Tree Fruit Edition

Seasonal updates on insects, diseases, weeds, maturity dates and cultural practices impacting only tree fruit.
 
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Tree Fruit IPM Report for April 18, 2022

Evaluating Freeze Damage in Tree Fruit: The subfreezing temperatures on the morning of April 18 may have caused some natural thinning across the state. Any physiological damage that is not visible now will appear as the season progresses. A helpful guide for evaluating fruit damage can be found in the Intermountain Tree Fruit Production Guide.

Tree Fruit Phenology: Tree Fruit Phenology remains advanced, but development is slowing. In southern counties all peach orchards are mid to late bloom. Redhaven was at approximately full bloom on April 6, and was at Petal Fall by April 14. Plums are past shuck fall. Pears are full to late bloom. Red Delicious is just past 50% bloom. Sweet cherries are at about 50% bloom. [Read more…]

North Jersey Tree Fruit And Vegetable Twilight Meeting II Full Program

North Jersey Fruit and Vegetable Twilight Meeting II

April 19, 2022
4:30 PM-7:30 PM
Alstede Farms, Chester, NJ

4:30 PM – Registration / Light Refreshments

4:45 PM – Apple Fruit Rots: Environment, Infection Timing and Fungicide Efficacy
Norm Lalancette, Specialist in Tree Fruit Pathology, Rutgers NJAES

5:15 PM – Farm Tour of Fruit and Early Season Vegetable Production
Kurt Alstede, Craig Steely, Hector Ruiz, John Ferrante, Alstede Farms

5:30 PM – Tree Fruit Insect and Disease Update
Dean Polk, Statewide Fruit IPM Agent, Rutgers NJAES

5:45 PM – Disease Control Options for Spring Vegetable Crops
Andy Wyenandt, Specialist in Vegetable Pathology, Rutgers NJAES

6:00 PM – Early Season Weed Control Update
Thierry Besancon, Specialist in Weed Science, Rutgers NJAES

6:15 PM – Insect Control for Spring Vegetable Crops
Kris Holmstrom, Vegetable IPM Research Project Coordinator, Rutgers NJAES

6:30 PM – Greenhouse and High Tunnel Considerations for Early Season Vegetable Production
AJ Both, Extension Specialist in Controlled-Environment Engineering, Rutgers NJAES

6:45 PM – Tour of Pesticide Storage and Loading Facility
Kurt Alstede, Craig Steely, Alstede Farms
Patricia Hastings, Extension Pesticide Safety Education Coordinator, Rutgers NJAES

NJ Pesticide Recertification Credits
1 unit CORE, 3 units 1A, 3 units 10, 3 units PP2

Please RSVP for the meetings with a call to Kim Crommelin at
908.788.1338 or
kfrey@co.hunterdon.nj.us

South Jersey Tree Fruit Twilight Meeting – II

When: April 12 (Tuesday) @ 4 – 7 pm

Where: Summit City Orchards: 500 University Blvd. Glassboro, NJ 08028

Approved Pesticide credits: 1A, PP2, 10 (5 credits each)

Schedule

Field visit (in a bus) to a peach block. Field Demonstration and discussion on different rootstocks (Daniel Ward and Lewis DeEugenio), Comments on Orchard Soil Fumigation (Lewis DeEugenio), Observations of bud development in different peach varieties during frost nights (Hemant Gohil), and Field Observations from the IPM Program (Dave Schmitt).

Return to above address in the bus. Light fare will be served.

Indoor presentations: Fundamentals of Tree Fruit Nutrition and Orchard Soil Fertility (Joseph Heckman), Organic Weed Management in the Orchard (Thierry Besancon), Insect-pests Updates in Orchards (Anne Nielsen), Updates on Early Season Disease Control (Norman Lalancette), Coming Changes in the Structure of Fruit IPM Programming (Dean Polk)

7:00 pm  Pesticide re-certification credits application and Adjourn

Light fare will be provided. Please call Joan Medany jmedany@co.gloucester.nj.us or call 856-224-8030 if you are planning to attend. If an additional assistance is needed, please contact Hemant Gohil (Program Organizer) at 856-224-8029 prior to the meeting.


 

Weed Science Webinar Series

Weed Science Webinar Series

USDA – ARS and the Weed Science Society of America (WSSA) are co-hosting 10 webinars on weed science and research. Beginning April 5, presentations will be given by ARS weed science research experts.

The webinars will occur every Tuesday from 2-3p.m. Eastern Time (ET) and include an interactive Q&A session.

Register Here Today!

Two people conducting research in a field

Weed Science Webinar Series Schedule

April 5
ARS Weed Science: Past, Present, and Future: Steve Duke, Principal Scientist at the National Center for Natural Products Research at the University of Mississippi, Steve Young, National Program Leader – Weeds and Invasive Pests, WSSA Representatives and ARS Administrators

Meeting Information:

Zoom Meeting Link

Webinar ID: 831 3320 1055

Passcode: 825921

Please download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system.

Theme I: Tactics

April 12
Integrated Weed Management in Cropping Systems: Marty Williams, Ecologist at the Global Change and Photosynthesis Research Unit in Urbana, IL

April 19
Non-Crop Systems: Advancements in Weed Biocontrol Tools: Melissa Smith, Research Ecologist at the Invasive Plant Research Laboratory in Fort Lauderdale, FL

April 26
New Technology for Weed Identification and Control: Steven Mirsky, Research Ecologist at the Sustainable Agricultural Systems Laboratory in Beltsville, MD

Theme II: Mechanisms

May 3
Role of Plant Physiology in Weed-Crop Competition: Dave Horvath, Research Plant Physiologist at the Sunflower and Plant Biology Research Unit in Fargo, ND

May 10
Molecular Basis for Controlling Invasive Plants: Matt Tancos, Research Plant Pathologist at the Foreign Disease-Weed Science Research Unit in Fort Detrick, MD

May 17
Addressing Herbicide Resistance with Alternative Chemistries: Scott Baerson, Molecular Biologist at the Natural Products Utilization Research Unit in Oxford, MS

Theme III: Impacts

May 24
Spread and Distribution of Invasive Plants: John Madsen, Research Biologist at the Invasive Species and Pollinator Health Unit in Albany, CA

May 31
Climate Change Effects on Weeds and Management: Dana Blumenthal, Ecologist at the Rangeland Resources & Systems Research Unit in Fort Collins, CO

June 7
Restoration for Managing Invasive Plants: Roger Sheley, Ecologist at the Range and Meadow Forage Management Research Unit in Burns, OR

Tree Fruit IPM Report for March 28, 2022

Tree Fruit Phenology:

Tree fruit phenology is advanced based on historical observations. In southern counties some early blooming varieties are at pink to about 20% bloom. Redhaven was at bud swell on March 20, about 3 days earlier than the median observation date. Red Delicious was at 1/4″ green tip on March 21, about 10 days earlier than the median observation date. Plums are in bloom and Pears are at green cluster. [Read more…]

NJ Department of Agriculture Issues Burn Permit for Frost Protection – Thru April 5

New Jersey Department of Agriculture has issued a notice concerning open burning due to colder spring overnight temperatures presently forecasted for areas of New Jersey from March 22 through April 5th, 2022, which could adversely affect fruit, vegetable, and floriculture crops in bloom or near bloom around the state. For details read below the links.

Note: The NJDEP and New Jersey Forest Fire Service caution all farmers and agriculture businesses with respect to the use of open burning in high wind velocity conditions. Please take note that farmers are encouraged to utilize smudge pots is warming as necessary during higher wind conditions. Use of open burning when wind velocity is greater than 5mph is strictly prohibited, may contribute to wildfire risk, and can carry significant penalties. [Read more…]