Tree Fruit Edition

Seasonal updates on insects, diseases, weeds, maturity dates and cultural practices impacting only tree fruit.
 
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May 19, 2015

Fruit IPM Report 5-19-2015

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Peach

Green Peach Aphid:

Do Not use Actara, Assail, Belay or Admire, any generics or any combination containing them, if you have flowering weeds in your orchard. The presence of flowering weeds means that you will also have foraging bees present, and applying neonicotinoids when foraging bees are present is against the label.

Some individual farms have populations above treatment thresholds. Any registered neonicotinoid insecticide (Actara, Assail, Belay, Admire Pro (IRAC 4A), or premixes – Leverage, Voliam-Flexi) will control these populations. Admire Pro will control aphids only. Closer (IRAC 4C) acts like a neonicotinoid, so it is very effective against aphids, but is bee safe. Beleaf (IRAC 9C) will also target aphids and control tarnished plant bug. Movento (IRAC 23) will control aphids and scale insects.

Plum Curculio (PC): We are the peak of PC activity in all areas of the state. Moderate levels of injury were seen in both stone and pome fruit over the past week, even where effective insecticides were applied. If significant rains follow insecticide applications, then re-apply with effective materials after an inch or more of precipitation.

Oriental Fruit Moth (OFM): All 1st generation eggs have been laid in southern counties, and the second application is due in northern counties. If your trap counts exceed 6-8 males per trap 7 to 10 days after the second spray, then additional controls may be required.
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Filed Under: Blueberry, Fruit, Tree Fruit
May 13, 2015

Fruit IPM Report 5-13-2015

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Peach

Oriental Fruit Moth (OFM): The flight captures really jumped this past week, especially in northern counties where some farms are seeing over 100 moths per trap. This is a reference point for 2 factors: First, OFM treatments should be ongoing during this time – see table below; and the first generation flight is usually the highest, and the most important to control. For those growers using the diamide insecticides (Altacor, Belt, Voliam mixes, and Tourismo), the timing for the second application in southern counties is now. Insecticides are required according to the degree day timings in the table below. These timings should be used for most farms. If you have high insect pressure, then additional sprays may be needed. If your trap counts exceed 6-8 males per trap 7 to 10 days after the second spray, then additional controls may be required.
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Filed Under: Blueberry, Tree Fruit
May 7, 2015

Fruit IPM Report 5-7-2015

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Peach

Thrips including western flower thrips: Thrips are being found in southern peach and nectarine blocks. This is common in years when we have warm dry weather during and shortly after bloom. Delegate is the best material to use, followed by Lannate. Entrust can also be used but will be more expensive. Both Delegate and Lannate will control OFM, but neither does a good job on PC. Closer is labeled for thrips suppression, but it’s use is discouraged if high thrips populations are present.

Oriental Fruit Moth (OFM): As of 5/7 we have accumulated 229 DD in southern counties. In northern counties the biofix was set for 4/28. We have had 140 DD accumulate since then.  The first of two applications for OFM should be going on now in southern counties, and about 5/10-12 in northern counties (using Snyder Farm as our degree day point).
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Filed Under: Blueberry, Tree Fruit
May 6, 2015

Of Thrips and Aphids

Ocassionally, flower thrips can be an early season pest of peach and nectarine, especially when conditions during bloom are hot and dry. That seems to be the case this season as 6 out of 7 nectarine blocks scouted in Gloucester County had low populations of thrips present. At least one block had low levels of injury present. Mostly adults were found but examinations of fruitlets found some nymphs present in the shucks. If left untreated, damage can occur unless conditions turn cool and wet. Growers can scout for thrips using beating trays to look for adults, or by collecting blossoms to look for nymphs feeding inside the shucks. Peach may be less susceptible to damage than nectarine because the fuzz acts as a deterrent. Growers should also look for aphid populations while scouting for thrips as aphids are just starting to appear in southern county orchards. Use a treatment threshold of 1 aphid colony per tree in nectarines and 2-4 colonies per tree in peach.

There aren’t many choices for thrips control in Nectarines.  Delegate and Entrust at the high rates are very effective.  Where aphids are also present, the neonicitinoids Actara and Closer will control aphids but may only suppress thrips. Lannate SP has a good rating for thrips and aphids in our production guide but field experience is variable. Carzol is no longer labeled for Peach and Nectarine.

Remember also that Oriental Fruit Moth, Plum Curculio, and native plant bugs are key pests at this timing so any insecticides applied for thrips and/or aphids will be in addition to applications of effective materials for these important pests.

Filed Under: Tree Fruit
May 3, 2015

North Jersey Fruit Meeting I: May 7, 2015

Date: Thursday, May 7, 2015
Time: 6:00 p.m. – 8:45 p.m.
Location: Rutgers Snyder Farm, 140 Locust Grove Road, Pittstown, NJ 08867

Agenda

6:00 p.m. Orchard Tour – Leaves promptly at 6:00 p.m.

  • Observe NC-140 – Apple Rootstock Trials
  • Observe 5 high density apple Tall Spindle Apple Plantings and Trellis Systems Planted 2002, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2014, Spacing varies from 2×10, 3×14 and 3×12
  • Asian Pear Variety Trial – 5th leaf
  • Update on the Rutgers NJAES Project to release new strawberry varieties for the eastern US
    Peter Nitzsche, Win Cowgill, Bill Hulbik – Rutgers Cooperative Extension (RCE)

6:50 p.m. (back indoors)

  • Stone and Pome Fruit: Bacterial Disease Management
    Dr. Norm Lalancette, Specialist in Tree Fruit Pomology, RCE
  • Utilizing thresholds in IPM for fruit pests
    Anne Nielsen, Specialist in Tree Fruit Entomology, RCE
  • Key Timings and Treatments for Tree Fruit
    Dean Polk, RCE IPM
  • Crop Insurance Update
    Dave Lee, RCE of Salem County
  • Update on Pesticide Regulations for 2015
    Peter Nitzsche, RCE of Morris County
  • Apogee for Fireblight and Growth Control
    Win Cowgill
  • Chemical Thinning Update with Plant Growth Regulators
    Win Cowgill

Pesticide Recertification Credits will be awarded.
Flyer

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Tree Fruit
May 2, 2015

Fire Blight Alert

The Cougar Blight model over at NEWA is predicting a high risk of fire blight for this coming week, due to the coming hot weather and high humidity along with a chance of showers.

Currently May 5-9 looks like a high risk period for infection. Growers should apply antibiotic to any apple or pear blocks with open blossoms prior to any risk of infection. Streptomycin and oxytetracycline formulations are generally thought to provide 1-2 days protection and possible 24 hours back action. A predication of high risk over a 4 day period may require 2 applications 2 days apart, especially if there is rainfall, and/or the orchard is not yet at full bloom. Follow the label rates. 24 ozs. of strep/acre should suffice. Check your local conditions using NEWA and check back daily as the prediction may change.

Filed Under: Tree Fruit