Fruit Crops Edition

Seasonal updates on diseases, insects, weeds impacting tree fruit and small fruit (blueberry, cranberry, and wine grape). Fruit Pest Alerts are also available via this category feed.
 
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April 1, 2021

Recordings of Webinars – Ask the Expert Series Orchard Edition

Please use the below links to view or listen to the recordings from the first two sessions of Ask the Expert – Orchard Edition.

March 19
Tree Fruit Growers Meeting – I: https://go.rutgers.edu/n7v5agck

  • Peach Rootstock Performance in Recent Trial
    Dr. James Schupp, Professor of Pomology, Penn State Uni.
    Tactics for Improved Weed Management in Orchards
    Dr. Thierry Besancon, Extension Specialist, Weed Science, Rutgers NJAES

March 24
Tree Fruit Growers Meeting – II: https://go.rutgers.edu/wu2zgt6y

  • 2021 Tree Fruit Diseases to Prepare for.
    Dr. Norman Lallancette, Extension Specialist, Tree Fruit Pathology, Rutgers NJAES
    Dr. Kari Peters, Tree Fruit Pathologist, Penn State Uni.
Filed Under: Blueberry, Cranberry, Fruit, Strawberry, Tree Fruit, Wine Grape Tagged With: , , , , ,
April 1, 2021

Activity Periods of Cranberry Insect Pests in New Jersey

This chart illustrates the periods of insect pest activity in cranberries in New Jersey. These are general guidelines based on knowledge on pest biology and field experience. The actual period of activity for any given pest may vary from year to year depending on the time when the spring flood water is removed from bogs, seasonal weather conditions, and other (biotic and abiotic) factors.

Activity of cranberry pests

Seasonal activity of insect pests of cranberries

Filed Under: Cranberry, Fruit
March 31, 2021

Tree Fruit IPM Report for March 31, 2021

Tree Fruit Phenology:

Tree fruit phenology is about normal based on historical observations. In southern counties some early blooming varieties are at Pink to about 20% bloom. Redhaven was at bud swell on March 29, about 6 days later than the median observation date. Plums are in bloom and Pears are at Green Cluster. Red Delicious is at 1/2 Green Tip, which is about a week early. So it is time to start applying delayed dormant and blossom protection applications. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Tree Fruit Tagged With: ,
March 31, 2021

Attention Tree Fruit Growers!

Ask the Expert Series Orchard Edition

Please Join us for an Interactive Discussion on Tree Fruit Thinning

QR code

April 7: 9AM-10:15 AM

Zoom Link: https://go.rutgers.edu/tdi8pllm

Meeting ID: 974 2422 2622Password: 808726

Join by Phone: 1 646 558 8656

 

 

 

Expert Panelists
Win Cowgill, Professor Emeritus, Rutgers University and owner Win Enterprises International, LLC a Pomology and Horticultural Consulting firm
and
Jon Clements, Commercial Tree Fruit Extension Educator at The University of Massachusetts

Topics will include Apple fruit thinning with plant growth regulators, crop load management, return bloom, fruit growth model and Cornell Carbohydrate Models as tools for thinning and update on PGR’s Available for 2021

This will be part presentation followed by an INTERACTIVE discussion.

Prior to Wednesday April 7, Please E-mail ALL of your Tree Fruit Thinning Questions to:
Megan Muehlbauer muehlbauer@njaes.rutgers.edu
or
Hemant Gohil gohil@njaes.rutgers.edu
Prepare to have a lively interactive discussion between the experts and your fellow New Jersey tree fruit growers!

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Fruit, Tree Fruit
March 30, 2021

On Farm Readiness Reviews (OFRR) Available to Produce Growers

As part of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) the New Jersey Department of Agriculture in coordination with Rutgers Cooperative Extension are again offering an OFRR to any operation that has taken the Produce Safety Alliance (PSA) Training.  The PSA training is required for fresh produce operations to comply with FSMA with sales over $25,000.  We have been doing OFRRs over the last two years (approximately 100) and want to continue this service during 2021.  So, what is the OFRR?  It is a walkthrough of the farm operation to assess where it may need for make changes to comply with FSMA prior to an inspection.  Generally, two individuals will be on the assessment team one from Extension and one from the New Jersey Department of Agriculture.  These reviews take approximately 2 hours and is scheduled to fit into the grower’s time.  To schedule a review email Charlotte Muetter at charlotte.muetter@ag.nj.gov.  She will then contact the farm operation to schedule the review.

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Food Safety, Fruit, Vegetable Crops
March 30, 2021

On-Farm Food Safety Talks for the Busy Grower

The Rutgers On-Farm Food Safety Team has developed three video presentations.  Clip on  Three On The Go Webinars For the Busy Grower  to view the three videos listed below.

 Introduction to Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) and USDA Audits.  Find out the differences between FSMA inspections and USDA audits. Who do they apply to and who does the inspection or audits?

Building Your One-Way Street: Backflow Prevention and Your Farm.  Learn what backflow is, how to evaluate your operations and how to prevent problems with backflow to protect your packed produce.

How to Use Best Practices for On-Farm Recordkeeping.  Tried and true strategies for organized record keeping that complies with FSMA and will prepare you for USDA audits.

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Food Safety, Fruit, Vegetable Crops