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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April 18, 2018

Matrix SG Supplemental Label for Highbush Blueberry

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) a Section 3 Supplemental Label for use of the herbicide Matrix SG 25% WDG (rimsulfuron) for use on blueberries, raspberries and blackberries. This label will be in effect through March 31, 2020.

Matrix may be applied to these crops at 4 oz product per acre. It may be applied pre-emergence or early post-emergence to the weeds. If weeds are present at application, add non-ionic surfactant at 0.25%to the tank mix. Matrix is most effective if moved into the soil (activated) by 0.5-inch rainfall.

On highbush blueberries, apply Matrix to bushes established at least one year. Apply in a strip on each side of the row, avoiding contact with green blueberry leaves or stems. Matrix is moderately soluble and should not be used on soils classified as sands to avoid leaching into the bush root zone. Do not exceed 4 ounces product per acre per year. If Matrix is applied in a band of 50 percent or less of the total area, a second application may be made each year. Matrix may be applied up to 21 days before harvest.

Matrix herbicide is active against several annual grasses and broadleaves, including mustards and pigweeds. It has fair activity against most of the composites, but is weak on common groundsel. It is also weak on common lambsquarters and eastern black nightshade. It will provide six to eight weeks of weed suppression at the labeled rate, and is most effective if used with other residual herbicides. Matrix will also provide suppression of yellow nutsedge. To obtain the most effective results, use the highest rate allowed based on the width of your spray band and make two applications. Make the first application when emerging nutsedge is 2 to 4 inches tall and repeat application 14 days later. If yellow nutsedge is greater than 6 inches tall at the first application, weed control effectiveness will be greatly reduced

Matrix is a group 2(B) ALS inhibitor; Sandea is the only other group 2 herbicide labeled and widely used in fruit crops. Matrix is a good tank-mix partner with the PS II inhibitors such as Karmex, Group 7(C2), or Princep, Group 5(C1), and the PPO inhibitors such as Chateau or Zeus, Group 14. However, growers should be reminded that population of common ragweed and marestail/horseweed in New Jersey have evolved resistance to ALS inhibiting herbicides. Therefore, we recommend that a foliar active herbicide with activity on common ragweed and marestail/horseweed  (such  as  paraquat or glufosinate)  must  be  tank  mixed  with  Matrix SG herbicide for  best  control  and  resistance  management when these weeds have already emerged.

Other commercial rimsulfuron herbicides may include these crops on the label. For instance, Solida from FMC includes blueberry and caneberry on the label

The new Supplemental Label is available from the internet at CDMS

Filed Under: Blueberry
April 18, 2018

Select Max Supplemental Label for Bearing Pome and Stone Fruits

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approved a new Supplemental Label for use of the graminicide Select Max 0.97 EC (clethodim) for bearing pome and stone fruits. This includes apples, pears and all other pome fruits, and apricots, cherries, nectarine, peaches, plums and related hybrids. The label also includes low-growing berry crops (except cranberry and strawberry), including low-bush blueberry. Previously it was only available for use on non-bearing fruits.

The label allows use of 12 to 16 fluid ounces (0.09-0.12 lbs active ingredient) per acre of Select Max in each application, with a maximum of 64 fluid ounces per acre per year. There is a 14-day pre-harvest interval (PHI) for all the tree fruit. The PHI for small fruit is 45 days. Always include 0.25% v/v non-ionic surfactant in the herbicide solution (1 quart in 100 gallons of spray solution).
Select Max is effective against all annual grasses, and is especially effective against annual bluegrass, which Poast (sethoxydim) tends to miss. Select Max at the highest labeled rate is moderately effective against quackgrass, orchardgrass and other perennial grasses.

Select Max is similar to the other graminicides, in that it kills grasses slowly. Visual symptoms (yellowing of the leaves) appear about one week after application. Normally, about four to five days after application, the tallest part of the grass plants can be pulled off and will have yellow discoloration at the node where it breaks off. Large, well-established grasses, especially perennials, may need a second application of Select Max or other grass herbicide three to four weeks after the first application to kill them completely.

The Select Max Supplemental Label is part of the Select Max Section 3 Federal label. The Supplemental Label expires in May 2019. By then these uses should be included on the Federal label attached to containers. The new Supplemental Label is available from the internet at CDMS

 

Filed Under: Tree Fruit
April 11, 2018

Tree Fruit IPM Report for April 11, 2018

Peach:

Brown Rot: Blossom infections from the brown rot fungus can occur whenever pistils are exposed and a favorable climate exists. Infections can occur during any wetting period when temperatures are between 41 and 86 °F. However, optimum conditions for infection occur with wetting and temperatures in the mid 70’s. During long wetting periods (several days or more) blossoms can be infected regardless of temperature. Generally infections that occur when conditions are sub optimal are less severe. Blossoms and fruitlets will remain susceptible until the pistil dessicates (sometime between petal fall and shuck split). [Read more…]

Filed Under: Tree Fruit Tagged With: ,
March 28, 2018

Early Season Tree Fruit Pest Control in 2018

  • Dormant season oil sprays
  • Dormant season copper sprays
  • Dormant season urea sprays

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Tree Fruit
March 16, 2018

Save the Date

South Jersey Tree Fruit Twilight Meeting – I

5 – 7:30 pm, April 4

@ Gloucester County Extension Office, 1200 N. Delsea Drive, Bldg. # A, Clayton, NJ 08312

Detailed program flyer available at:  South Jersey Tree Fruit Twilight – I

Pesticide re-certification credits – CORE (2), 1A (4), PP2 (4) and 10 (4)

Light fare will be provided. Please call Joan Medany jmedany@co.gloucester.nj.us or call 856-307-6450 ex.1 if you are planning to attend.

For any question contact Hemant Gohil (Program Organizer) at 856-307-6450 Ext 1 prior to the meeting.

Filed Under: Blueberry, Cranberry, Fruit, Strawberry, Tree Fruit, Wine Grape Tagged With: , ,
February 26, 2018

US Food & Drug Administration Announces Microbiological Surveillance Sampling for Fresh Herbs (Cilantro, Basil & Parsley) to Continue Through 2018

The US FDA has announced an ongoing surveillance program started in October 2017 will continue through 2018 until they collect at least 1600 samples each of fresh cilantro, parsley and basil. FDA inspectors will be visiting farm packinghouses, wholesale packers, domestic and import warehouses and shippers, as well as retail purveyors, From their press release,

From 1996 to 2015, the FDA reported nine [food born illness] outbreaks linked to basil, parsley, and cilantro, which resulted in 2,699 illnesses and 84 hospitalizations. Four of the outbreaks were linked to basil, three to cilantro, and two to parsley.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Food Safety, Fruit, Vegetable Crops