Oriental fruit moth (OFM), Crapholita molesta (Busck), oviposition on fruit and first-instar survival on vegetative shoots were studied in laboratory tests with nectarine, Prunus persica (L.) Batsch var nucipetsica; peach, P. persica (L.); plum, P. saliciana Lind.; apricot, P. atmeniaca L.; and cherry, P. avium L., cultivars. OFM oviposition on fruit at four different maturity stages was significantly lower on mature, packed nectarines and significantly higher on mature, packed peaches. Significantly more eggs were laid on the stem end of nectarine, peach, and plum fruits than other fruit parts. In tests among earlythrough late-season cultivars within each stone fruit species, oviposition was significantly higher on ‘Red Diamond’ nectarines, ‘Redtop’ peaches, and ’Laroda’ plums, and significantly lower on ‘Fantasia’ nectarines and ‘Roysum’ plums. In tests with mixed stone fruit species, significantly fewer eggs were laid on ‘Elberta,’ ‘Elegant Lady,’ and ‘O’Henry’ peaches, and significantly more eggs were laid on ‘Laroda’ plums. Low oviposition on peaches may be related to pubescence. Vegetative shoots injured by larval feeding generally produced gum, but uninjured shoots and shoots that supported first instars to later larval or pupal stages rarely produced gum. Larvae successfully completed normal development to adults on larval diet combined with aqueous extracts of peach tree gum. Stone fruit gum appears to be an induced host response which creates a mechanical barrier to larval attack.
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Yokoyama et al. (1988) studied this question.