It’s time to consider sanitation practices that can help reduce over wintering scab inoculum. These practices should be considered an essential part of apple IPM programs.
For a refresher we’ve linked a short video explaining this approach.
Rutgers Cooperative Extension
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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It’s time to consider sanitation practices that can help reduce over wintering scab inoculum. These practices should be considered an essential part of apple IPM programs.
For a refresher we’ve linked a short video explaining this approach.
This year we observed damage to cranberries likely caused by an unknown “mirid” bug (Hemiptera: Miridae). These insects are known as true bugs and have piercing-sucking mouthparts to suck juices out the plants. The species has now been identified by Dr. Thomas Henry, from USDA-ARS-Systematic Entomology Laboratory in Beltsville, MD, as Plagiognathus repetitus (Hemiptera: Miridae).
The insect seems to damage young leaf and flower buds. We observed deformed leaves and flowers in June. This damage appears to cause serious reduction in yield. The damage was likely caused by the nymphs in April-May, as adults were seen in June-July.South Jersey vineyard and winery managers are invited to an Alert Meeting at Auburn Road Vineyard and Winery, 117 Sharptown-Pilesgrove Road, Woodstown, NJ on Monday September 29th at 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM.
We often see red leaves in vineyards at this time of the season, which can result from many causes including viruses, mineral deficiencies, trunk injury, and crown gall. In a season like 2014, following a damaging winter, the most common causes include the aftereffects of cold injury to the woody parts of the vines and the subsequent crown gall infections.
There are several well-documented types of viruses known to have serious deleterious effects on the performance of grape vines with names like Grape Leaf Roll and Grape Fan Leaf. A newly identified virus, generally called Red Blotch, is present in New Jersey vineyards. Red Blotch biology and potential impact on vineyard performance is yet to be worked out.
Scientists at the USDA are conducting a second year of the “Great Stink Bug Count” and are looking for volunteers from NJ! They are trying to identify characteristics of houses that brown marmorated stink bugs look for when finding overwintering sites. Last year’s count had over 200 volunteers with 44 individuals who counted every day.
The basics:
Consider participating in the 2014 Great Stink Bug Count!
September 15 – October 15, 2014
You can download particpant forms here: http://www.stopbmsb.org/2014-
Results from 2013 are the first to document factors that may be important in where bugs chose to overwinter. Last year’s results suggest that landscape factors, specifically agriculture and woodland habitats, may have the greatest influence on the number of BMSB overwintering on a house.
This data will go a long way to helping us figure out important steps to managing BMSB. They are looking for citizen scientists to help out! Please fill out the attached form and send it in if you are interested!
The week in Fruit IPM
- Tree Fruit
- Grape
- Blueberry
This week in Fruit IPM
- Tree Fruit
- Grape
- Blueberry