Abstract

Apple varieties differ in their susceptibility to the Woolly apple aphid. Therefore, this study aimed to compare some of the varieties and rootstocks spread in As-Suwayda Governorate for infestation by this insect. Plants of 3 varieties grafted on wild seedstock (Golden Delicious, Top Red, Royal Red) were planted for two seasons in 2021- 2022. In addition to cultivating the wild seed origin and the certified origin in state nurseries (a mixture of tree mother seeds from the village of Al-Mafala). The woolly apple aphid infestation was transferred to the planted plants, and it was confirmed that they were infested with the insect, The results of the analysis of variance over the two years showed that the Royal Red variety (red color) had a higher infection rate than the other two varieties, as it recorded the highest infection rate, especially in the second year, 2022. at a rate of 61.90%, while the Golden Delicious variety (yellow color) was the most resistant variety with an infection rate of 36.00%. There was also a significant difference between the infection rate on the wild rootstock compared to the infection rate on the rootstock used in the state nurseries, where the LSD value was = 0.06.