Other estimates are 3 million tons of apples are produced in the United States annually. In 1965 United States ranked 5th after Italy, Argentina, Netherlands and Australia in the world's apple trade. Orchards, however, produce both prunings and grubbings. In Australia, Stewart et al. Bees and other insects are agents.
Mice are very destructive to apple trees.
Keep a 1 m in diameter space around tree free of weeds or mulched. Rabbits also eat bark. Protect with wire screen. Apple trees are attacked by a great many fungi, perhaps 150 world-wide, and many are very serious, but can be controlled by various sprays. Eutypella stellulata, Fabraea maculata, Fomes applanatus, F. fomentarius, F. annosus, F. pinicola, F. pomaceus, Fracciaea heterogenea, Fumago vagans, Fusarium acuminatum.