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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July 2, 2020

Governor Signs Permit Extension Act: NJDEP Water Certifications Extended 1 Year

Commercial irrigation of a field

Governor Murphy signed The Permit Extension Act (A3919/S2346) this week, which extends certain permits during the COVID-19 emergency. Agricultural Certifications issued by the DEP are included in this extension, so any Agricultural Certification which expired on or after March 9, 2020 will be extended.

Any complete new, renewal or modification application already submitted to the DEP will continue to be reviewed and issued for the full five-year term.

Any Certification holder who received the first renewal reminder which contained the pre-filled application form does not need to do anything at this time. The DEP will forward you a new pre-filled application once the extension period is over.

“COVID-19 extension period” means the period beginning March 9, 2020 and continuing for as long as a public health emergency, pursuant to the “Emergency Health Powers Act,” P.L.2005, c.222 (C.26:13-1 et seq.), or a state of emergency, pursuant to P.L.1942, c. 251 (C.App.A.9-33 et seq.), or both, that has been declared by the Governor in response to COVID-19, is in effect.

Please be advised that annual water diversion reports were required to be submitted to the DEP by February 28, 2020 and are not extended due to the passage of this Bill. The DEP is issuing reminders to those who failed to submit this information in accordance with their Certification. Continue to log diversion amounts and submit your reports in accordance with the deadlines in your Certification.

Rutgers Cooperative Extension is working very closely with the DEP’s Bureau of Water Allocation & Well Permitting to resolve any ongoing issues and concerns. The Bureau is aware that many renewal applications are awaiting the Ag Agent review and signature. With the extension act, these renewal applications are being extended as mentioned above.

Some RCE Offices remain closed or with minimal access at this time. Call your local Rutgers Cooperative Extension office for specific information. In addition, during the month of July, staff in the NJ Department of Agriculture and the NJ DEP personnel are furloughed, and response times will be slowed, so please be patient during these challenging times.

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Field, Forage & Livestock, Fruit, Organic Production, Turf, Vegetable Crops Tagged With: , ,
July 1, 2020

Sparganothis Fruitworm Degree-Day Update: as of July 01, 2020

Based on our degree-day (DD) model for Sparganothis fruitworm, first eggs hatched at about 895 DD (see chart). As of July 01, Sparganothis has accumulated 979 DD (using April15 as biofix). This indicates that eggs have started to hatch, and fruit will become susceptible to infestation. Most beds are close to the end of bloom. Thus, if trap counts have been high, then a post-bloom application might be necessary. Growers should consider treatment early next week (as soon as bees are removed) to prevent damage to berries. Optimal control will be achieved if insecticides are applied before 07 July. Your best post-bloom options are Diazinon, Exirel, Altacor, or Delegate.

Sparganothis fruitworm degree-day model

Sparganothis fruitworm degree-day model

Filed Under: Cranberry, Fruit
June 30, 2020

Fruit IPM for 06/30/20

Peach:

Oriental Fruit Moth: We are between generations 1 and 2, with the first insecticide applications having been just applied in southern counties, and in northern counties due by the weekend. The second application will be due the following week. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Blueberry, Fruit, Tree Fruit, Wine Grape
June 23, 2020

Fruit IPM for 6/23/20

Peach:

Oriental Fruit Moth: We are between generations 1 and 2, with the first insecticide applications having been just applied in southern counties, and in northern counties due by the weekend. The second application will be due the following week. See timings below: [Read more…]

Filed Under: Blueberry, Fruit, Tree Fruit, Wine Grape
June 23, 2020

Recorded Webinar Posted – COVID-19 Guidance for Ag Workers/Employers

Cover 5-20-2020 NJ DOH Interim Guidance for Migrant-Seasonal Farmworkers
The webinar for Ag Employers regarding Understanding & Implementing NJ’s COVID-19 Guidance For Migrant & Seasonal Farmworkers, Employers & Housing Providers* held on Tue June 16, 2020 has been posted on the Rutgers NJAES On-Farm Food Safety team’s YouTube page.
 
All NJ agricultural employers are invited to learn directly from NJ Departments of Health, Labor and Agriculture who discussed expectations for implementation of the “NJ COVID-19 Guidance for Migrant and Seasonal Farm Workers, Their Employers & Housing Providers” document in a Webex webinar hosted by Rutgers Cooperative Extension.
The agenda included introductory remarks by Secretary of Agriculture Doug Fisher, followed by a detailed overview of the guidance document by Amanda Medina-Forrester, Executive Director of the Office of Minority & Multicultural Health, and Siobhan Pappas, Coordinator of the Childhood Lead Program of the NJ Dept. of Health; Christine Blumauer, Policy Advisor in the Office of the Commissioner of the NJ Dept. of Labor & Workforce Development; along with comments from Michelle Blanchfield, MPH, Zufall Health, and Bridget Hogan, Ocean Health Initiatives representing  Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) charged with assisting farmers with testing and education of farmworkers. Pete Furey and Ben Cassella of NJ Farm Bureau provided follow-up comments after a few questions were discussed.
  • There have been no changes to the document since it was published, but one major point of discussion that you will hear in the recording was a comment made by a presenter that temperature monitoring should use a 99oF threshold instead of the 100.4oF threshold that was published in the guideline. Monique Purcell, Assistant Secretary of Agriculture, who had worked closely with the NJDOH and NJDOL reps in development of the guidance document received clarification from them the next day that confirmed that the threshold remains 100.4oF.
  • The other point addressed by several speakers was the need to work with and invite the FQHCs to your farm. They are charged with helping to educate your farm workers to understand this disease, how it spreads, and how to protect themselves (the importance of physical distancing and wearing face masks), as well as to provide testing for all employees on your farm, including the owner and family members working on the farm, free of charge.

*The NJDOH partnered with the NJDA and the NJDOL to create this guidance for agricultural employers focusing on precautions to help protect farm employees from COVID-19 on New Jersey farms and in farm labor housing. This webinar reviews these guidelines.

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Vegetable Crops Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,
June 23, 2020

Wine Grape Downy Mildew Update

By Peter Oudemans

June 4-6 and June 12 showed some significant downy mildew infection periods and we are now beginning to see the effects.  Since berries are susceptible until about a month after capfall this is something we need to be concerned about.  The question is how to handle this now?

Rules: 

  • Hitting the target: Make sure the sprayer is set up to hit the target.
  • Longevity:  Fungicides work best if they can dry after application.  Rainfall before drying will wash them off
  • Resistance:  Downy Mildew is a high risk pathogen and fungicides must be rotated

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Fruit, Wine Grape Tagged With: ,