Have you ever felt that you did everything right at controlling brown rot during the preharvest period, but still got a significant amount of brown rot at harvest? Your preharvest fungicide applications were at tight intervals during the roughly 21-day fruit ripening period. Rains occurred but you were protected. Even when you looked back at the bloom period you saw no obvious gaps in coverage. Yet, the brown rot appeared at harvest. If this is you, read on. [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.
Improving Your Early Season Peach Brown Rot Control Program – An Update
Pesticide Applicator or Dealer Storage Inventory with Cover Letter Due May 1st to Fire Department
Preparing Orchards Against the Frost – Low Tech Strategies
Frost is common in the north-eastern US, however, frost events during bloom, specifically in orchard crops can be economically devastating. Often the cause is a few hours of temperatures below the injury threshold temperature for the developing buds as cooler nights result in the rapid loss of thermal energy. Fortunately, there are several passive methods or low-tech strategies, that can help maintain a slightly higher orchard floor temperature, has the potential to prevent substantial crop loss. [Read more…]
Evaluate Your Wine Grape Planting Material Before Planting
Spring is the best time to plant new grapevines in New Jersey. You may be receiving ordered grapevines in the coming days or weeks. 1You must ensure that your planting material is healthy enough to avoid problems after planting. While it is a good idea to plant grapevines as soon as they arrive, inspecting the physical attributes of your ordered vines before planting may save you some troubles later. Nurseries send planting material on pre-determined dates hence; you should have enough time for a detailed inspection. [Read more…]
This Week’s Changes and Updates to Relief Programs that Impact Farmers
This past week brought several changes and updates to relief programs that impact farmers. This blog from the University of Minnesota is a good summary of changes and announcements by USDA on relief programs that impact farmers and includes links to websites with more information: https://blog-abm-news.extension.umn.edu/2021/03/paycheck-protection-program-extended.html.
The American Rescue Plan Act uses the 2501 definition of “socially disadvantaged”, which includes Black/African American, American Indian or Alaskan native, Hispanic or Latino, and Asian American or Pacific Islander. Gender is not a criteria in and of itself, but of course women are included in these categories.
For the latest CFAP details, visit farmers.gov/cfap.
To find your local service center and learn more about how to access their services during the pandemic, visit farmers.gov/service-center-locator.
Recordings of Webinars – Ask the Expert Series Orchard Edition
Please use the below links to view or listen to the recordings from the first two sessions of Ask the Expert – Orchard Edition.
March 19
Tree Fruit Growers Meeting – I: https://go.rutgers.edu/n7v5agck
- Peach Rootstock Performance in Recent Trial
Dr. James Schupp, Professor of Pomology, Penn State Uni.
Tactics for Improved Weed Management in Orchards
Dr. Thierry Besancon, Extension Specialist, Weed Science, Rutgers NJAES
March 24
Tree Fruit Growers Meeting – II: https://go.rutgers.edu/wu2zgt6y
- 2021 Tree Fruit Diseases to Prepare for.
Dr. Norman Lallancette, Extension Specialist, Tree Fruit Pathology, Rutgers NJAES
Dr. Kari Peters, Tree Fruit Pathologist, Penn State Uni.
