Rutgers Cooperative Extension
Seasonal updates on diseases, insects, weeds impacting small fruit (blueberry, cranberry, and wine grape). Fruit Pest Alerts are also available via this category feed.
Subscription is through the general Fruit feed available via EMAIL and RSS.
Peach:
Oriental Fruit Moth (OFM): Second generation adults are starting to emerge in southern counties, and are about to start in northern counties. The second brood often causes the most damage on peaches, since larvae can enter both growing tips and young fruit. [Read more…]
Peach:
Oriental Fruit Moth (OFM): Applications made for the first generation are now over in all counties, unless trap counts exceed 6 moths per trap. The second generation flight should start in about a week to 10 days with controls targeted starting about mid-June in southern counties. [Read more…]
County Agricultural Agents, Michelle Infante-Casella and Hemant Gohil have a new office location in Gloucester County. The Rutgers Cooperative Extension (RCE) Office in Gloucester County relocated last week. The new location is now at the Shady Lane County Complex, 254 County House Road, Clarksboro, NJ 08020. The entrance is on the right side of the main 3-story brick building, under the numbers 254; follow the sidewalk with gray brick pavers.
Entrance to the RCE of Gloucester County Offices down the sidewalk on the right.
The office also has a new phone number and Agricultural Agents and other staff can be reached at 856-224-8040 (Agriculture and Natural Resources is extension 1). This new complex provided by Gloucester County offers more office space and multiple options for educational programs. To the left side of the complex is a 4-classroom building, formerly the Gloucester County Fire Academy, that is now operated by Rowan College of Gloucester County, that can be utilized for extension education and other county-related events. The main office building has 3 conference rooms for small group meetings. RCE will still have access to the main auditorium at the former facility in Clayton. For more information about Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Gloucester County see http://gloucester.njaes.rutgers.edu.
Peach:
Oriental Fruit Moth: First generation timings are updated below: According to the model, treatments should be over for the first generation flight statewide. However trap counts at several sites still show captures above the treatment threshold of 6/trap. Pest pressure is quite high on some farms in northern counties. [Read more…]
Peach:
Brown Rot: Blossom infections from the brown rot fungus can occur whenever pistils are exposed and a favorable climate exists. Infections can occur during any wetting period when temperatures are between 41 and 86 ° F. However optimum conditions for infection occur with wetting and temperatures in the mid 70’s. During long wetting periods (several days or more) blossoms can be infected regardless of temperature. Generally infections that occur when conditions are sub optimal are less severe. Blossoms and fruitlets will remain susceptible until the pistil dessicates (sometime between petal fall and shuck split). [Read more…]
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
