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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2023 Farmer Grant Proposals from Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE)

Do you hGrapevinesave an idea you would like to try on your farm that is related to sustainable agriculture? Stephen Komar, Rutgers SARE Coordinator and Sussex County Agricultural Agent, would like to announce that Northeast SARE will open the website for 2023 applications for Farmer Grants on October 1st. Approximately $750,000 has been allocated to fund projects for this grant cycle. Individual awards typically range from $5,000 to $30,000, depending upon a project’s complexity and duration. Projects must be related to sustainable agriculture and results are to be shared through a final report to SARE along with some type of outreach by the farmer as part of the project. 

The online system for submitting proposals will open on Oct 1, 2022. Proposals are due no later than 5:00 p.m. EST on November 15, 2022. Go to Northeast-SARE-Farmer-Grant-Call-for-Proposals.pdf for more information. 

Northeast SARE Farmer Grants provide the resources farmers need to explore new concepts in sustainable agriculture conducted through experiments, surveys, prototypes, on-farm demonstrations or other research and education techniques. Projects address issues that affect farming with long-term sustainability in mind. Northeast SARE funds projects in a wide variety of topics, including marketing and business, crop production, raising livestock, aquaculture, social sustainability, climate-smart agriculture practices, urban and indigenous agriculture and more.

The goals of SARE Farmer Grants are to help farmers try new things that could improve their operations and to share that information with others. There are also some other restrictions for budget items. Funds can be used to conduct the research project including paying farmers for their time, for project-related materials, for project costs like consulting fees or soil tests, and any communications or outreach expenses associated with telling others about project results. This grant program is not meant to help start or expand farm businesses. Farmer Grant funds cannot be used for capital costs associated with building a barn, greenhouse, or other major farm fixture, nor can funds be used to start a farm, purchase durable equipment like tractors or computers, or for any utility, telephone, or other costs that would be there in the absence of the project.

Farmer and employee wages can be included in a Farmer Grant budget for work done specifically on the grant project. Applicants should include a reasonable wage for their work on a grant project. In New Jersey, the current adverse wage rate used for the H2-A farm worker program is currently $15.54 per hour and could help gauge wages for employees time on the project. For farmer/project manager) wages, the rate to use would be higher and could be based on the complexity of the tasks on the project. 

In addition, each project must include a technical advisor to assist with the project. Technical advisors can be anyone who is an agricultural service provider, such as your local cooperative extension agricultural agent, USDA personnel, an agricultural consultant, etc. In New Jersey and other states, SARE Coordinators are not eligible to be technical coordinators due to a conflict of interest of leadership in the program. Therefore, Agricultural Agents, Stephen Komar (Rutgers SARE Coordinator) and Michelle Infante-Casella (Rutgers SARE Assistant Coordinator) are not able to be technical advisors to grants. However, if you have questions about the grant process, they both can help answer questions or point farmers in the right direction to identify technical advisors. 

A SARE Farmer Grant informational webinar featuring Tommye Lou Rafes, who has received multiple SARE Farmer Grants, will take place at 12:00 p.m. on October 4, 2022. This webinar information will help farmers thinking of applying for a SARE grant to learn about the process and types of projects that fit this program. To register for the webinar go to northeast.sare.org/farmergrantwebinar

The Northeast region includes Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, West Virginia, Vermont, and Washington, D.C. Like other SARE Grants, Farmer Grants are competitive and will be judged against other applicants in the region.

To learn more about SARE project in New Jersey see New Jersey State Fact Sheet (sare.org) 

Tree Fruit IPM Report for August 18, 2022

Peach:

Oriental Fruit Moth: A biofix point for OFM was set on 4/11 in southern counties, and on 4/14 in northern counties. The third generation timings are are over in all regions. Additional treatments should be made if trap captures are over 6 moths per trap.

Insecticide Type
County/Region Degree Days by  7/28 base 45 Conventional

2000-2100 2350-2450

Diamide

20252150 2375-2450

Gloucester – Southern 2437 1st –past

2nd –Past

1st –past

2nd –past

Middlesex – Northern 2394 1st –past

2nd –past

1st –past

2nd –past

Scale Insects: White Peach Scale crawler emergence has ended for this generation. San Jose Scale Crawler emergence is past peak and declining. White Peach scale has a third generation in September and San Jose scale may have a third generation in October. Options at this point include: Assail, Belay (Group 4A); and the bioinsecticide Venerate. These products may provide some late season suppression where fruit damage is observed. Only Venerate has a 0 day PHI, making it useful for blocks near or at harvest.

Apples and Pears:

Diseases: Summer scab, rots and sooty blotch and fly speck are the main targets at this stage. Where scab is present rely primarily on protectant fungicides. Last year Captan plus a phosphorous acid like Prophyt was observed to slow scab development as well as provide good summer disease control. Merivon and Luna Sensation are good materials to use close to harvest. thaey are very effective for summer diseases and leave little residue.

Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs: Brown Marmorated Stink bugs are present at low to moderate levels in orchards statewide. See the NJ Tree Fruit Production guide for effective materials.

Codling Moth (CM): Timings for the second generation are updated below.  A biofix was set for CM on April 25th in southern counties, and May 6 in Northern counties (Middlesex County). Second generation treatments according to the degree day model are now over. Additional treatments should be made if trap captures are over 5 moths/trap. Some orchards have had continuing trap captures above threshold.

Codling Moth Degree Day Timing
Application and Insecticide Type
County Area Biofix Intrepid; Diamides – Altacor, Voliam mixes:

1150-1200 +

1450-1500 DD

 

Cyd-X, 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 +

1550-1600 DD

 

DD 1150-1200 1450-1500 1250 1250 1550-1600
Southern April 25 Past Past Past Past Past
Northern May 6 Past past Past Past Past

Scale Insects: For San Jose scale see the peach section above.

Grape

Bunch Rots: Grapes are beginning veraison in southern counties. Disease management continues to focus on downy and powdery mildew and and now also turns to bunch rot management. Refer to the NJ Commercial Grape Production Guide as well as the linked presentation from Dr. Nita in Virginia. Additional information can be found in this linked presentation from Dr. Bryan Hed at Penn Sate.

Grape Berry Moth: The timing for the third generation is past. In some hot summers a fourth generation may occur, however no further treatments should be needed, especially where insecticides are being applied for SLF.

Spotted Lantern Fly: Spotted lantern fly adults are now appearing in vineyards. At this stage border treatments with effective materials should be adequate since most adults will be found on vineyard edges and populations will be low. As we move into September adult migration will increase and at that point growers should apply materials with long residual efficacy (refer to the table from Penn Sate below.) More information on biology and control can be found from Penn State.

 

Drosophilds and Sour Rot: SWD adults are being caught in and around commercial vineyards. As the sugars start to increase in early verities like Chardonnay, be aware of Spotted Wing Drosophila combined with native fruit fly species. These populations increase at this time of year and help spread sour rot. Sour rot will only be present when you also have injured fruit. Fruit splits and various insects can help cause that initial injury. It is thought that the spotted wing drosophila (SWD), because of its saw-like ovipositor, can help cause this initial injury, helping to make the fruit more attractive to native drosophilid species.  After injury the fruit serves as a food source for ethanol-producing yeasts and acetic acid producing bacteria, the causal agents of sour rot. This in turn attracts more fruit flies to lay more eggs and spread the decay. Good canopy management for air circulation is useful to reduce sour rot incidence. However, this must be combined with insecticides and antimicrobials. A treatment regime that consists of weekly applications of an insecticide (Mustang Maxx (or other pyrethroid), Malathion, Delegate/Entrust, Verdepryn).  Add Oxidate 2.0 if fruit cracking from rain or other causes is observed. Since it is important to rotate insecticide classes when treating this often, growers should use no pyrethroid or other insecticide class more that 2 times in a row. These treatments should be started before the onset of visible sour rot and fruit fly presence.

Tree  Fruit Trap Counts – Southern Counties

Weekending STLM TABM-A CM BMSB OFM-A DWB OFM-P TABM-P LPTB PTB
4/9/2022 2 0 0
4/16/2022 0 2 3
4/23/2022 11 0 0 28 5 0 0
4/30/2022 5 0 1 31 4 0 0
5/7/2022 5 1 3 50 4 0 0
5/14/2022 8 5 3 19 2 0 0
5/21/2022 3 5 5 20 2 7 3
5/28/2022 0 19 3 13 0 11 36
6/4/2022 0 10 3 5 1 13 49 0
6/11/2022 0 9 2 6 36 0 8 47 3
6/18/2022 0 4 1 0 62 0 3 13 1
6/25/2022 16 0 0 6 3 16 0 0 18 4
7/2/2022 24 0 0 6 3 24 0 0 18 4
7/9/2022 10 4 2 15 6 31 0 0 15 3
7/16/2022 2 0 7 1 5 12 0 0 5 7
7/23/2022 15 0 5 1 2 12 0 0 14 2
7/31/2022 16 2 5 2 4 12 1 1 11 3
8/6/2022 10 0 4 0 3 31 2 0 21 4
8/13/2022 3 1 4 1 3 37 2 0 41 7

 

Tree  Fruit Trap Counts – Northern Counties

Weekending STLM TABM-A CM BMSB OFM-A DWB OFM-P TABM-P LPTB PTB
4/9/2022
4/16/2022 0 0 1
4/23/2022 0 0 2 0
4/30/2022 0 0 2.5 0
5/7/2022 0 1 4 0
5/14/2022 1 2 0 5 0.5 0 0
5/21/2022 6 8 4 27 2 5 6 5 0
5/28/2022 34 19 3 6 13 1 23 15 0
6/4/2022 17 21 4 4 11 1 27 17 0
6/11/2022 22 25 2 1 4 0 30 9 0
6/18/2022 66 20 2 2 2 5 2 27 7 0
6/25/2022 58 21 1 8 8 2 4 22 4 0
7/2/2022 55 7 1 1 14 15 2 9 4 1
7/9/2022 60 3 1 2 8 20 2 4 5 1
7/16/2022 64 1 1 3 2 19 3 1 4 3
7/23/2022 97 1 1 2 7 18 3 1 3 3
7/31/2022 46 1 2 2 13 22 4 1 2 3
8/6/2022 26 1 1 1 5 20 3 1 4 3
26 01 1 2 6 29 2 2 4 3

 

Pest Event or Growth Stage Approximate Date 2022 Observed Date
 Bud Swell (Redhaven)  March 23 +/- 15 Days March 20
1/4″ Green Tip Red Delicious March 31 +/- 13 Days March 21
Pink Peach (Redhaven) April 4 +/- 15 Days March 31
Tight Cluster Red Delicious April 9 +/- 13 Days March 31
Full Bloom Peach (Redhaven) April 9 +/- 14 Days April 10
Pink Apple (Red Delicious) April 14 +/- 12 Days April 14
Full Bloom Apple (Red Delicious) April 22 +/- 11 Days April 21
Petal Fall (Redhaven) April 22 +/- 10 Days April 14
Petal Fall (Red Delicious) April 27 +/- 13 Days May 3
Shuck Split (Redhaven) April 30 +/- 11 Days April 26
Pit Hardening June 15 +/- 9 Days June 10

 

Non-herbicide Management Options for Canada Thistle in Specialty Crops

Canada thistle can be difficult to manage because of its deep taproot, perennial growth, and ability to reproduce through both seed dispersal and root shoots. Learn more about non-herbicide life cycle disruptions that can be used in the development of a short and long term management plan through the Canda thistle decision tool fact sheet and an informational video.  These resources are one of a five-part weed management series funded by USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant AM190100.

Rutgers Private Applicator 2023 Online License Renewal Assistance

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection has released an announcement “Pesticide License Renewal Info 2023” to licensed applicators via email. The announcement is posted at https://www.nj.gov/dep/enforcement/docs/Pesticide-License-Renewal-Info-2023.pdf?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery.  See today’s companion post to the Plant & Pest Advisory entitled “Private Applicators: NJDEP August Mailing of 2023 Invoices & Recertification Credit Status“. All Private Applicators are now […]

Private Applicators: NJDEP August Mailing of 2023 Invoices & Recertification Credit Status

On August 11, 2022,  the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection released an email announcement entitled “NJDEP Pesticide Licensing & Registrations – 2023 Pesticide License Renewal Information.” If you cannot locate it in your email, the entire notice is posted for you at Pesticide-License-Renewal-Info-2023. Their notice explains that the NJDEP will be sending paper license […]

Managing Cranberry Toad Bugs

Populations of the cranberry toad bug, Phylloscelis rubra (Figure 1), have increased in the last week in some beds. In a recent study, we showed that even relatively low densities of this insect can cause significant injury to cranberries (Rodriguez-Saona et al. 2020. Characterizing the Feeding Injury Caused by Phylloscelis rubra (Hemiptera: Dictyopharidae) to Cranberries, Journal of Insect Science, 20 (6), 37, https://doi.org/10.1093/jisesa/ieaa143). Thus, monitoring for this insect from the end of July through mid-August is critical.

Figure 1. Cranberry toad bug

Life cycle. Cranberry toad bugs feed only on cranberries. This insect has a single generation per year (Figure 2). It overwinters as eggs. The nymphs appear by the end of June through early September, and the adults from end of July through October (harvest). Eggs are laid from end of August through October.

Damage. Feeding damage can be noticed in two stages. 1st-stage feeding damage on vines causes closing in (towards the branch) of the leaves on the new growth. 2nd-stage feeding causes changed in color (reddish to brown) of new growth. The damage can be seen from July until harvest. This damage will cause dying of the branch and the berries to shrivel up (Figure 3). Heavy infestation will result in dwarfed berries.

Management. To determine infestation, lightly sweep problematic beds (bugs should be easy to catch in sweep nets as they are very active). Currently there is no threshold established for this pest. Thus, insecticide applications should be based on the relative number of bugs per sweep compared with other sites and previous history of infestation. If needed, growers can use the following control options: Sevin 4F (broad-spectrum carbamate), Diazinon, Imidan 70W (broad-spectrum organophosphates), and Actara or Assail 30SG (neonicotinoid insecticides, effective against piercing-sucking insects). If infestation is high, treatments should be applied now (mid-August) for best control.

Figure 3. Cranberry toad bug injury

Figure 2. Cranberry toad bug phenology