The fungicide Luna Sensation has been registered for use on peach. This fungicide was previously registered on apple and cherry in 2012. Due to its recent release this spring for peach disease control, Luna Sensation was not included in the latest 2016 publication of the New Jersey Commercial Tree Fruit Production Guide. Thus, below is a discussion of its attributes and suggested usage for disease control on peach. [Read more…]
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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Fruit IPM for 5-10-2016
Peach
Oriental Fruit Moth: Oriental fruit moth is the primary key insect in peaches that is the ‘worm in the fruit’. It has 4 generations in NJ. During the first 2 flights, eggs are laid primarily on leaf petioles and growing shoots. Larvae hatch and mine down the new growth. As the larvae feed on developing shoots, flagging is seen when the growing terminal dies and falls over. Some eggs from the second generation and much of the 3rd and 4th generation are laid on the fruit surface. When the larva hatch, they bore into the fruit, causing infested fruit. First generation timings are updated below:
| OFM 1st Generation Timing | |||
| Insecticide Type | |||
| County/Region | Degree Days by 5/10 base 45 | Conventional 170-200, 350-375 |
Diamide 100-150, 300-350 |
| Gloucester – Southern | 315 | 1st – past 2nd – 5/12-5/13 |
1st – past 2nd – 5/9-5/12 |
| Hunterdon – Northern | 227 | 1st – past 2nd – 5/19-5/21 |
1st – past 2nd – 5/15-5/18 |
Plum Curculio (PC): PC adults usually begin egg laying once the fruit is out of the shuck. Preferred materials that offer PC control now are Avaunt, and Imidan. If using high rates of a neonicotinoid (i.e. Actara, Belay, Assail), be aware that there is a synergistic effect when used in tank mixes with DMI materials (i.e. Rally) with regard to bee toxicity. Neonicotinoids should not be used if there are any flowering weeds in your orchard. Those flowering weeds will attract bees, which will be killed by the insecticide. The use of most of these products when bees are present is off label and therefore not legal. If pyrethroids are being used, then high rates are advisable, since low rates often do not control PC, especially in hot weather. Where PC is a problem, growers should rotate away from pyrethroid insecticides if possible. Actara and Belay will also control PC (and GPA), but not OFM. [Read more…]
May 9, 2016 Cesar Rodriguez-Saona
Insect Pests to Look For in Cranberry Bogs: Early Season
The following insect pests bear special mention for early-season scouting in cranberry bogs:
Blackheaded fireworm – Blackheaded fireworm eggs overwinter on the bed and usually hatch by around mid-May. It is important to catch the first generation, if possible, because the second generation occurs during bloom and is typically much more destructive. Blackheaded fireworm larvae can be detected by sweep net sampling and it is a good idea to look along the edges of beds where vines first begin to grow. Remember: blackheaded fireworm is much easier to control if detected during the early part of the season.
Blackheaded fireworm Larva (Photo by D. Schiffhauer)
Blackheaded fireworm Adult (Photo by D. Schiffhauer)
May 4, 2016 Dan Kluchinski
North Jersey Tree Fruit: May 10, 2016 On-Farm Twilight Meeting
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Date: May 10, 2016 5:30pm
Location: Ken Wightman’s Farm,
1111 Mt. Kemble Ave,
Morristown, NJ
Fruit growers and industry are invited to the North Jersey Tree Fruit Twilight Meeting on May 10 5:30 PM at Ken Wightman’s Farm.The program includes: Wightman Farm orchard tour, fungicide update, chemical thinning of apple, and early season pests update.
NJDEP pesticide recertification credits (CORE, PP2 and 1A) will be offered.
See you there!
Download FlyerFor more information contact Morris County Ag Agent Peter Nitzsche @ (973) 285‑8304
May 3, 2016 Wes Kline
On-Farm Food Safety:
The Difference Between an Audit & an Inspection
Over the last 15 years we have talked about third party audits to verify your food safety plan. Now you are hearing about inspections.
What is the difference?
Audits
Audits are voluntary evaluations that growers are doing at the request of their buyers. Some growers may not think that audits are voluntary since some growers have been told if they did not have one, a specific buyer would not purchase their produce. That is true, but you still had the choice to sell to someone else if you did not want to go through the audit process. The audit was verifying what you said you were doing for food safety.
Inspections
The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) has added the inspection component to food safety. The final FSMA rule went into effect January 2016. As FSMA is implemented over the next two to four years, growers will hear more about inspections and how it may impact their operations. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) now has more authority for fresh produce which adds another layer of compliance for growers. Inspections will be done by a government entity with specific requirements and implies some type of enforcement in the future. FDA is not in any hurry to start an enforcement program. They have made it clear that education is the first priority, but in reality sometime in the future there will be enforcement. Who will do the inspections is still being decided between FDA and the different states. In New Jersey, the New Jersey Department of Agriculture will probably be the lead agency as it relates to farms and on farm packinghouses.
Coping with New Rules: On-Farm Readiness Review
There is a group of extension personnel from Florida, Michigan, New Jersey and North Carolina working with the National Association State Departments of Agriculture on a grant from the FDA to develop an On Farm Readiness Review. This will be a self-assessment tool for growers, extension personnel and inspectors to help everyone when a farm is inspected. The plan is to have the final version available next year.
Growers will receive training over the next year to help comply with the Produce Rule in FSMA. The good news is growers who have been through a third party audit already meet or exceed most requirements for FSMA. Water testing is the one area where there are differences, but the training will help clarify those differences.
April 29, 2016 Dean Polk
Fruit IPM for 4-27-2016
Peach
Oriental Fruit Moth: An OFM biofix was set for April 3 in southern counties. Treatments for the first flight will be due at 170-200 degree days after the first trap captures or “biofix.” According to the NEWA weather station in Upper Deerfield, we reached 170 DD on 4/22. Therefore the first applications for OFM should be applied between 4/22 – 4/25. The second application is due about 5/6-8. In northern counties, as represented at the Snyder Farm location the first application will be due about 5/2 and the second application between 5/10-12. Oriental fruit moth has 4 generations per year in NJ. The highest population of adult moths usually present in the season produces this first brood. Therefore this is the most important generation to treat. This is particularly true if you have peach blocks with little to no crop, and you want a minimal program for those blocks. If you don’t treat for any other insects in those blocks, treat for this first generation. This will protect the trees from much of the early terminal flagging that will occur if left untreated.
Plum Curculio (PC): PC adults usually begin egg laying once the fruit is out of the shuck. Preferred materials that offer PC control now are Avaunt, and Imidan. If using high rates of a neonicotinoid (i.e. Actara, Belay, Assail), be aware that there is a synergistic effect when used in tank mixes with DMI materials (i.e. Rally) with regard to bee toxicity. Neonicotinoids should not be used if there are any flowering weeds in your orchard. Those flowering weeds will attract bees, which will be killed by the insecticide. The use of most of these products when bees are present is off label and therefore not legal. If pyrethroids are being used, then high rates are advisable, since low rates often do not control PC, especially in hot weather. Where PC is a problem, growers should rotate away from pyrethroid insecticides if possible. Actara and Belay will also control PC (and GPA), but not OFM. [Read more…]
