Greetings Everyone, 2022 Wine Tasting and Evaluations meetings are scheduled. Participants are invited to bring their own wine releases. Each wine tasting will be followed by discussions. Please respond to below surveys, on harvest parameters, wine making processes, etc. That will also form the basis for the discussion. [Read more…]
Fruit Crops Edition - Wine Grape Section
Seasonal updates on diseases, insects, weeds impacting small fruit (blueberry, cranberry, and wine grape). Fruit Pest Alerts are also available via this category feed.
Subscription is through the general Fruit feed available via EMAIL and RSS.
Tasting and Evaluations of New Jersey Wines – Pinot Noir, Coeur d’Est and Merlot
SARE Farmer Grants for 2023 – Webinar on October 4th
Multiple Northeast SARE (Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education) grant recipient Tommye Lou Rafes, of T.L. Fruits and Vegetables in West Virginia, is sharing her experiences to help other farmers experiment with new ideas through the Farmer Grant program.
At noon on October 4th, 2022, Rafes will join Northeast SARE Grant Coordinator Candice Huber for an informational webinar to assist farmers interested in applying for up to $30,000 in funding for projects beginning in March 2023. Registration is required and participants are encouraged to submit questions ahead of the event. The Call for Farmer Grant Proposals is currently available and the online system for submitting applications is opening soon. Applications are due November 15, 2022.
Northeast SARE Farmer Grants are perfect for farmers looking to grow through new practices. Rafes first learned about SARE while attending a Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) training. One of the professors hosting the meeting was a SARE reviewer who invited the attendees to apply for a grant. Rafes knew sustainable practices like using renewable-powered high tunnels to extend growing seasons could be good for business as well as the planet. “Growing in the winter months is a completely different way than you do in the summer months,” she said. “I decided to test varieties that were successful during the winter months as well as growing conditions that could be improved so that people would be more successful.”
Grant Coordinator Candice Huber says Farmer Grants are an opportunity for farmers to try things that could improve their operations. SARE funds can cover the farmer’s time on the project, any farm workers time spent on the project, supplies that are not capital purchase, technical support, soil testing and other budgeted items. Farmer grant projects generally are for one year.
If you have an idea and you need resources to really explore it, a Farmer Grant can connect you with those resources. This webinar will be a good starting point and participants must pre-register. See below.
To sign up for the October 4th webinar at 12:00PM go to https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/6516611235851/WN_RoG_IkMmSDGsduZwmFgKkA
For information about the application for SARE Farmer grants see https://www.sare.org/wp-content/uploads/Northeast-SARE-Farmer-Grant-Call-for-Proposals.pdf
For general information about Northeast SARE go to Northeast SARE Home Page – SARE Northeast
SLF: 2022 Management Recommendations in Vineyards
by Katarzyna Madalinska and Anne L. Nielsen
Adult SLF are moving into vineyards from the surrounding landscape. The number of SLF on each vine varies greatly within each vineyard and locations in the state. In most vineyards in NJ and PA there is a strong border effect with numbers highest along the outside rows. However, the orientation and shape of your vineyard influences border effects. SLF are actively feeding on grapevines and will continue to feed for 1-2 months. Most SLF are in the upper canopy and as the grapes start to store carbohydrates for the winter, SLF will move down the vine, eventually feeding at the base of the vine. Research suggests that feeding by adult SLF may harm primary bud formation the following season and reduce winter hardiness. There is not a specific treatment threshold, but a good rule of thumb is 10 SLF per vine. Movement into the vineyards will continue for several weeks so multiple insecticide applications may be needed.
Treatment at this time of year is of course complicated by pre-harvest intervals (PHI) for each insecticide and grape variety. It is important to remember that SLF will feed on vines post-harvest. There are several effective insecticides available with pre-harvest intervals and residual activity (Table 1). When treating vines pre-harvest, dead SLF are commonly observed in the clusters. Post-harvest, insecticides such as Danitol or Brigade/Bifenture/bifenthrin have the longest residual activity and are expected to reduce feeding.
There are several reasons to manage adult SLF in September and October during peak movement.
- Adults feed on the canes, cordon, and trunk of grape vines. Excessive feeding has been shown to lower winter hardiness by >1.5°C.
- SLF females lay egg masses in October. Killing females prior to egg laying will decrease population growth the following year.
Table 1. Effectiveness of Insecticides Against Spotted Lanternfly Adults. Modified recommendations from Leach et al. Crop Protection 2019 v. 24 DOI:10.1016/j.cropro.2019.05.027
Trade name | Active ingredient | SLF Activity | Rate per acre | Seasonal Allowance | Residual Activity | PHI
(days) |
REI
(hrs) |
Labeled for SLF? |
Mustang Maxx 0.8EC | cypermethrin | Good | 4 oz | 24 oz | <3 | 1 | 12 | Yes, 2(ee) |
Scorpion 35SL | dinotefuran | Excellent | 5 oz. | 20.9 oz | <7 | 1 | 12 | Yes, 2(ee) |
Actara 25WDG | thiamethoxam | Excellent | 3.5 oz | 7.0 oz | <14 | 5 | 12 | Yes, 2(ee) |
Carbaryl 4L | carbaryl | Excellent | 1-2 qt | 10 qt | 7 | 7 | 12 | No |
Avaunt 30DG | indoxicarb | Fair | 6 oz | 12 oz | 7 | 7 | 12 | Yes, 2(ee) |
Danitol 2.4EC | fenpropathrin | Excellent | 16-21.33 oz | 42.66 oz | >26 | 21 | 24 | Yes, 2(ee) |
Brigade 2EC | bifenthrin | Excellent | 3.2-6.4 oz. | 6.4 oz | 21 | 30 | 12 | Yes, 2(ee) |
There are several reasons to manage adult SLF in September and October during peak movement.
- Adults feed on the canes, cordon, and trunk of grape vines. Excessive feeding has been shown to lower winter hardiness by >1.5°C.
- SLF females lay egg masses in October. Killing females prior to egg laying will decrease population growth the following year.
Notes from the 2021 Chardonnay Wine Tasting and Evaluations Workshop
A Chardonnay wine tasting and evaluation workshop for winemakers was held on August 18, 2021, at the William Heritage Winery, located in Gloucester County. Chardonnay is one of the most suitable Vitis vinifera varieties for New Jersey for both north and south New Jersey. It is also one of the best white varieties for New Jersey in terms of consistency in ripening. It can be easily adapted in the winery for Sparkling, dry still varietals, and white wine blends. For example, a few wineries blended 75-80% Chardonnay with the remaining comprised of Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, and Sauvignon Blanc. The responses to a survey weeks before the event formed the basis of discussion at the workshop. Winemakers also described how they accomplished each of their wines. [Read more…]
Survey of cole crops and leafy green growers – novel weed control technology
Several university weed scientists from around the U.S. (Clemson, Cornell, UC Davis, Florida, Michigan State, Rutgers, Arkansas) have developed a survey as part of a Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI) planning grant (SC-2021-07806 DEVELOPING A NATIONAL TEAM TO OPTIMIZE NON-HERBICIDE WEED MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES IN COLE AND LEAFY GREEN CROPS).
We would appreciate if you could share it with your constituents and cooperators (growers, crop consultants, extension personnel, industry partners) via newsletters, email blasts or other outreach efforts.
** WE NEED YOUR INPUT! **
Weed management in vegetables can be difficult due to a shrinking labor pool, which is becoming more costly to source, and a lack of effective herbicides. Research and extension efforts must focus on integrating novel weed technology into current crop production systems. Autonomous and semi-autonomous robotic weed control technology has been implemented by some vegetable growers, mainly in the Western US, but is not universally available to or adapted by many producers. This survey is designed to new tools of interest (e.g. precision sprayers or cultivators, electrical weeders, drones, etc.) for managing weeds in cole crop and leafy green systems as well as the environmental, physical and economic barriers to adoption. The results of this survey will benefit vegetable growers by enabling the research team to develop relevant and realistic research efforts informed by the needs of and constraints faced by our local stakeholders. Specifically, we will use survey data to develop a multi-regional USDA grant proposal to bring grower-specified technology to each our states for evaluation and demonstration under a variety of commercial conditions and provide growers with an economic assessment of their performance relative to current best management practices.
The survey is voluntary and anonymous. All replies will be de-identified. It should take less than 10-15 minutes to complete. The link is below.
https://clemson.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_1IfwcgkAXC9i6h0
If you have questions, please feel free to contact Thierry Besançon, Associate Professor and Extension Weed Science Specialist for Specialty Crops, New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, thierry.besancon@rutgers.edu.

Tree Fruit IPM Report for August 25, 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
2025–2150 2375-2450 |
Gloucester – Southern | 2437 | 1st –past
2nd –Past |
1st –past
2nd –past |
Middlesex – Northern | 2394 | 1st –past
2nd –past |
1st –past
2nd –past |
Apples and Pears:
Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs: Brown Marmorated Stink bugs are present at low to moderate levels in orchards statewide, However Activity is incresing form both Native and Invasive species. BMSB nymphs have also been seen in some orchards. See the NJ Tree Fruit Production guide for effective materials. In addition to the apple materials listed in the guide, Venerate has a +++ rating for stink bugs and a 0 day PHI.
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 |
Lesser Appleworm: Some orchards in southern counties have had internal worm damage that we think is Lesser Apple Worm. This sporadic pest sometimes shows up in late summer and fall. The damage is similar to codling moth. Larvae complete their life cycle quickly and often by the time damage is seen the larvae is already gone. Typically LAW will feed in the fruit calyx and not go into the flesh, however they may also feed on fruit flesh excavating a small hole under the skin and occasionally tunneling into the fruit. Control options are the same as for codling moth.
Grape
Bunch Rots: Disease management continues to focus on downy and powdery mildew and 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 and SWD.
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.
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. *Chlorpyrifos is no longer labeled for food use.) More information on biology and control can be found from Penn State.
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 |
8/20/2022 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 4 | 6 | 56 | 2 | 2 | 21 | 6 |
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 |
8/13/2022 | 26 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 29 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 3 |
17 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 23 | 28 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 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 |