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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EPA Announces New, Earlier Protections for People from Pesticide Spray Drift
EPA Announces Update on Atrazine (with editorial note on NJ)
EPA Announces Update on Atrazine (with editorial note on NJDEP 2018 ag use data summary)
Captan under registration review by EPA – comments on proposed mitigation measures due July 31, 2024
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is currently reviewing the registration of captan as mandated by the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) to conduct a periodic review of existing pesticide registrations every 15 years. Captan is a broad-spectrum fungicide used in fruit and nut crops including almonds, apples, apricots, blueberries, cherries, grapes, nectarines, peaches, plums, prunes, and strawberries. A Proposed Interim Registration Review Decision (PID) was provided in 2022; however, the agency has issued an amended PID to identify risk mitigations and propose label changes that would address risks of concern for uses of captan. A summary of the EPA’s mitigation proposal is provided below. There is an open comment period for the public to provide responses to the proposed mitigation revisions and how they could impact production. The comment period ends on July 31, 2024. To view the amended proposed interim registration review in its entirety, see Docket No. EPA-HQ-OPP-2013-0296 at www.regulations.gov. For instruction on how to submit comments, visit https://www.regulations.gov/document/EPA-HQ-OPP-2013-0296-0335.
Summary of Mitigation for Specific Crops |
I. Orchard Crops
· Prohibit aerial application of DF/WDG and WP formulations; · Reduce maximum application rate for apples, peaches, and nectarines, from 4 to 3 lbs. ai/A; · Reduce maximum application rate for cherries from 3.16 to 3 lbs. a.i./A; · Require PF50 respirator, single layer protective clothing, 85 and chemical-resistant gloves for handlers mixing/loading DF/WDG and WP formulations for airblast application; · Require enclosed cabs and single layer protective clothing for airblast applicators; · Require enclosed cabs and single layer protective clothing for groundboom applicators treating orchard crops or PF10 respirator, chemical-resistant gloves, and single layer protective clothing; and · Limit application with mechanically pressurized handgun to spot treatment of areas missed with other application equipment, such as application to row ends. NOTE: There are no proposed changes to the current REIs on captan product labels for orchard crops. |
II. Berries & Grapes
· Prohibit aerial application of DF/WDG and WP formulations but allow aerial application for liquid formulations. · Require PF50 respirator, chemical-resistant gloves, and single layer protective clothing for mixing and loading DF/WDG and WP formulations to be applied by airblast or groundboom. · For strawberries, EPA is proposing to require the PF50 respirator only for large growers whose operations are greater than 80 acres to protect mixers/loaders. · There are no changes to the REI for any berries; the REIs on current labels are sufficient. · Workers who are girdling and turning table grapes must observe a 5-day REI. |
Note Changes in Harmonized Audits for 2024
It has come to our attention that growers are using on old self audit checklist for their 2024 audit. According to USDA the old form was not acceptable after April 30, 2024! The USDA released the new Harmonized GAP Standard and Harmonized Plus+ Standard Audits in March to give growers the opportunity to update their plans. There are several changes related to section numbers and deleted numbers so if you have your audit plan setup by section number check to make sure they have not changed. Also, eight questions have been added. Following is a summary of those questions:
- G 2.4 – Approved service provider list required (the grower approves the list)
- G 7.2 – A designated recall team is required
- G 7.3 – Must perform a mock recall exercise annually
- G 11.5 – Must have labels and instructions for any water treatment chemical used
- G 11.8 – Compressed air or other gases contacting food or food contact surfaces must be maintained
- F 6.3 – Must have a procedure for storing and handling growing media (e.g., perlite, peat, rock wool, etc.)
- F 9.4 – Re-used water must be treated with a labeled product
- P 5.2 – A master cleaning schedule with standard operating procedures (SOP) must be established
There are two documents for each audit: Harmonized GAP Standard (v 3.0) or Harmonized GAP Plus+ standard (v 5.0). Each audit has a corresponding checklist “Harmonized GAP Combined Checklist (v6.1)” This is the checklist a grower should be using to their self-audit. Remember an older version will not be accepted which means the audit fails. Go to the Rutgers On-Farm Food Safety website an look under the USDA Audits tab or go to Harmonized GAP | Agricultural Marketing Service (usda.gov) to download the correct versions.
Tree Fruit IPM Report July 9, 2024
Peach:
Oriental Fruit Moth: A biofix point for OFM was set on 4/10 in both northern and southern counties. All Treatments for the second generation have past.
OFM 2nd Generation Timing | ||||
Insecticide Type | ||||
County/Region | Degree Days by 7/8 base 45 | Conventional
2100-2200 2450-2500 |
Intrepid/Rimon
2000-2100 2350-2450 |
Diamides/Virus
2025-2150 2375-2450 |
Gloucester – Southern | 2041 | 1st –7/9-7/12
2nd – 7/20-7/22 |
1st –7/7-7/9
2nd – 7/17-7/20 |
1st –7/8-7/11
2nd – 7/18-7/20 |
Hunterdon – Northern | 1843 | 1st – 7/15-7/18
2nd – 7/25-7/28 |
1st – 7/12-7/15
2nd – 7/22-7/25 |
1st – 7/13-7/15
2nd – 7/23-7/25 |
Tarnished Plant Bugs; and Other Catfacing Insects: Catfacing insects remain very active. Very little recent fruit feeding has been observed.
Thrips: Flower Thrips have been observed feeding in highly colored ripening fruit, especially in poorly managed ground covers that contain clover or other flowering weeds. Thrips damage appears as “silvering” and usually appears on fruit close to harvest. If populations are high damage can be extensive. Presence of thrips may be scouted for using a beating tray to detect the presence of adults and nymphs in the tree. Flowering weeeds and shrubs on orchard edges may also be scouted by shaking flowers onto a beating tray or a sheet of paper. Delegate or Entrust at the highest labeled rate are the usual recommended materials for thrips in stone fruit. Lannate may be effective in some orchards but has not worked well in recent years. These materials all have short PHI’s and may be applied close to harvest when damage typically appears. Damage is different than peach and appears as a dark streak in a similar pattern as silvering. See the NJ Commercial Tree Fruit Production Guide for more information.
Japanese Beetles: Japanese beetle activity has been noticeable in many orchards. Effective materials include many of the pyrethroids, Neonicitinoids and Sevin (Carbamate). Products containing imidacloprid are standard insecticides for Japanese beetle control and should have a 0 day PHI. See the NJ Commercial Tree Fruit Production Guide for more information.
Apples and Pears:
Diseases: Now that primary scab is nearing the end, or has ended, the focus turns toward summer diseases such as fruit rots (esp. Bitter rot), and sooty blotch and fly speck. Bitter rot control has been difficult at best in recent years even where management programs have been rigorous. Research has suggested Products such as Merivon, Luna Sensation, Inspire Super, and Aprovia may be effective, and longtime reliable broad spectrum fungicides such as omega, captan and ziram should provide control. Experience has suggested that the addition of phosphorous acid products such as Prophyt or Rampart to captan sprays may improve control. Observations are that these products improve control of other summer diseases such as sooty blotch and flyspeck, and may help suppress scab infections where present. Bitter rot symptoms have been appearing for several weeks in southern counties.
Codling Moth (CM): The first generation codling moth timings have ended. Trap captures Continue and increased in some southern county orchards this week. A biofix was set for CM on April 17th in both northern and southern counties. Second generation timings are updated below. Rimon is not recommended for this and later generations.
Codling Moth Degree Day Timing – Second Generation | ||||||||
Application and Insecticide Type | ||||||||
County Area | Biofix | Rimon:
75-100DD + 14-17 days later
|
Intrepid
1150 + 1450 DD Diamides – Altacor, Voliam mixes: (150-200 DD) |
Madex
1250 DD + every 7-9 days during brood hatch (later if first spray is an IGR) |
Standard Insecticides – Delegate, Avaunt, OP’s, carbamates, pyrethroids
1250 DD + 1550 DD
|
|||
DD | 1150 | 1450 | 1250 | 1250 | 1550 | |||
Southern | April 22 | N/A | N/A | past | 7/7 | past | past | 7/9 |
Northern | May 1 | N/A | N/A | 7/3 | 7/13 | 7/6 | 7/6 | 7/17 |
Phenology Table: Based on annual observations made in Gloucester County.
Pest Event or Growth Stage | Approximate Date | 2024 Observed Date |
Bud Swell (Redhaven/PF-17) | March 23 +/- 15 Days | March 13 |
1/4″ Green Tip Red Delicious | March 31 +/- 13 Days | March 18 |
Pink Peach (Redhaven/PF-17) | April 4 +/- 15 Days | March 18 |
Tight Cluster Red Delicious | April 9 +/- 13 Days | March 30 |
Full Bloom Peach (Redhaven/PF-17) | April 9 +/- 14 Days | April 5 |
Pink Apple (Red Delicious) | April 14 +/- 12 Days | April 9 |
Full Bloom Apple (Red Delicious) | April 22 +/- 11 Days | April 20 |
Petal Fall (Redhaven) | April 22 +/- 10 Days | April 15 |
Petal Fall (Red Delicious) | April 27 +/- 13 Days | May 3 |
Shuck Split (Redhaven) | April 30 +/- 11 Days | April 22 |
Pit Hardening | June 15 +/- 9 Days | June 10 |
Tree Fruit Trap Captures – Southern Counties
STLM | TABM-A | CM | BMSB | OFM-A | DWB | OFM-P | TABM-P | LPTB | PTB | |
3/23/2024 | 70 | 0 | ||||||||
3/30/2024 | 29 | 0 | 0 | |||||||
4/6/2024 | 421 | 0 | 0 | |||||||
4/13/2024 | 415 | 7 | 1 | |||||||
4/20/2024 | 900 | 7 | 0 | |||||||
4/27/2024 | 312 | 2 | 22 | 1 | ||||||
5/4/2024 | 137 | 2 | 8 | 27 | 1 | 5 | ||||
5/11/2024 | 6 | 2 | 15 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 42 | |||
5/18/2024 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 12 | 41 | ||
5/25/2014 | 33 | 29 | 7 | 4 | 25 | 0 | 44 | 37 | ||
6/1/2024 | 719 | 12 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 44 | 57 | ||
6/8/2024 | 163 | 7 | 6 | 0 | 27 | 0 | 35 | 52 | 3 | |
6/15/2024 | 252 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 0 | 4 | 54 | 4 |
6/22/2024 | 252 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 0 | 4 | 54 | 4 |
6/29/2024 | 500 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 31 | 0 | 10 | 35 | 4 |
7/6/2024 | 245 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 34 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 0 |
Tree Fruit Trap Captures – Northern Counties
STLM | TABM-A | CM | BMSB | OFM-A | DWB | OFM-P | TABM-P | LPTB | PTB | AMBROSIA BEETLE | |
3/23/2024 | |||||||||||
3/30/2024 | |||||||||||
4/6/2024 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||
4/13/2024 | 3.25 | 37.6 | |||||||||
4/20/2024 | 11.75 | 93 | |||||||||
4/27/2024 | 0 | 19 | 50 | ||||||||
5/4/2024 | 1 | 16 | 19 | 124 | |||||||
5/11/2024 | 3 | 4 | 18 | 112 | |||||||
5/18/2024 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 83 | ||||
5/25/2024 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 16 | 8 | 23 | 55 | ||||
6/1/2024 | 16 | 7 | 0 | 28 | 7 | 21 | 37 | ||||
6/8/2024 | 17 | 4 | 0 | 23 | 3 | 16 | 2 | 12 | |||
6/15/2024 | 21 | 2 | 0 | 21 | 21 | 27 | 1 | 12 | |||
6/22/2024 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 43 | 13 | 16 | 1 | 3 | |||
6/29/2024 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 49 | 13 | 17 | 1 | 0 |