March 23, 2021

Grower Input Needed for the Spotted-Wing Drosophila Organic Management Project

Dear Fruit Growers and Industry Professionals:

Please take a few minutes to fill out this spotted-wing drosophila (SWD) survey:

https://ugeorgia.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3NVhWTGnleU3bP7

This multi-state survey aims to help us to evaluate our research and educational efforts. Your participation will help us determine how growers and industry professionals have benefited from this project by asking questions regarding best management practices and satisfaction with the team’s efforts to organically combat the SWD pest.

Your answers will help improve our research and educational efforts to address this pest as well as providing accountability to our funder, the United States Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA-NIFA). All responses are anonymous. No personal information will be collected.

Thank you for your time and interest in our efforts.

Dr. Cesar Rodriguez-Saona (Entomology)
On behalf of The SWD Research and Extension Team

Filed Under: Blueberry, Cranberry, Fruit, Strawberry, Tree Fruit, Wine Grape
March 5, 2021

Value-Added Producer Grants in New Jersey

Grant.gov applications are due by April 29, 2021 and
paper applications must be postmarked by May 4, 2021

The Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG) program administered by the USDA’s Rural Development Agency (RD), helps agricultural producers enter into value-added activities related to the processing and marketing of new products. The goals of this program are to generate new products, create and expand marketing opportunities, and increase producer income. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Blueberry, Commercial Ag Updates, Cranberry, Field, Forage & Livestock, Food Safety, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Strawberry, Tree Fruit, Vegetable Crops, Wine Grape Tagged With: , ,
March 5, 2021

Comparing the Efficacy of Various Integrated Weed Management Tactics

Efficacy of Weed Management Tactics

Integrated weed management (IWM) combines various methods to reduce or eliminate the effect of weeds on crop production over time, using a combination of practices that are most effective for solving specific weed issues. These weed management techniques form a “toolbox” in which each “tool” can be integrated into a weed management plan catered to the particular farm and problem. The toolbox includes preventative, biological, chemical, cultural, and mechanical strategies. IWM also considers the weed species present and tailors strategies for these species.

A collaborative effort led by Dr. Michael Flessner with Virginia Tec has been developed to compare the efficacy of various integrated weed management tactics before and after planting at reducing the impact of common troublesome weed species. Other universities of the Mid-Atlantic Region (Rutgers, West Virginia University, Penn State, University of Delaware, and University of Maryland) have also participated to this project.

A poster providing relative effectiveness of various integrated weed management tactics for summer annual crops is now available (https://agweedsci.spes.vt.edu/extension/publications/iwm.html) and will help growers identify the most effective tactics to manage weeds.

Filed Under: Blueberry, Commercial Ag Updates, Cranberry, Field, Forage & Livestock, Fruit, Organic Production, Strawberry, Tree Fruit, Vegetable Crops, Wine Grape Tagged With: ,
March 3, 2021

Webinar on Organic Management of Spotted-Wing Drosophila

Organic management of spotted-wing drosophila (SWD) is challenging due to the low number of effective OMRI-approved materials and limited understanding on the biology of SWD to translate into non-chemical management tactics. This webinar will provide a comprehensive update on organic management of spotted-wing drosophila. It will summarize findings of the research conducted by our project team on organically approved strategies including behavioral, cultural, biological, and chemical tactics to manage SWD.

Date: March 9

Time: 2 pm ET

Register now at http://eorganic.org/node/34578

 

Filed Under: Blueberry, Cranberry, Fruit, Strawberry, Tree Fruit, Wine Grape
March 1, 2021 and

2021 Grape Expectation – Registration for Pesticide Recertification Credits

GRAPE EXPECTATION – 2021

New Jersey Wine Grape Symposium

March 6 (Saturday) 9 AM – 12 PM

Please note that, there is a two step process to register for the pesticide recertification credits. Please see below the links and instructions. If you have already completed the STEP 1 (registering for the educational sessions), you may skip that step and go the STEP 2. Program agenda is below the registration information. Pesticide credits approved are: 1A (4); PP2 (4); 3A(1); 6B(1); 8C(1); 10(3). [Read more…]

Filed Under: Blueberry, Cranberry, Fruit, Strawberry, Tree Fruit, Wine Grape Tagged With: , , , , ,
February 26, 2021

Tree Fruit Growers Meeting – I (virtual)

March 9 (Tue) 9 am– 10:15 am

9 am – 9:30 am:  Peach Rootstock Performance in Recent Trials
Dr. James Schupp, Professor of Pomology, Pennsylvania State University
Dr. Schupp will update on the some of the promising new peach rootstocks from the multi-year NC 140 trials.

9:30 am – 10 am:  Updates on Tactics for Improved Weed Management in Orchards           
Dr. Thierry Besancon, Extension Specialist, Weed Science, Rutgers NJAES
For open discussion, a feed-back from fruit growers expected, such as: Any Weeds that are
troublesome? Any weeds that may be developing resistance? Any herbicides not working?

10 am – 10:15 am: Questions, Observations, and Comments on any topics

Join Zoom Meeting using the link below:

https://rutgers.zoom.us/j/95644703253?pwd=NEFBNGNvOVlWNjBLQTNvNElUWHRwQT09

Meeting ID: 956 4470 3253 and Meeting Password: 578456

For assistance contact program organizers
Hemant Gohil gohil@njaes.rutgers.edu or Megan Muehlbauer muehlbauer@njaes.rutgers.edu

Filed Under: Blueberry, Cranberry, Fruit, Strawberry, Tree Fruit, Wine Grape Tagged With: , ,