Peach:

Stink Bugs Apples and Peaches: Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (BMSB) increasing in spotty locations. BMSB has many alternate hosts, and orchard populations always seem to be ‘local’. In some cases BMSB counts are up to 7-10 per trap in Gloucester County and 19 per trap in Morris County. Most of our traps in northern counties have been placed near apples, and these types of populations can be very problematic.  Most, but not all of the pyrethroid  and pyrethroid premixes have good activity for BMSB. See the 2020 NJ Tree Fruit Production Guide for a list of effective materials. Where growers are using OFM mating disruption in peaches, then weekly border sprays for BMSB will help. In apples a 7 day program may be needed as trap captures increase.

Oriental Fruit Moth (OFM): We are at the treatment timing for the third generation, but populations are so low that most growers can either stretch their insecticide timings or target other pests such as BMSB if stinkbugs are present.

Apple:

Spotted Lanternfly (SLF): SLF nymphs are present in several orchards in northern Hunterdon and Warren Counties, but not yet seen directly on the trees; rather in sticky traps placed for BMSB. There are no treatment thresholds for either nymphs or adults on peaches or apples. Any insecticides used for BMSB should also kill SLF nymphs and adults, although it is unknown at this point, if these are going to be problematic in apples. High populations of adults just prior to harvest, may secrete enough honeydew to cause a sooty mold on fair to light skinned varieties.

Codling Moth (CM): Trap captures are very low statewide. However, control of the first generation has been problematic, with infested fruit present in a number of orchards. Growers should pay close attention to their CM trap captures. When male moths start to be captured, and especially when over 5 moths per trap, then insecticides need to be applied.  We expect to see the second generation flight very soon.

Rots : Various rots, mostly bitter rot are appearing in a number of orchards. Special attention should be given to susceptible varieties like Honeycrisp and Empire where bitterroot has been a problem in previous years. Bitter rot infections will continue during wetting periods for the rest of the summer.  The QoIl premixes Merivon and Pristine are good rot materials with Merivon being the better of the two. Luna Sensation and Luna Tranquility are also rated as effective. Alternate with a Captan/Prophyt mix or Captan/Topsin. Topsin has some efficacy for white and black rots but is not effective against bitter rot.

Grapes:

Disease control has been very good so far in the vineyards we are scouting. We have seen some sunburn which can be confused with diseases. Low levels of downy mildew have been noted. In vineyards with Phomopsis present on leaves some fruit rot is appearing. Fruit symptoms are hard brown berries that eventually develop black fruiting bodies on the skin.

Grape Berry Moth: The next timing for GBM will be on or about 7/28 if using Altacor or Intrepid in southern counties. Growers using other insecticides can wait a few days longer.

Scouting Calendar Tree Fruit Southern Counties

The following table is intended as an aid for orchard scouting. It should not be used to time pesticide applications. Median dates for pest events and crop phenology are displayed. These dates are compiled from observations made since 1995 in Gloucester County. Events in northern New Jersey should occur 7-10 days later.

Tree  Fruit Trap Counts – Southern Counties

Tree  Fruit Trap Counts – Northern Counties

Blueberry:

Tailing Down…But Spotted Wing Drosophila (SWD) is still the main pest of concern. Bluecrop is being machine picked and Elliott has started full swing. Late season varieties still must be protected since SWD continues to build higher populations.

Aphids: Aphid populations have decreased to an average of 2.5% of terminals infested with a high of 25% last week. However with the heat wave, actual numbers as of this writing are even less.  While we originally thought we might need some post-harvest applications to control this pest, the recent heat is cooking them in the fields. The combination of aphids not being able to take the heat, and the plant tissue starting to harden off will take care of this pest for the remainder of the season.

Putnam Scale: Scale infested fruit is very low at .02% infested fruit. Growers who have had any of this first generation damage should be prepared to treat those fields when second generation crawlers become active in 2-3 weeks.

By the Numbers: