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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Considerations for Fall Weed Control in Vineyards

Fall or early winter is the best time to consider the application of a residual herbicide that will help maintaining the ground clean in early spring and allow for delayed herbicide applications in spring. Most residual herbicides primarily control annual grasses or annual broadleaf weeds.  A combination of an annual grass herbicide and an annual broadleaf weed herbicide is usually recommended.  Rate ranges are recommended for most residual herbicides.  Use the lower rates in vineyards with coarse textured (sandy) soil low in organic matter, and the higher rate when soils are fine textured (silt and clay) and have higher organic matter.

Post-harvest application of a residual herbicide should be done in late fall after vines are dormant, but before the soil freezes, or in late winter before the weeds begin to grow in early spring.  This application targets the control of winter annuals and provides early season control of summer annual weeds.  Most growers are more easily able to apply herbicides to the vineyard in late fall, usually after Thanksgiving in New Jersey.  In March, growers find themselves scrambling to apply insecticides and fungicides, and prune.

Pruned wood must be removed or chopped before weed spraying can be accomplished. Weed residues from last season should also be removed as much as possible before considering application of a residual herbicide in fall. Too many leftover residues will prevent the residual herbicide to penetrate into the soil (the “activation” process), and the herbicide will lose efficacy at controlling the emergence of weed seedlings. If you plan hilling-up the vine, be aware that the de-hilling operations will break the residual herbicide coverage. Thus, hilling may not compatible with the use of residual herbicide in fall.

  • Casoron (dichlobenil), applied in late fall, followed by a spring application of a residual annual grass herbicide is a very effective residual weed control program.  More different species of weeds are controlled than any other residual herbicide combination available.  Apply 4.0 lb active ingredient Casoron CS (2.7 gallons per acre) or 4.0 to 6.0 lb active ingredient Casoron 4G (100 to 150 lb per acre) in late fall when soil and air temperatures will remain below 50 degrees Fahrenheit until rainfall moves the herbicide into the soil.  The active ingredient in the granular formulation can be lost to volatilization in warm weather.  The Casoron CS formulation is encapsulated, which prevents loss due to volatilization.  Casoron provides annual broadleaf weed control through harvest and annual grass control until early summer the next year.  Certain herbaceous perennials, including goldenrod species, aster species, and yellow nutsedge will also be controlled or suppressed by Casoron applied in late fall.  Late winter applications provide less consistent winter annual and perennial weed control.  Apply an additional residual annual grass herbicide in the spring to provide late summer annual grass control following the late fall application of Casoron.
  • For many years Princep (simazine) was recommended at 1.0 to 2.0 lb active ingredient per acre in the late fall/ winter, and Karmex (diuron) was recommended at 1.0 to 2.0 lb active ingredient per acre in the late spring.  Both herbicides have been safe and reliable, and cost effective choices for many years, and continue to be good options where their use provides good weed control.  Both Princep (simazine) and Karmex (diuron) share the same mode of action, inhibition of the light reaction in photosynthesis.  Unfortunately, triazine resistant weeds, with cross resistance to urea herbicides, including Karmex, are present at some sites. Where a triazine resistant weed has become established, switch to herbicide(s) a different herbicide mode of action.  Use Chateau or Tuscany (flumioxazin) at 0.19 to 0.38 lb of active ingredient per acre or Goal 2XL (oxyfluorfen) at 1.0 to 2.0 lb of active ingredient per acre in late fall or late winter. The activity of both Chateau and Goal occurs at the soil surface as sensitive BLW seedlings emerge.  Do not disk, till or otherwise mechanically mix Chateau or Goal into the soil after application, or the effectiveness of the herbicides will be reduced or eliminated.
  • Alion (indaziflam) is a relatively new (2012) herbicide labeled for use in stone and pome fruit orchards, and in vineyards.  Alion is very effective at controlling a broad range of annual grasses and broadleaf weeds. Alion does not provide control of sedges or established perennial weeds. Alion is ideally applied in late fall at 0.045 to 0.065lb of active ingredient per acre in late fall. The most compelling characteristic of Alion is its VERY long weed control period (up to 6 months). However, the use restrictions for Alion are stricter in vineyards than in orchards:
    1. Alion can only be applied in vigorous grapes that have been established for a minimum of three years after transplanting.
    2. Alion can only be used in grapes that have at least 6 inches of soil barrier between the soil surface and the major portion of the root system.
    3. Alion cannot be used on soils with 20% or more gravel content or on sand or loamy-sand soil.
    4. Do not apply Alion prior to any type of soil disturbance, including hilling/dehilling operations, and only apply the herbicide after the soil settles.
    5. Do not allow spray or spray drift to contact crop foliage, green bark, roots or fruit of the crop being treated as it may cause localized crop injury or death
    6. Maximum use rate per application now has a restriction based on soil organic matter (OM) content: if soil contains less than 1% OM, maximum rate is 3.5 oz/A (0.045 lb ai) and if over 1% maximum rate is 5 oz/A (0.065 lb ai). In any case, maximum use rate cannot exceed 5 oz/A (0.065 lb ai) per year or in a 12 month period.
    7. No irrigation can be applied within 48 hours following Allion application. This is designed to ensure crop safety by giving the herbicide enough time to bind to surface soils before rainfall or irrigation to ensure proper activation of Alion by allowing weed seeds or seedlings to come into contact with the herbicide.

The Alion label also lists some guidelines that will ensure efficient weed control:

  • Soil should be free of debris, clumps or cracks at application time to ensure best weed control performance and prevent the herbicide from reaching the grape roots (this is true for best performance of ANY of our PRE herbicides).
  • For best weed control, dry soil surface for 48 hours followed by rainfall or sprinkler irrigation within 3 weeks is ideal. If irrigation is used to activate, 0.5 inch of water is ideal (the idea is to incorporate the herbicide into the surface an inch or so, where the weeds germinate, but not go too deeply.  This is also true for all PRE herbicides.

Consult the New Jersey Commercial Blueberry Pest Control Recommendations for rates and additional information https://njaes.rutgers.edu/pubs/publication.php?pid=E283.

As with all herbicides,always  read and follow all label instructions and precautions.

 

6-Week Urban “Annie’s Project” Farm Management & Business Training Course

Especially aimed at NJ farm women and veterans, Rutgers Cooperative Extension (RCE) will present a new, urban-focused version of the popular Annie’s Project titled “Farming in New Jersey’s Cities and the Urban Fringe.” Classes will be held simultaneously in Roseland, New Brunswick and Cherry Hill on Dec. 3, 10, 17 and Jan. 7, 14, 21, between the hours 6 – 9 p.m. Registration is currently open and is $150 until Dec. 2. Dinner will be provided at 5pm each evening of the class. [Read more…]

Gramoxone/paraquat Mandatory Training Required Before Use

Spraying for pests

All pesticide certified applicators must successfully complete an EPA-approved training program before mixing, loading, and/or applying paraquat.

Anyone using Gramoxone, Firestorm, Helmquat, Parazone, and other paraquat products must complete an EPA-mandated training before application.

After November 14, 2019, the EPA requires companies to have newly labeled products on the market.

 

The following are items related to the new label for paraquat products:

  • Only certified applicators, who successfully completed the paraquat-specific training, can mix, load or apply paraquat.
  • No longer allow application “under the direct supervision” of a certified applicator.
  • Restricting the use of all paraquat products to certified applicators only.
  • EPA required Online Training – users must create an account with username and password.
  • A certificate will be delivered by the end of the training after successful completion of the online exam.
  • Applicators must repeat training every three years.

For additional information and FAQs about the paraquat training go to the EPA Paraquat Training website

Hilling-Up Demonstration and Post-harvest Vineyard Management

Where – Monday, October 14, 3:30 PM

When – Coia Vineyards – 3650 Oak Rd., Vineland, NJ 08360

  • On-farm demonstration of hilling-up and the discussions on hilling-down (Larry Coia and Hemant Gohil)
  • Understanding the Cold hardiness (Daniel Ward)
  • Post-harvest Disease Management including understanding of trunk diseases (Peter Oudemans)
  • Weed Management for hilling-up and for fall and winter (Thierry Besancon)
  • Vineyard fertility Management (Gary Pavlis)

There is no registration fees, however please let Joan Medany know if you are planning, by email jmedany@co.gloucester.nj.us or call 856-224-8030

This site is accessible to the physically impaired. If an additional assistance is needed, please contact Hemant Gohil (Program Organizer) at 856-224-8029 prior to the meeting.

With Support from the New Jersey Center for Wine Research and Education (NJCWRE)

Annual Bluegrass Control in Blueberry

Annual bluegrass (Poa annua L.) is an increasingly troublesome winter annual weed in some New Jersey blueberry fields. Native to Europe, this species is now worldwide distributed.

Identification and Life Cycle

Annual bluegrass

Figure 1. Annual bluegrass. Thierry Besancon, Rutgers University

Annual bluegrass starts germinating in late summer as soil temperature drops below 70°F. If conditions are favorable, it will continue germinating throughout the winter. Annual bluegrass has light green leaves with a typical boat-shaped tip (Figures 1 and 2). Leaf blades are often crinkled part way down. It will produce greenish white inflorescences (seed heads) during the spring months. Annual bluegrass is a prolific and rapid seed-producing weed.

Each plant can produce up to 100 seeds that are viable just a few days after pollination, allowing multiple germination flushes during the cool season. Annual bluegrass tends to form dense clumps in areas with moist and/or compacted soil. Poor soil drainage, frequent irrigation, excessive fertilization, use of heavy equipment causing compaction, and shade are conditions that will encourage the development of annual bluegrass.

Annual bluegrass under a microscope

Figure 2. Annual bluegrass leaf tip. Joseph M. DiTomaso, University of California – Davis, Bugwood.org

 

 

Impact

While annual bluegrass may not be a strong competitor for blueberry bushes, it forms a dense mat that will persist until late spring. This mat will prevent proper application of residual herbicides in spring by intercepting the spray solution and reducing the amount of residual herbicide penetrating into the soil. Thus, control of established sod of annual bluegrass prior to spring herbicide applications is essential for successful residual weed control in spring and early summer.

Management

As for any other weed species, preventing the release of viable seeds that will replenish the soil seedbank is a primary objective for controlling this species. Cultivation or manual digging before annual bluegrass patches become well established and before the development of inflorescence will provide control of limited infestations if continued throughout the germination period. However, the use of chemical control may be required for large infested areas or where the species has become established for several seasons.

Application of effective preemergence herbicides may prevent annual bluegrass seedling survival. However, preemergence herbicides will not effectively control emerged plants. Timely application of preemergence herbicides is very important for effective control of annual bluegrass. Herbicides should ideally be applied in late-summer / early fall before annual bluegrass seeds germinate. However, crop injury may result if pre-emergence herbicides are applied at this time when blueberry bushes are not dormant. Therefore, a fall application of a preemergence herbicide tankmixed with a postemergence herbicide is often the most practical solution and should be considered when blueberry leaves start dropping.

  • Preemergence herbicides such as oryzalin (Surflan), norflurazon (Solicam), or napropamide (Devrinol) may effectively control annual bluegrass. Application of these herbicides can be split between fall and spring applications with half of the yearly rate applied in fall and the second half in spring.
  • Simazine (Princep) can provide early post-emergence control of leaf stage plants in addition to its residual activity.
  • Pronamide (Kerb SC) is also an excellent option that will provide both residual and postemergence control of annual bluegrass. Optimum pronamide activity occurs when applications are made under cool temperature conditions (55°°F or less).
  • S-metolachlor (Dual Magnum) is also effective at controlling annual bluegrass prior to germination. However, Dual Magnum can only be applied once per cropping season and will require grower to agree to the conditions of the indemnified label (https://www.syngenta-us.com/labels/indemnified-label-search).

All preemergence herbicides require incorporation from rainfall so that the herbicide can move into the first few inches of soil where it will be protected from degradation or volatility.

When annual bluegrass has emerged before residual herbicide is applied, a postemergence herbicide should be included in the tank. Use paraquat (Gramoxone or other labeled generic formulation) plus a nonionic surfactant at 0.25% v/v of the spray solution. Glufosinate (Rely 280) is also effective at controlling emerged annual bluegrass, especially when applied under bright sunlight, warm temperature, and high humidity conditions. Do not allow glufosinate spray mist to contact green bark, as injury will occur. None of the graminicides labelled on blueberry (Select, Poast) have sufficient activity for controlling annual bluegrass. The use of glyphosate (Roundup or other labeled generic formulation) is not recommended as failure to control emerged annual bluegrass has been reported in various New Jersey blueberry fields.

 

Consult the New Jersey Commercial Blueberry Pest Control Recommendations for rates and additional information (https://njaes.rutgers.edu/pubs/publication.php?pid=E265). As with all herbicides, read and follow all label instructions and precautions.

 

 

Spotted Lanternfly Updates

Spotted lanternfly (SLF) populations are very active in multiple NJ counties such as Hunterdon, where large numbers of adults can be seen feeding. As of last week, the majority of adults were observed feeding on tree of heaven. Where possible, tree of heaven should be treated with either an herbicide and/or an insecticide. PSU has information on treatment here https://extension.psu.edu/tree-of-heaven

Based on observations in Pennsylvania, feeding by adult Spotted Lanternfly in grapes can reduce overwintering survival and may have broader impacts to vine health. Spotted lanternfly is a phloem feeding insect that feeds directly on the cordon, not on the fruit. As they feed, they expel the extra sugars from their bodies in the form of honeydew. Honeydew can buildup underneath trees or on plant material beneath vines and can be colonized by sooty mold fungi. In grapes, sooty mold can develop on clusters, significantly reducing quality, although this has not yet been observed in the USA. More importantly in areas with high SLF populations, vine health has deteriorated quickly. In Pennsylvania both a decrease in winter hardiness and vine death has occurred.

Vines should be watched closely to determine if SLF adults are dispersing into the vineyards and feeding. Populations will likely be higher along vineyard edges. If feeding occurs, an insecticide treatment may be warranted. The adults have not started to lay eggs yet so this is a critical time for population management. Multiple insecticide materials are effective against the adult stages. Recommendations from PennState in grapes are:

Pennsylvania State University Insecticide Recommendations Against Spotted Lanternfly

 (*modified for space)

Trade Name Active Ingredient Class

(IRAC Group)

Rate per Acre PHI (days) REI (hours) Labeled for SLF on Grape in PA? Life Stage Tested Longevity SLF Activity
Brigade 10WSB bifenthrin Pyrethroid

(IRAC 3)

16 oz 30 12 Yes, 2(ee) Nymphs Adults **** ++++
Actara 25WDG * thiamethoxam Neonicitinoid (IRAC 4A) 3.5 oz 5 12 Yes, 2(ee) Nymphs Adults **** ++++
Scorpion 35SL * dinotefuran Neonicitinoid (IRAC 4A) 5 fl oz 1 12 Yes, 2(ee) Nymphs Adults *** ++++
Carbaryl 4L carbaryl Carbamate (IRAC 1A) 2 qt 7 12 No
Note: Sevin XLR has 2(ee)
Nymphs Adults *** ++++
Danitol 2.4EC fenpropathrin Pyrethroid

(IRAC 3)

21.33 fl oz 21 24 No Nymphs ** ++++
Malathion 8F malathion Organophosphate (IRAC 1B) 1.88 pts 3 12 Yes, 2(ee) Nymphs Adults ** ++++
Mustang Maxx 0.8EC zeta- cypermethrin Pyrethroid

(IRAC 3A)

4 fl oz 1 12 Yes, 2(ee) Nymphs Adults ** +++
Avaunt 30DG indoxacarb Oxadiazine (IRAC 22) 6 oz 7 12 Yes, 2(ee) Nymphs Adults * ++
Assail 30SG * acetamiprid Neonicitinoid (IRAC 4A) 5.2 oz 3 48 Yes, 2(ee) on nymphs only Nymphs Adults * +

Always follow the insecticide label for use and application instructions. Please note that there is variation in the residual activity of each material and some materials require a 2(ee) label for use in grapes. BotaniGard is also being evaluated as a biological insecticide by PSU.

New sightings of spotted lanternfly in NJ can be reported, along with a picture and address to slanternfly@njaes.rutgers.edu