Archives for April 2018

April 24, 2018 Andy Wyenandt

Controlling Strawberry Fruit Rots – 2018

Anthracnose Fruit Rot of Strawberry

Fruit rots in strawberry can cause significant losses if not recognized early and controlled. The use of good cultural practices such as keeping fields weed-free and promoting good drainage, long crop rotations, and preventative fungicide applications are critical.

Pathogens such as anthracnose, gray mold (Botrytis), and leather rot (Phytophthora) can become systemic problems in strawberry plantings once established. All three fungal diseases are soil-borne and once in fields can be difficult to manage over the lifetime of the planting.

The use of mulch (matted rows) to prevent/reduce soil splashing and keeping fruit from coming into direct contact with the soil surface can be beneficial in organic production systems where conventional fungicides cannot be used. Use of long crop rotations and staying away from areas of the farm with known instances of any of these pathogens is also important. Remember that same species of Colletotrichum that causes fruit rot in pepper and other crops can also infect strawberry.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Vegetable Crops Tagged With: anthracnose, Gray mold, Leather rot

April 20, 2018 Megan Muehlbauer

North Jersey Fruit Twilight Meeting May 3, 2018

Date: May 3, 2018

Location: Donaldson Farms

358 Allen Road

Hackettstown, NJ 07840

Light Dinner for those who RSVP by May 1, 2018 to (908) 788-1339

Time: 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

5:00 pm Welcome/Introduction to Greg Donaldson and Donaldson Farms
Megan Muehlbauer PhD, RCE of Hunterdon County

5:05 pm Farm Tour – Tour will include high density apple planting, mature peach planting, strawberry planting and a brief overview of Greg’s extensive agro tourism operation

5:50 pm Mechanized Hand Held Peach Blossom and Fruit Thinning
Hemant Gohil PhD, RCE of Gloucester

6:00 pm Early Spring Updates from the Rutgers IPM Program
Dean Polk, State Wide IPM, Rutgers Cooperative Extension

6:15 pm Early Spring Disease Updates and Prevention
Norm Lalancette PhD, Specialist in Tree Fruit Plant Pathology, Rutgers Cooperative Extension

6:30 pm Strawberry Production Updates
Peter Nitzsche, RCE of Morris County

6:45 pm Early Spring Tree Fruit Insect Updates
Anne Nielsen PhD, Specialist in Tree Fruit Entomology, Rutgers Cooperative Extension

7:00 pm WPS Updates
Pat Hastings, Pesticide Safety Education Program Coordinator, NJAES

7:15 pm Use of the NEWA Model and Equilifruit Disc for Early Apple Thinning
Megan Muehlbauer PhD, RCE of Hunterdon County

7:00 pm Adjourn

ANTICIPATED PESTICIDE RECERTIFICATION CREDITS

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Fruit, Strawberry, Tree Fruit

April 20, 2018 Jim Murphy

Cadmium and Phosphate Fertilizer Debated in EU

Fertilizer derived from phosphate rock, which naturally contains cadmium, is being debated in the European Union. More than half the cadmium, a toxic heavy metal, in some agricultural soils originated from phosphate rock derived fertilizer. Sedimentary phosphate rock mined in northern Africa contains naturally high cadmium levels. Phosphate from mines of igneous rock in Russia […]

Weather Conditions Favor Seed Corn Maggot Activity in Early Cucurbit Plantings

Seed corn maggot larvae and adult flies have been detected in early seeded zucchini squash fields in Gloucester County this week. They are most likely in other areas of Southern New Jersey. Seed corn maggots can also attack other vegetable crops like beans, peas, cucumbers, melons and sweet corn. Cool and wet weather increase activity and survivability of this early season pest. When adult maggots lay eggs near the planting hole, eggs can hatch in just a few days after being laid. Maggots then can burrow into seeds or seedlings, feed for a period of 2 to 3 weeks and then develop into egg-laying adults. There can be many generations per year, but activity is heightened during periods of cool and wet weather.

Adult flies are most abundant in fields with cover crops, fields that have just been tilled, or in fields that have had manure applied. When a seed or seedling is attacked, it may continue to grow, but will be weak and not produce a crop. Preventative control methods are most effective, since once larvae are found causing damage in the field, they are difficult to control underground. Some commercial insecticide seed treatments are available. See page 112 of the Mid-Atlantic Commercial Vegetable Production Recommendations, 2018 guide. This information can be downloaded at http://njaes.rutgers.edu/pubs/publication.php?pid=E001

Other preventative methods include row covers to create a barrier between the insect pest and the seeds or seedlings, waiting to plant in the field until soils and air temperatures are warm enough to quicken germination and plant growth, and selecting fields for early plantings with low organic matter and that do not remain wet for long periods.

Filed Under: Organic Production, Vegetable Crops

April 18, 2018 Thierry Besancon

Matrix SG Supplemental Label for Highbush Blueberry

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) a Section 3 Supplemental Label for use of the herbicide Matrix SG 25% WDG (rimsulfuron) for use on blueberries, raspberries and blackberries. This label will be in effect through March 31, 2020.

Matrix may be applied to these crops at 4 oz product per acre. It may be applied pre-emergence or early post-emergence to the weeds. If weeds are present at application, add non-ionic surfactant at 0.25%to the tank mix. Matrix is most effective if moved into the soil (activated) by 0.5-inch rainfall.

On highbush blueberries, apply Matrix to bushes established at least one year. Apply in a strip on each side of the row, avoiding contact with green blueberry leaves or stems. Matrix is moderately soluble and should not be used on soils classified as sands to avoid leaching into the bush root zone. Do not exceed 4 ounces product per acre per year. If Matrix is applied in a band of 50 percent or less of the total area, a second application may be made each year. Matrix may be applied up to 21 days before harvest.

Matrix herbicide is active against several annual grasses and broadleaves, including mustards and pigweeds. It has fair activity against most of the composites, but is weak on common groundsel. It is also weak on common lambsquarters and eastern black nightshade. It will provide six to eight weeks of weed suppression at the labeled rate, and is most effective if used with other residual herbicides. Matrix will also provide suppression of yellow nutsedge. To obtain the most effective results, use the highest rate allowed based on the width of your spray band and make two applications. Make the first application when emerging nutsedge is 2 to 4 inches tall and repeat application 14 days later. If yellow nutsedge is greater than 6 inches tall at the first application, weed control effectiveness will be greatly reduced

Matrix is a group 2(B) ALS inhibitor; Sandea is the only other group 2 herbicide labeled and widely used in fruit crops. Matrix is a good tank-mix partner with the PS II inhibitors such as Karmex, Group 7(C2), or Princep, Group 5(C1), and the PPO inhibitors such as Chateau or Zeus, Group 14. However, growers should be reminded that population of common ragweed and marestail/horseweed in New Jersey have evolved resistance to ALS inhibiting herbicides. Therefore, we recommend that a foliar active herbicide with activity on common ragweed and marestail/horseweed (such as paraquat or glufosinate) must be tank mixed with Matrix SG herbicide for best control and resistance management when these weeds have already emerged.

Other commercial rimsulfuron herbicides may include these crops on the label. For instance, Solida from FMC includes blueberry and caneberry on the label

The new Supplemental Label is available from the internet at CDMS

Filed Under: Blueberry

April 18, 2018 Thierry Besancon

Select Max Supplemental Label for Bearing Pome and Stone Fruits

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approved a new Supplemental Label for use of the graminicide Select Max 0.97 EC (clethodim) for bearing pome and stone fruits. This includes apples, pears and all other pome fruits, and apricots, cherries, nectarine, peaches, plums and related hybrids. The label also includes low-growing berry crops (except cranberry and strawberry), including low-bush blueberry. Previously it was only available for use on non-bearing fruits.

The label allows use of 12 to 16 fluid ounces (0.09-0.12 lbs active ingredient) per acre of Select Max in each application, with a maximum of 64 fluid ounces per acre per year. There is a 14-day pre-harvest interval (PHI) for all the tree fruit. The PHI for small fruit is 45 days. Always include 0.25% v/v non-ionic surfactant in the herbicide solution (1 quart in 100 gallons of spray solution).
Select Max is effective against all annual grasses, and is especially effective against annual bluegrass, which Poast (sethoxydim) tends to miss. Select Max at the highest labeled rate is moderately effective against quackgrass, orchardgrass and other perennial grasses.

Select Max is similar to the other graminicides, in that it kills grasses slowly. Visual symptoms (yellowing of the leaves) appear about one week after application. Normally, about four to five days after application, the tallest part of the grass plants can be pulled off and will have yellow discoloration at the node where it breaks off. Large, well-established grasses, especially perennials, may need a second application of Select Max or other grass herbicide three to four weeks after the first application to kill them completely.

The Select Max Supplemental Label is part of the Select Max Section 3 Federal label. The Supplemental Label expires in May 2019. By then these uses should be included on the Federal label attached to containers. The new Supplemental Label is available from the internet at CDMS

Filed Under: Tree Fruit