As we approach the end of bloom, growers should consider the need for any post-bloom applications. The main pest targets for these applications are mainly Sparganothis fruitworm and spotted fireworm. [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.
Subscriptions are available via EMAIL and RSS.
June 25, 2013 Dean Polk, Dave Schmitt, and Atanas Atanassov
Fruit IPM Report: Week Ending 6/29/13
Fruit IPM Report 6-29-13 – Click to View | Download | Print
In this report:
- Peach
- Apple
- Grape
- Scouting Calendar
- Blueberry
- Trap Counts
June 25, 2013 Dave Schmitt
Brown Rot Found in Nectarines
Last week a block of Fantasia nectarines was found to have a very small percentage of rot present. This week several more blocks were found with rotten fruit present. The common denominator between the three is that they were all mid – late season nectarines that had been just thinned or were being thinned during the severe weather pattern we just experienced. Fruit were injured or the stems knocked loose from either heavy downpours or breaking up clusters. In one orchard many of the rotten fruit were dropping so it is likely the stem had been compromised. Any type of injury in these weather conditions can lead to rot infection.
So what should you do?
- Don’t panic! Fruit should have a high degree of resistance at this point. Only fruit injured in some way should be susceptible to rot;
- Maintain good coverage with a full rate of captan during periods of unstable weather;
- If possible, remove all the rotten fruit from the orchard canopy. Rotten fruit on the ground can be removed by discing where sod middles are not maintained.
June 24, 2013 Administrator
On Ag Updates: Heat Stress Prevention
This week’s forecast is for temperatures in the 90’s with high humidity. Agricultural worker safety is important to agricultural employers. Ag Agent Michelle Infante-Casella outlines some tips on preventing worker illness during hot weather on the Ag Updates Blog.
Heat Stress Prevention
June 19, 2013 Wes Kline and Meredith Melendez
Farm Food Safety: FDA Q&A Printable Summary
The Food Safety Modernization Act will impact most growers in New Jersey.
Over the past weeks, we have posted the Questions and Answers for each of the conference calls focusing on subparts of the proposed Produce Safety Rule of the Food Safety Modernization Act on the PPA Food Safety section. For your convenience, the Q&A’s have been collected into a single PDF.
June 19, 2013 Cesar Rodriguez-Saona
Thoughts on Managing “The Big Three” Blueberry Insect Pests
As we go forward growers will want to have effective programs for the management of all of The Big Three insects at this time: Blueberry Maggot (BBM), Aphids, and Spotted Wing Drosophila (SWD).
[Read more…]
