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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July 9, 2024 , and

Note Changes in Harmonized Audits for 2024

It has come to our attention that growers are using on old self audit checklist for their 2024 audit.  According to USDA the old form was not acceptable after April 30, 2024!  The USDA released the new Harmonized GAP Standard and Harmonized Plus+ Standard Audits in March to give growers the opportunity to update their plans. There are several changes related to section numbers and deleted numbers so if you have your audit plan setup by section number check to make sure they have not changed. Also, eight questions have been added. Following is a summary of those questions:

  • G 2.4 – Approved service provider list required (the grower approves the list)
  • G 7.2 – A designated recall team is required
  • G 7.3 – Must perform a mock recall exercise annually
  • G 11.5 – Must have labels and instructions for any water treatment chemical used
  • G 11.8 – Compressed air or other gases contacting food or food contact surfaces must be maintained
  • F 6.3 – Must have a procedure for storing and handling growing media (e.g., perlite, peat, rock wool, etc.)
  • F 9.4 – Re-used water must be treated with a labeled product
  • P 5.2 – A master cleaning schedule with standard operating procedures (SOP) must be established

There are two documents for each audit: Harmonized GAP Standard (v 3.0) or Harmonized GAP Plus+ standard (v 5.0). Each audit has a corresponding checklist “Harmonized GAP Combined Checklist (v6.1)” This is the checklist a grower should be using to their self-audit. Remember an older version will not be accepted which means the audit fails.  Go to the Rutgers On-Farm Food Safety website an look under the USDA Audits tab or go to Harmonized GAP | Agricultural Marketing Service (usda.gov) to download the correct versions.

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Food Safety, Fruit, Organic Production, vegetable, Vegetable Crops
July 9, 2024 and

Tree Fruit IPM Report July 9, 2024

Peach:

Oriental Fruit Moth: A biofix point for OFM was set on 4/10 in both northern and southern counties.  All Treatments for the second generation have past.

OFM 2nd Generation Timing
Insecticide Type
County/Region Degree Days by  7/8 base 45 Conventional

2100-2200

2450-2500

 Intrepid/Rimon

2000-2100

2350-2450

 Diamides/Virus

2025-2150

2375-2450
Gloucester – Southern 2041 1st –7/9-7/12

2nd – 7/20-7/22

 1st –7/7-7/9

2nd – 7/17-7/20

 1st –7/8-7/11

2nd – 7/18-7/20
Hunterdon – Northern 1843 1st – 7/15-7/18

2nd – 7/25-7/28

 1st – 7/12-7/15

2nd – 7/22-7/25

 1st – 7/13-7/15

2nd – 7/23-7/25

Tarnished Plant Bugs; and Other Catfacing Insects: Catfacing insects remain very active. Very little recent fruit feeding has been observed.

Thrips: Flower Thrips have been observed feeding in highly colored ripening fruit, especially in poorly managed ground covers that contain clover or other flowering weeds. Thrips damage appears as “silvering” and usually appears on fruit close to harvest. If populations are high damage can be extensive. Presence of thrips may be scouted for using a beating tray to detect the presence of adults and nymphs in the tree. Flowering weeeds and shrubs on orchard edges may also be scouted by shaking flowers onto a beating tray or a sheet of paper. Delegate or Entrust at the highest labeled rate are the usual recommended materials for thrips in stone fruit. Lannate may be effective in some orchards but has not worked well in recent years. These materials all have short PHI’s and may be applied close to harvest when damage typically appears. Damage is different than peach and appears as a dark streak in a similar pattern as silvering. See the NJ Commercial Tree Fruit Production Guide for more information.

Japanese Beetles: Japanese beetle activity has been noticeable in many orchards. Effective materials include many of the pyrethroids, Neonicitinoids and Sevin (Carbamate). Products containing imidacloprid are standard insecticides for Japanese beetle control and should have a 0 day PHI. See the NJ Commercial Tree Fruit Production Guide for more information.

Apples and Pears:

Diseases: Now that primary scab is nearing the end, or has ended, the focus turns toward summer diseases such as fruit rots (esp. Bitter rot), and sooty blotch and fly speck. Bitter rot control has been difficult at best in recent years even where management programs have been rigorous. Research has suggested Products such as Merivon, Luna Sensation, Inspire Super, and Aprovia may be effective, and longtime reliable broad spectrum fungicides such as omega, captan and ziram should provide control. Experience has suggested that the addition of phosphorous acid products such as Prophyt or Rampart to captan sprays may improve control. Observations are that these products improve control of other summer diseases such as sooty blotch and flyspeck, and may help suppress scab infections where present. Bitter rot symptoms have been appearing for several weeks in southern counties.

Codling Moth (CM): The first generation codling moth timings have ended. Trap captures Continue and increased in some southern county orchards this week. A biofix was set for CM on April 17th in both northern and southern counties. Second generation timings are updated below. Rimon is not recommended for this and later generations.

Codling Moth Degree Day Timing – Second Generation
Application and Insecticide Type
County Area Biofix Rimon:

75-100DD + 14-17 days later

 

 Intrepid

1150 + 1450 DD

Diamides – Altacor, Voliam mixes: (150-200 DD)

 Madex

1250 DD + every 7-9 days during brood hatch (later if first spray is an IGR)

 Standard Insecticides –  Delegate, Avaunt, OP’s, carbamates, pyrethroids

1250 DD + 1550 DD

 
DD 1150 1450 1250 1250 1550
Southern April 22 N/A N/A past 7/7 past past 7/9
Northern  May 1 N/A N/A 7/3 7/13 7/6 7/6 7/17

Phenology Table: Based on annual observations made in Gloucester County.

Pest Event or Growth Stage Approximate Date 2024 Observed Date
 Bud Swell (Redhaven/PF-17)  March 23 +/- 15 Days March 13
1/4″ Green Tip Red Delicious March 31 +/- 13 Days March 18
Pink Peach (Redhaven/PF-17) April 4 +/- 15 Days March 18
Tight Cluster Red Delicious April 9 +/- 13 Days March 30
Full Bloom Peach (Redhaven/PF-17) April 9 +/- 14 Days April 5
Pink Apple (Red Delicious) April 14 +/- 12 Days April 9
Full Bloom Apple (Red Delicious) April 22 +/- 11 Days April 20
Petal Fall (Redhaven) April 22 +/- 10 Days April 15
Petal Fall (Red Delicious) April 27 +/- 13 Days  May 3
Shuck Split (Redhaven) April 30 +/- 11 Days  April 22
Pit Hardening June 15 +/- 9 Days  June 10

 

 

Tree Fruit Trap Captures – Southern Counties

STLM TABM-A CM BMSB OFM-A DWB OFM-P TABM-P LPTB PTB
3/23/2024 70 0
3/30/2024 29 0 0
4/6/2024 421 0 0
4/13/2024 415 7 1
4/20/2024 900 7 0
4/27/2024 312 2 22  1
5/4/2024 137 2 8 27 1 5
5/11/2024 6 2 15 2 1 10 42
5/18/2024 5 6 11 2 6 0 12 41
5/25/2014 33 29 7 4 25 0 44 37
6/1/2024 719 12 12 1 1 0 44 57
6/8/2024 163 7 6 0 27 0 35 52 3
6/15/2024 252 4 0 0 0 31 0 4 54 4
6/22/2024 252 4 0 0 0 31 0 4 54 4
6/29/2024 500 1 1 2 0 31 0 10 35 4
7/6/2024 245 2 5 2 1 34 0 0 27 0

Tree Fruit Trap Captures – Northern Counties

STLM TABM-A CM BMSB OFM-A DWB OFM-P TABM-P LPTB PTB AMBROSIA BEETLE
3/23/2024
3/30/2024
4/6/2024 0 0
4/13/2024 3.25 37.6
4/20/2024 11.75 93
4/27/2024 0 19 50
5/4/2024 1 16 19 124
5/11/2024 3 4 18 112
5/18/2024 4 2 1 2 2 2 83
5/25/2024 7 5 0 16 8 23 55
6/1/2024 16 7 0 28 7 21 37
6/8/2024 17 4 0 23 3 16 2 12
6/15/2024 21 2 0 21 21 27 1 12
6/22/2024 13 1 0 43 13 16 1 3
6/29/2024 15 1 0 49 13 17 1 0
Filed Under: Tree Fruit
July 8, 2024

Post-Bloom Insecticide Applications for Cranberries – July 08, 2024

Most beds are either out of bloom or should be coming out of bloom soon. If Sparganothis fruitworm trap counts have been high and you haven’t already treated, you should consider doing so in the next few days after honey bees are removed to prevent damage to berries. The best post-bloom treatment options are Diazinon, Intrepid, Altacor, or Delegate. All treatments for lepidopteran pests should be completed before the end of this week to avoid significant fruit injury. Additionally, please monitor the weather conditions, as there will be several rainy days this week.

Root-feeding Pests of Cranberries

If your beds show damage caused by root-feeding insects, you should consider treatment with Imidacloprid (e.g., Admire Pro, Alias 4F, Alias 2F) after bees are removed. The presence of root-feeding insects will be indicated by dead patches (see Picture 1). Pull up dead vines and search through the root zone and soil for grubs and worms. Imidacloprid (Admire Pro or other generic insecticides) is labeled for controlling cranberry rootworm, white grubs (Phyllophaga spp.), and other scarabs in cranberries.

White grubs, Phyllophaga spp. Several species of white grubs infest cranberries in New Jersey, with P. georgiana being the most abundant. These grubs are C-shaped and often found near bog margins.

Picture 1. Damage caused by root-feeding insects.

The adults are reddish-brown and nocturnal. While the grubs attack cranberry roots, the adults have not been reported to feed on cranberries (see Picture 2 of grubs and adults in cranberries). The life cycles and abundance of white grub species in New Jersey are not well known. However, it is likely that Phyllophaga grubs have a 3-year life cycle based on previous reports and our observations. Eggs are laid in late June and July, hatching in July. First instars can be found in late July and August, turning into second instars by the end of August to September. The second instar grubs will overwinter. The following year, these grubs will feed until June and molt into third instars, which will overwinter again. In the subsequent year, the third instars will feed for a while before pupating in June. Pupation occurs in July-August, with adults appearing in the soil in August-September. These adults will remain in the soil and overwinter, emerging in June to mate and lay eggs, thus completing the cycle.

Cranberry rootworm (Chrysomelidae). Pupation starts in late May, with beetles emerging in early June. Adults (see Picture 3) are nocturnal and

Picture 2. Developmental stages of Phyllophaga georgiana.

hide in leaf litter, but can be easily picked up with a sweep net. Females feed on foliage before laying eggs. Young larvae feed on roots, with feeding continuing until October. In the fall, the mature larvae (see Picture 4) move down into the soil to overwinter. Holding water will delay the onset of pupation. The rootworm has a 1-year life cycle. Entomopathogenic nematodes (Heterorhabditis bacteriophora) can be used to control cranberry rootworm.

Use of Imidacloprid. If treatment is needed, use Imidacloprid (Admire Pro or other generic insecticides such as Alias 4F) to control white grubs and rootworms. Imidacloprid is most effective against early (1st-2nd instar) grubs and should be applied after bees are removed from the beds. Due to the 3-year life cycle of these pests, treatment should be continued for 2-3 consecutive years to ensure effective control. Imidacloprid, a neonicotinoid insecticide, is registered for use in cranberries against cranberry rootworm and scarab grubs. This insecticide acts as a contact and stomach poison, affecting the insect nervous system. It is highly systemic and toxic to honey bees, so it should only be used as a post-pollination insecticide. Imidacloprid can be applied by ground or by chemigation, but aerial application is prohibited. The insecticide has a long residual activity (over 100 days) as long as it is not directly exposed to the sun.

Picture 4. Cranberry rootworm larvae.

Picture 3. Cranberry rootworm adult.

Filed Under: Cranberry, Fruit
July 2, 2024 , and

Food Safety Certification for Specialty Crop (FSCSC) Cost Share Program

This is the chance for eligible fresh fruit and vegetable growers to recover some of their expenses for implementing food safety practices on the farm.

For 2024:

  • Applications are due between July 1, 2024 and January 31, 2025
  • Eligible expenses must be between June 26, 2024 and December 31, 2024

For 2025:

  • Application is due between January 1, 2025 and January 1, 2026
  • Eligible expenses must be between January 1, 2025 and December 31, 2025

Eligible specialty crop operations can apply for FSCSC by working directly with the Farm Service Agency offices at your local FSA office for details. Applications will be accepted via mail, fax, hand delivery, or electronic means.

How the Food Safety Certification for Specialty Crops Program Works

The FSCSC program provides financial assistance for specialty crop operations that incur eligible on-farm food safety program expenses related to obtaining or renewing a food safety certification in years 2024 and 2025. This program helps offset costs to comply with regulatory requirements and market-driven food safety certification requirements.  FSCSC will cover a percentage of the specialty crop operation’s cost of obtaining or renewing their certification, as well as a percentage of their related expenses.

Program Eligibility

Eligibility requirements for FSCSC applicants are outlined below. We recommend you review these requirements before initiating your FSCSC application.

To be eligible for FSCSC, an applicant must:

  • Have obtained or renewed:
  • 2024 food safety certification issued between June 26, 2024, and December 31, 2024
  • 2025 food safety certification issued during calendar year 2025.
  • Be a specialty crop operation (growing fresh fruits and vegetables); and meet the definition of a small business or very small business.
  • A small (farm) business means an applicant that had an average annual monetary value of specialty crops the applicant sold during the 3-year period preceding the program year of more than $250,000 but not more than $500,000.
  • A very small (farm) business means an applicant that had an average annual monetary value of specialty crops the applicant sold during the 3-year period preceding the program year of no more than $250,000.
Category of Eligible Expenses Payment Amount of Eligible Costs
Developing a Food Safety Plan for First Time Certification 75% (no maximum)
Maintaining or Updating a Food Safety Plan 75% up to $675
Food Safety Certification 75% up to $2,000
Certification Upload Fees 75% up to $375
Microbiological Testing of Produce 75% up to 5 tests
Microbiological Testing of Soil Amendments 75% up to 5 tests
Microbiological Testing of Water 75% up to 5 tests
Training Expenses 100% up to $500

FSCSC payments are calculated separately for each category of eligible costs based on the percentages and maximum payment amounts.  The FSCSC application and associated forms are available online at  farmers.gov/food-safety.

You are encouraged to contact the Farm Service Agency office about FSCSC, program eligibility, or the application process. You may also call 877-508-8364 to speak directly with a USDA employee ready to provide one-on-one assistance.

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Food Safety, Fruit, Organic Production, vegetable, Vegetable Crops
June 27, 2024 and

Tree Fruit IPM Report June 27, 2024

Peach:

Oriental Fruit Moth: A biofix point for OFM was set on 4/10 in both northern and southern counties.  All Treatments for the second generation have past.

Tarnished Plant Bugs; and Other Catfacing Insects: Catfacing remain very active. Very little recent fruit feeding has been observed.

Thrips: Flower Thrips have been observed feeding in highly colored ripening fruit, especially in poorly managed ground covers that contain clover or other flowering weeds. Thrips damage appears as “silvering” and usually appears on fruit close to harvest. If populations are high damage can be extensive. Presence of thrips may be scouted for using a beating tray to detect the presence of adults and nymphs in the tree. Flowering weeeds and shrubs on orchard edges may also be scouted by shaking flowers onto a beating tray or a sheet of paper. Delegate or Entrust at the highest labeled rate are the usual recommended materials for thrips in stone fruit. Lannate may be effective in some orchards but has not worked well in recent years. These materials all have short PHI’s and may be applied close to harvest when damage typically appears. Damage is different than peach and appears as a dark streak in a similar pattern as silvering. See the NJ Commercial Tree Fruit Production Guide for more information.

Apples and Pears:

Diseases: Now that primary scab is nearing the end, or has ended, the focus turns toward summer diseases such as fruit rots (esp. Bitter rot), and sooty blotch and fly speck. Bitter rot control has been difficult at best in recent years even where management programs have been rigorous. Research has suggested Products such as Merivon, Luna Sensation, Inspire Super, and Aprovia may be effective, and longtime reliable broad spectrum fungicides such as omega, captan and ziram should provide control. Experience has suggested that the addition of phosphorous acid products such as Prophyt or Rampart to captan sprays may improve control. Observations are that these products improve control of other summer diseases such as sooty blotch and flyspeck, and may help suppress scab infections where present. Bitter rot symptoms have been appearing for several weeks in southern counties.

Codling Moth (CM): The first generation codling moth timings have ended. Trap captures Continue and increased in some southern county orchards this week. A biofix was set for CM on April 17th in both northern and southern counties. Second generation timings are updated below. Rimon is not recommended for this and later generations.

Codling Moth Degree Day Timing – Second Generation
Application and Insecticide Type
County Area Biofix Rimon:

75-100DD + 14-17 days later

 

 Intrepid

1150 + 1450 DD

Diamides – Altacor, Voliam mixes: (150-200 DD)

 Madex

1250 DD + every 7-9 days during brood hatch (later if first spray is an IGR)

 Standard Insecticides –  Delegate, Avaunt, OP’s, carbamates, pyrethroids

1250 DD + 1550 DD

 
DD 1150 1450 1250 1250 1550
Southern April 22 N/A N/A 6/26 7/7 6/29 6/29 7/11
Northern  May 1 N/A N/A 7/3 7/18 7/8 7/8 7/23

Phenology Table: Based on annual observations made in Gloucester County.

Pest Event or Growth Stage Approximate Date 2024 Observed Date
 Bud Swell (Redhaven/PF-17)  March 23 +/- 15 Days March 13
1/4″ Green Tip Red Delicious March 31 +/- 13 Days March 18
Pink Peach (Redhaven/PF-17) April 4 +/- 15 Days March 18
Tight Cluster Red Delicious April 9 +/- 13 Days March 30
Full Bloom Peach (Redhaven/PF-17) April 9 +/- 14 Days April 5
Pink Apple (Red Delicious) April 14 +/- 12 Days April 9
Full Bloom Apple (Red Delicious) April 22 +/- 11 Days April 20
Petal Fall (Redhaven) April 22 +/- 10 Days April 15
Petal Fall (Red Delicious) April 27 +/- 13 Days  May 3
Shuck Split (Redhaven) April 30 +/- 11 Days  April 22
Pit Hardening June 15 +/- 9 Days  June 10

 

 

Tree Fruit Trap Captures – Southern Counties

STLM TABM-A CM BMSB OFM-A DWB OFM-P TABM-P LPTB PTB
3/23/2024 70 0
3/30/2024 29 0 0
4/6/2024 421 0 0
4/13/2024 415 7 1
4/20/2024 900 7 0
4/27/2024 312 2 22  1
5/4/2024 137 2 8 27 1 5
5/11/2024 6 2 15 2 1 10 42
5/18/2024 5 6 11 2 6 0 12 41
5/25/2014 33 29 7 4 25 0 44 37
6/1/2024 719 12 12 1 1 0 44 57
6/8/2024 163 7 6 0 27 0 35 52 3
6/15/2024 252 4 0 0 0 31 0 4 54 4

Tree Fruit Trap Captures – Northern Counties

STLM TABM-A CM BMSB OFM-A DWB OFM-P TABM-P LPTB PTB AMBROSIA BEETLE
3/23/2024
3/30/2024
4/6/2024 0 0
4/13/2024 3.25 37.6
4/20/2024 11.75 93
4/27/2024 0 19 50
5/4/2024 1 16 19 124
5/11/2024 3 4 18 112
5/18/2024 4 2 1 2 2 2 83
5/25/2024 7 5 0 16 8 23 55
6/1/2024 16 7 0 28 7 21 37
6/8/2024 17 4 0 23 3 16 2 12
Filed Under: Tree Fruit
June 26, 2024

IMPORTANT: EPA Issues Final Cancellation Order and Updates to Existing Stocks Provisions for Several Chlorpyrifos Products

[Tuesday June 25, 2024]. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is issuing a final cancellation order for Corteva’s chlorpyrifos product “Dursban 50W in Water Soluble Packets” and three Gharda chlorpyrifos products, and an amendment to the existing stocks provisions for two Liberty and three Winfield chlorpyrifos end-use products. The Agency has also updated the frequently […]
Filed Under: Christmas Trees, Field, Forage & Livestock, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Vegetable Crops