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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May 5, 2015

Performing a Detailed Inspection of Wine Grape Planting Material

Figure 1. A bundle of healthy grafted grape vines. These vines are moist, have healthy roots, and are clearly labeled.

Figure 1. A bundle of healthy grafted grape vines. These vines are moist, have healthy roots, and are clearly labeled.

Spring is a good time to plant new grapevines as the soil is warm and moist enough to support early growth and vines get plenty of time to get established during the growing season that follows. When your order of vines arrives, make sure that your planting material is of good quality before it is planted.

Source Planting Materials from Quality Nurseries

The best way to begin ensuring that you have good, healthy and productive grapevines is to source planting material from nurseries that provide clean materials or certified vines. Planting material from nurseries that follow quality assurance protocols reduces the chances of getting diseased or weak planting material.
Certified material means cuttings come from a source block that was properly managed, subjected to regular inspections for insect pests, disease damage, and tested for virus right from propagation through packaging. These nurseries also go through independent third party audits.

Make sure that planting material comes with documents or labels that will help in tracing plants back to the original source. Each bundle of vines should have proper labels describing primary information such as variety, clone, rootstock and some kind of batch number. Make sure your planting material was shipped promptly after packing and came in a temperature-controlled vehicle. Presently there are no certified nurseries in New Jersey; however, there are several certified nurseries available in California and few in Oregon, Washington and New York. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Wine Grape
May 5, 2015

Cranberry IPM: Sparganothis Fruitworm Degree-Day Benchmarks Provide Key Treatment Timings

Degree-day benchmarks indicate discrete biological events in the development of insect pests. For the Sparganothis fruitworm, recent studies conducted by Dr. Shawn Steffan (USDA-ARS/University of Wisconsin-Madison), Annie Deutsch (University of Wisconsin-Madison), and Cesar Rodriguez-Saona (Rutgers University) have isolated the key development events and linked them to degree-day (DD) accumulations. These degree-day accumulations can improve treatment timings for cranberry IPM programs in spring and summer.

Sparganothis adult

Sparganothis adult

Sparganothis larva

Sparganothis larva

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Cranberry
May 2, 2015

Fire Blight Alert

The Cougar Blight model over at NEWA is predicting a high risk of fire blight for this coming week, due to the coming hot weather and high humidity along with a chance of showers.

Currently May 5-9 looks like a high risk period for infection. Growers should apply antibiotic to any apple or pear blocks with open blossoms prior to any risk of infection. Streptomycin and oxytetracycline formulations are generally thought to provide 1-2 days protection and possible 24 hours back action. A predication of high risk over a 4 day period may require 2 applications 2 days apart, especially if there is rainfall, and/or the orchard is not yet at full bloom. Follow the label rates. 24 ozs. of strep/acre should suffice. Check your local conditions using NEWA and check back daily as the prediction may change.

Filed Under: Tree Fruit
April 28, 2015

Fruit IPM Report 4-28-2015

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Peach

Petal Fall Insect Complex: An OFM biofix was set for April 20 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 have had 49 degree days accumulate since 4/20. This timing usually coincides with late petal fall to shuck split, however we are a little late this year, since we have about 120 degree days to go until the first OFM treatment.

Since we are still waiting for the OFM timing, the initial petal fall spray will primarily target plum curculio, tarnished plant bug and other catfacing insects. Plum curculio is active, and will feed on blossoms and freshly set fruit. See last week’s newsletter and the Tree Fruit Production Guide for insecticide options. Given the current insect targets, Avaunt is one of the better materials for plum curculio (PC) at this time, and also covers Oriental fruit moth and tarnished plant bug. We are not concerned with BMSB at this time, so many of the other materials which are effective for BMSB can be saved for later in the season.
[Read more…]

Filed Under: Blueberry, Tree Fruit
April 23, 2015

Fruit IPM Report 4-24-2015

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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 desiccates (sometime between petal fall and shuck split).

Petal Fall Insect Complex: An OFM biofix was set in southern counties on 4/20. Treatments for the first flight will be due at 170-200 degree days after the first trap captures or “biofix.” This timing usually coincides with late petal fall to shuck split. Be sure all petals are off before applying insecticides. Imidan, Lannate, and synthetic pyrethroids (Asana, Ambush/Pounce, Danitol, Mustang/ Mustang Maxx, Warrior, Baythroid) are rated for control of petal fall insect pests. Diamide and diamide mixes are also labeled, and include Altacor, Belt, Voliam Flexi and Voliam Express, Belt and Tourismo, and the new diamide, Exirel. When used alone the diamides are only effective against Leps. such as OFM. Exirel is a second generation diamide and will also control PC, but must be used at the higher rate to do so. This makes it expensive to use. The spinosyn, Delegate is effective for OFM and other Leps, and thrips if they are present in nectarines. Experience has shown that the pyrethroids may be weak at lower rates against plum curculio (PC), especially in hot weather. If using any of the pyrethroids, use a high rate in order to control both OFM and PC. Rotate pyrethroids (IRAC group 3) and O.P.’s (IRAC group 1B) with different chemistries for resistance management. The key arthropod targets at petal fall are OFM, PC and various catfacing insects, primarily tarnished plant bug and native stinkbugs.
[Read more…]

Filed Under: Tree Fruit
April 23, 2015

Weather Alert from NJ Dept of Ag: Open Burn Approval

At the request of the NJ Dept of Agriculture, DEP Commissioner Martin today approved open burning and the use of smudge pots for tonight and Friday because of the extreme cold temperatures forecasted for those evenings. This approval mirrors the approval from 2012. Copies of the approval and restriction memo plus the list of Critical Temperatures for Frost Protection of Various Crops are attached.

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Fruit, Tree Fruit, Vegetable Crops