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.
 
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Tree Fruit IPM Report for August 25, 2023

Peach:

Borers:  Where mating disruption dispensers are used there should be no need for butt sprays. If mating disruption was not used, the only other options are pyrethroids with a label for the use. The New Jersey Commercial Tree Fruit Production Guide recommends either Asana or Pounce. Pyrethroids lack a long residual so our recommendation would be a late August/early September butt spray followed by an additional application in mid to late September. Since this would be a labor intensive practice it would be most efficient to give priority younger and most productive orchards. Remember to follow the label as to the maximum allowable amount per season of either material.

Apples and Pears

Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs: Brown Marmorated Stink bugs are nearly absent in orchards statewide, likewise native stinkbug populations have been very low. If stinkbugs are a concern for your orchard, see the NJ Tree Fruit Production guide for effective materials. If treatment is needed for orchards near harvest. Venerate has a +++ rating for stink bugs and a 0 day PHI. In tests conducted by Dr. Neilsen’s lab, Venerate always performed better when applied at half the highest labeled rate.

Codling Moth (CM): 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. Most orchards have very low CM pressure, however a few orchards have had continuing trap captures above threshold.

Summer Diseases: Disease control is over for early season apple varieties. Mid to late season varieties will need further applications on a two week schedule until mid september for sooty blotch and fly speck.

Lesser Appleworm: In 2022 some orchards in southern counties have had internal worm damage that we think was 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. LAW can be monitored using traps baited with OFM pheromone.

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.

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.

Drosophila’s 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 pres ent 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 not yet appearing in vineyards, however they should be soon. When the first adults are observed, 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 State below.) More information on biology and control can be found from Penn State.

Soil Fertility from Non-Commercial Nutrient Sources

All essential plant nutrients cycle through the ecosystem of soil, water, air, plant, microbe, and animal.  Agronomic information about the composition and beneficial use of waste materials and how the nutrients can be recycled can help growers reduce the need to purchase soil fertility inputs.  Many different types of non-commercial nutrient sources are available in New Jersey.  Examples include horse manure with bedding, shade tree leaves, lawn clippings, wood chips, food waste, coffee grounds, eggshells, wood ash and more.

With 43,000 horses in New Jersey, there is an abundance of horse manure produced.  One horse can produce about 65 pounds of manure plus bedding per day.  The quantity of horse manure is substantial on a statewide basis.  Unfortunately, sometimes horse manure goes to landfills when it should be used to build and sustain soil fertility.

The Soil Profile Newsletter 2023 issue posted at Rutgers NJAES explains how to build and maintain soil fertility harnessing the nutrient supplying ability of horse manure and many other types of non-commercial materials.  The chemical composition and soil fertility value of each material is presented for beneficial use.  Available on the web at Rutgers NJAES ‘The Soil Profile’: https://njaes.rutgers.edu/soil-profile/pdfs/sp-v28.pdf

New Peach Varieties – ‘Felicia’, ‘Evelynn’ and ‘Anna Rose’

Felicia peach The Rutgers/NJAES stone fruit breeding program, led by Joe Goffreda, continues to create, and release exciting new peach varieties. We, in collaboration with growers, also continue to develop the varieties by evaluating their performance in plantings in commercial orchards and at Rutgers Agricultural Research and Extension Center. During this key time of the season, historically Redhaven season, it is important for our area to capture a substantial market share with premium fresh peaches. We are glad to feature some new and improved peach options for this season.

Felicia is a recent release from Rutgers University. It is a very attractive freestone yellow-fleshed peach variety. It has attractive red to dark red skin, little pubescence, with traces of red in the flesh. It ripens a few days before Redhaven; however, unlike Redhaven, it retains firmness for longer while maintaining the balance of sweetness and acidity (Table 1). Fruit is large and firm-fleshed, which is essential for post-harvest handling. It has low susceptibility to bacterial spot.

Though Redhaven is still the standard, yellow-fleshed, traditional peach in this season, it has a few challenges. For example, fruit can ripen faster than it changes skin color. That means it requires experience to start picking. Felicia is a good choice if one is planning a replacement for Redhaven. [Read more…]

Farm Credit East Report on Grants & Incentives Available for Northeast Agriculture Businesses

One of the most frequent calls over the past few years has been, “I want to start a farm/business/value-added product (etc.).”

That is usually followed up with, “What grants/funding sources are available?”

After rattling off a list of a few common sources of funding for new farmers there’s an added caveat that I don’t know the current status of those programs or what restrictions they have regarding new farming ventures. There are more programs out there with available funding, but there’s no comprehensive list of all grant programs supporting agricultural businesses, until now.

Farm Credit East has just released a report “identifying federal, regional and state grants, loan guarantees, and other incentives available to assist Northeast producers of all types and sizes.”

“Grants can be a great resource to provide additional funds needed to take on larger projects,” said Chris Laughton, Farm Credit East Director of Knowledge Exchange. “Unfortunately, they’re often under-utilized because they can be time consuming and involve quite a bit of paperwork.”

The report, from Farm Credit East Knowledge Exchange, includes funding opportunities available in the eight states served by Farm Credit East. Programs are categorized by their main focus:  beginning farmers; conservation, environment and forestry; energy; fisheries and aquaculture; organic; rural business development; and research, education and promotion.

The report titled Grants and Incentives for Northeast Agriculture is available at FarmCreditEast.com or by contacting Chris Laughton at (800) 562-2235 or Chris.Laughton@farmcrediteast.com for more information.

Farm Credit East also has grant writing assistance services. Information is available on their grant writing page.

[Source:  https://www.farmcrediteast.com/en/about/NewsRoom/press-releases/230717FundingforNortheastAgriculturalProducers]

Rutgers Tree Fruit IPM Report for July 14, 2023

Peach:

Oriental Fruit Moth: A biofix point for OFM was set on 4/10 in both northern and southern counties.  All timings for first generation OFM have past. Third generation timings are updated below:

OFM 2nd Generation Timing
Insecticide Type
County/Region Degree Days by  6/30 base 45 Conventional

2100-2200

2350-2450

Diamide

2025-2150

2375-2450

Gloucester – Southern 1742 1st –about 7/17

2nd –about 7/25

1st –about 7/16

2nd –about 7/23

Middlesex – Northern 1719 1st – about 7/22

2nd – about 7/29

1st – about 7/19

2nd – about 7/30

 

Tarnished Plant Bugs; and Other Catfacing Insects: Catfacing insects are active, and activity is increasing with dry weather and summer temperatures. Very little recent fruit feeding has been observed.

Thrips: Flower Thrips have caused slight damage on highly colored ripening fruit, especially in poorly managed ground covers that contain clover or other flowering weeds. The current weather pattern has turned to unfavorable for thrips but they still may cause some damage. Thrips damage appears as “silvering” and usually appears on fruit close to harvest. If populations are high damage can be extensive. Presence of thrips may be scouted for using a beating tray to detect the presence of adults and nymphs in the tree. Flowering weeeds and shrubs on orchard edges may also be scouted by shaking flowers onto a beating tray or a sheet of paper. Delegate or Entrust at the highest labeled rate are the usual recommended materials for thrips in stone fruit. Lannate may be effective in some orchards but has not worked well in recent years. These materials all have short PHI’s and may be applied close to harvest when damage typically appears. See the NJ Commercial Tree Fruit Production Guide for more information. Thrips continue to damage highly colored ripening fruit near harvest.

Japanese Beetle: Japanese beetles have been observed feeding on fruit in southern counties. Adults are attracted to ripening fruit. June bugs also do similar damage. Insecticides that are effective against Japanese beetles and june bugs are products that contain imidacloprid (admire pro and leverage 360); danitol; and sevin.

Apples and Pears:

Diseases: Now that primary scab has ended, the focus turns toward summer diseases such as fruit rots (esp. Bitter rot), and sooty blotch and fly speck. Bitter rot control has been difficult at best in recent years even where management programs have been rigorous. Research has suggested products such as Merivon, Luna Sensation and Inspire Super may be effective, and longtime reliable broad spectrum fungicides such as captan and ziram should provide control. Experience has suggested that the addition of phosphorous acid products such as Prophyt or Rampart to captan sprays may improve control. Observations are that these products improve control of other summer diseases such as sooty blotch and flyspeck, and may help suppress scab infections where present. Bitter Rot symptoms are now appearing in southern counties.

Codling Moth (CM): The first generation codling moth timings have ended. Trap captures continue and decreased in most southern county orchards this week. A biofix was set for CM on April 17th in both northern and southern counties. Second generation timings are updated below. Rimon is not recommended for this and later generations.

Codling Moth Degree Day Timing – Second Generation
Application and Insecticide Type
County Area Biofix Rimon:

75-100DD + 14-17 days later

 

Intrepid

1150 + 1450 DD

Diamides – Altacor, Voliam mixes: (150-200 DD)

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 DD

 

  DD 1150 1450 1250 1250 1550
Southern April 17 past past past 7/18 7/12 7/12 7/21
Northern  April 17 past past past 7/19 7/13 7/13 7/22

 

Pear: Pear Psylla are still actively laying eggs and nymphs continue to hatch. Options for control include spynosyn products such as Delegate and Entrust, and the neocitinoids (IRAC group 4A). The addition of 0.25-1 gal of summer oil may improve control. Other options include Movento, the IGR’s Esteem and Centaur, and products containing abamectin. Be sure to read and follow the label instructions regarding the addition of penetrants for abamectin products.

Grape: Early blooming native grapes were at 50% bloom on 5/24, therefore we have set the the Grape Berry Moth biofix at 5/24 for southern counties. Typically we would use the bloom date for V. riparia to set the biofix date, however the usual locations we have used in the past did not have viable vines to look at, and it is difficult to scout new locations for V. riparia this year. Since V. riparia typically blooms with early natives we used Concord and Ives to set the biofix. The model works best when growers record their own bloom dates and use the Grape Berry Moth model at NEWA. Applications for GBM using Intrepid or Diamides should be made at 810 DD base 47 (occurred on July 2). Other effective materials can be applied a few days later. The next timing for GBM using Intrepid or Altacor will be at 1620 DD Base 45. This should occur about the end of July. Second generation GBM hatch has started in southern counties.

Japanese Beetle: Japanese beetles have emerged in southern counties. Adults are attracted to leaves and tender shoots. Insecticides that are effective against Japanese beetles are products that contain imidacloprid (admire pro, macho, leverage 360); danitol; and sevin.

Powdery Mildew (PM):  PM symptoms began appearing on berries and rachises around the end of June in several vineyards. Options for eradication or suppression of established infections are limited. Sulfur, Oxidate, potassium bicarbonate products, and mineral oils are most often recommended. Note that sulfur should be used with care and avoided on sulfur sensitive varieties. Sulfur and Captan should never be combined with or used within 2 weeks of oil applications.

Tree Fruit Trap Captures – Southern Counties

STLM TABM-A CM BMSB OFM-A DWB OFM-P TABM-P LPTB PTB
4/15/2023 433 20 1
4/23/2023 423 1 13 8 4
4/30/2023 417 7 15 4 1 0
5/06/2023 9 2 3 1 0 0
5/13/2023 18 2 7 2 3 0 6 6
5/20/2023 5 18 6 0 51 0 13 67
5/27/2023 1 11 4 0 17 0 11 49
6/03/23 3 8 2 1 24 0 13 65
6/10/2023 21 14 5 0 55 0 6 54 0
6/17/2023 10 11 5 0 57 0 8 46 4
6/24/2023 15 5 2 0 57 0 6 47 2
7/1/2023 342 3 0 0 69 0 3 37 6
7/8/2023 463 0 0 0 26 0 0 35 6

Tree Fruit Trap Captures – Northern Counties

STLM TABM-A CM BMSB OFM-A DWB OFM-P TABM-P LPTB PTB
4/8/2023 10
4/15/2023 20 3
4/30/2023 28 11 6
5/06/2023 22 2 19 9
5/13/2023 34 1 3 2 5 0
5/20/2023 31 6 7 1 6 0
5/27/23 16 18 4 1 17 3 11
6/03/23 12 26 2 0 17 2 12
6/10/2023 21 14 5 0 55 0 54
6/17/2023 63 53 2 1 15 1 6
6/24/2023 134 52 3 1 0 11 3 8
7/1/2023

Phenology Table: Based on annual observations made in Gloucester County.

Pest Event or Growth Stage Approximate Date 2023 Observed Date
 Bud Swell (Redhaven)  March 23 +/- 15 Days March 7
1/4″ Green Tip Red Delicious March 31 +/- 13 Days March 27
Pink Peach (Redhaven) April 4 +/- 15 Days March 24
Tight Cluster Red Delicious April 9 +/- 13 Days April 7
Full Bloom Peach (Redhaven) April 9 +/- 14 Days April 4
Pink Apple (Red Delicious) April 14 +/- 12 Days April 11
Full Bloom Apple (Red Delicious) April 22 +/- 11 Days April 16
Petal Fall (Redhaven) April 22 +/- 10 Days April 15
Petal Fall (Red Delicious) April 27 +/- 13 Days  May 3
Shuck Split (Redhaven) April 30 +/- 11 Days April 21
Pit Hardening June 15 +/- 9 Days  June 11

 

 

 

North Jersey Wine Grape Twilight Meeting

North Jersey Wine Grape Twilight Meeting

July 18, 2023
5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
610 Perrineville Road
Hightstown, NJ 08520

 

Detailed agenda is forthcoming.
Talks will include disease and pest updates, pH and fertility management.
Pesticide credits are anticipated.

 

RSVP: Please call or E-mail to Kim Crommelin at 908-788-1338 or kfrey@co.hunterdon.nj.us

 

Light fare will be provided. However, please RSVP using above contact information.

 

If any additional assistance is needed, please contact Megan Muehlbauer muehlbauer@njaes.rutgers.edu