Peach:

Diseases: Bacterial Spot: This disease is still present, and has increased in severity in some orchards. Brown Rot:  With the recent rains, sulfur should not be part of the spray program. Most growers should be relying on a captan based program for mid-season covers, followed by better materials during the last 3 weeks pre-harvest. See the NJ Commercial Tree Fruit Production Guide for more information.   

Oriental Fruit Moth: A biofix point for OFM was set on 4/2 for southern counties and 4/17 in northern counties. We are past treatment timings targeting the second generation.

Japanese Beetles: Japanese beetles have been observed feeding on fruit across the state. Products containing imidacloprid (Admire Pro, Leverage 360) are effective and have a short preharvest interval.

Tarnished Plant Bugs; and Other Catfacing Insects: Catfacing insects remain very active. Very little recent fruit feeding has been observed.

Thrips: Flower Thrips have been observed feeding in highly colored ripening fruit, especially in poorly managed ground covers that contain clover or other flowering weeds. Thrips damage appears as “silvering” and usually appears on fruit close to harvest. If populations are high damage can be extensive. Presence of thrips may be scouted for using a beating tray to detect the presence of adults and nymphs in the tree. Flowering weeds and shrubs on orchard edges may also be scouted by shaking flowers onto a beating tray or a sheet of paper. Delegate or Entrust at the highest labeled rate are the usual recommended materials for thrips in stone fruit. Lannate may be effective in some orchards but has not worked well in recent years. These materials all have short PHI’s and may be applied close to harvest when damage typically appears. Damage is different than peach and appears as a dark streak in a similar pattern as silvering. See the NJ Commercial Tree Fruit Production Guide for more information.

Apples and Pears:

Figure 1. Bitter rot lesions on apple. Photo by Kaitlin Quinn.

Diseases: Now that primary scab has ended, the focus turns toward summer diseases such as fruit rots (esp. Bitter rot), and sooty blotch and fly speck. Bitter rot control has been difficult at best in recent years even where management programs have been rigorous. Research has suggested products such as Merivon, Luna Sensation, Inspire Super, Omega, and Aprovia may be effective, and longtime reliable broad spectrum fungicides such as captan and ziram should provide control. Experience has suggested that the addition of phosphorous acid products such as Prophyt or Rampart to captan sprays may improve control. Observations are that these products improve control of other summer diseases such as sooty blotch and flyspeck, and may help suppress scab infections where present. Bitter rot symptoms were observed last week in southern and northern counties (Figure 1).

Codling Moth (CM): A codling moth biofix was set in southern counties on 4/28 and in northern counties on 4/30. The first generation codling moth timings have ended. Second generation timings are updated below. Rimon is not recommended for this and later generations.

Phenology Table: Based on annual observations made in Gloucester County.

Tree Fruit Trap Captures – Southern Counties

Tree Fruit Trap Captures – Northern Counties

Grape: The biofix in southern counties for Grape berry moth (GBM) was 5/24. Model timing will predict IGR and diamide materials for the second generation. The model works best when growers record their own bloom dates and use the Grape Berry Moth model at NEWA. The timing is set at 810 degree days base 47⁰F for the second generation treatments using Diamides or Intrepid, which was approximately June 27 for southern counties. Other materials may be applied 2-3 days later. As we enter the summer period of disease management the focus shifts to cultural controls including leaf pulling, along with well-timed fungicide applications for downy mildew and powdery mildew management.

Blueberry: Spotted-wing drosophila (SWD) and Oriental beetle (OB) captures decreased from previous weeks likely due to heat. Blueberry maggot and sharp-nosed leafhopper trap counts remain low. For weekly reports on blueberry pests and recommendations read the Rutgers Blueberry Bulletin. For information on insecticides labelled for SWD control in small fruit crops, see the attached Table 1.