Peach:

Oriental Fruit Moth (OFM): Second generation adults are flying in southern counties, and are just starting to fly in northern counties.

The second brood often causes the most damage on peaches, since larvae can enter both growing tips and young fruit. Particular attention should be paid to non-bearing orchards that may not be receiving regular insecticide applications. OFM can build up in non-bearing blocks and create pressure for production blocks. The timing for second brood OFM applications is NOW in southern counties where mating disruption is not being used. Growers in northern counties should plan of targeting OFM by the middle of next week.

Tufted Apple Budmoth (TABM): First flight TABM adults can be found in pheromone traps. These adults will mate and lay eggs throughout most of June. Trap counts are currently fairly low, indicating low insect pressure. Treatments applied for OFM will also target TABM.

Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (BMSB): Adults are occasionally seen during orchard scouting. Knock down materials will be required for the remainder of the season in orchards with BMSB populations. Some early season injury is present in scattered orchard blocks.

Section 18 Lables for BMSB Control: During the past week the EPA Section 18 labels came through for Venom and Scorpion. These are the dinotefuran labels for applications up to 3 days PHI. The labels are good for the higher rates that are effective for BMSB control, and are in effect from June 8, 2018 through October 15, 2018.

San Jose Scale (SJS): See from last newsletter – Crawler emergence is underway in southern counties. If you had known high populations of scale last year, it is important to note if crawlers are present, even if you treated with oil in the early spring. If crawlers are present then treatment options include Esteem, Movento, Centaur, Venerate, and Diazinon. Esteem, Centaur, Venerate and Movento should be applied at the beginning of crawler emergence. Venerate needs to be applied twice during the crawler stage. Diazinon is labeled for only one post bloom or foliar application on stone fruit (Max. of 2 lb/acre of the 50W). The apple label allows up to 2 foliar applications per year as long as a prebloom application was not made. The peach label allows 1 foliar application per year. Foliar applications may cause russet on apples, but has worked in the field for scale crawlers as long as applications are made 1-2 weeks after the start of crawler emergence and again 2 weeks later.

Brown Rot; Anthracnose: Recent weather patterns have been VERY favorable for brown rot infections. Use an improved fungicide program (not sulfur, but captan mixes or alternations) during favorable weather conditions as we have been having. On all varieties, an improved fungicide schedule should be initiated 2 to 3 weeks prior to the first picking. Using Captan in cover sprays, and applying materials containing QoI chemistries 4-5 weeks prior to harvest may improve Anthracnose control.

Bacterial Spot: Leaf symptoms are present in a few areas in both southern and northern counties, and some infections are present on the fruit. Maintain protective copper or Mycoshield applications for the present time.

Rusty Spot: Symptoms are present in some orchards, so control measures should still be maintained through pit hardening.

Apple (and Pear):

Codling Moth (CM): All degree day timed treatments for the first generation are over in southern counties, while the second of 2 treatments is due in northern counties over the weekend. Exceptions to this rule would be if trap counts exceed 5 males per trap, and/or if the flight is stretched out and counts are high. This would indicate that females are still laying eggs in sufficient numbers to cause additional damage. As of this past week, many locations in both southern and northern counties still have trap counts above 5 moths per trap, and therefore need additional treatments. Use a different insecticide that was used for the previous 2 treatments. An alternative to Delegate or the diamides (Altacor, Voliam products, Exirel), would be to add weekly applications of Madex at 1.5-2 oz/A. Madex is a virus that is specific to codling moth and oriental fruit moth larvae, and is toxic to those larvae after they ingest only a small amount. Madex does not weather well and has to be ingested, which is why it needs repeated applications. This would provide an additional mode of action., and therefore provide added control in the face of high populations. Make sure your sprayer is well calibrated, and sufficient spray volume is being delivered into the tops and top centers of the trees in addition to the lower portions of the trees. Codling control problems have been most common in larger trees, which suggests that coverage is an issue.

Tufted Apple Budmoth: See peach section above.

Scale Insects: See the scale discussion under the peach section, but add Sivanto to the list of materials that can be used for crawler control on applies.

Grape:

Grape Berry Moth (GBM): A biofix (wild grape bloom) was set for May 28 in Gloucester County, using the MSU/Penn State/Cornell model. As of June 14, we have 376 degree days accumulated since Biofix. We need a total of 810 DD before treatment with an insect growth regulator (Intrepid) or a diamide like Altacor. This will likely fall about June 29-30 in southern counties. However, to decide if you have a population that is worth treating, you can monitor the berries a few days before the potential treatment date. Check especially on edge rows near the woods. A threshold from 1^st generation damage is if 6% of clusters show damage then 2^nd generation treatment is justified. However, this is for juice grapes, and a wine grape threshold would be considerably lower. More on GBM as we get closer to the critical date.

Scouting Calendar Tree Fruit Southern Counties

The following table is intended as an aid for orchard scouting. It should not be used to time pesticide applications. Median dates for pest events and crop phenology are displayed. These dates are compiled from observations made since 1995 in Gloucester County. Events in northern New Jersey should occur 7-10 days later.

Tree Fruit Trap Counts – Southern Counties

Tree Fruit Trap Counts – Northern Counties

Blueberry:

Plum Curculio (PC): During this past week of scouting, the number of fruit found with PC scars decreased. This is due to the fact that as the larvae that are inside the fruit mature, the berries start to drop off. Our average count was 0.029 injured fruit per bush, with a high of 0.8 infested fruit per bush. Trap counts during this week have decreased as well, with a high of 1 adult per trap in Atlantic County and 0 per trap in Burlington County. This indicates that PC adults are still active but at very low levels. Some fruit was seen this week on Thursday near a woods border that had recent scars and very small larvae. This fruit has the potential to be picked. Growers should be particularly aware of possible “PC pockets” near wooded areas. In this case, the 1^st post pollination insecticide had been Lannate, which Is Not an effective PC material. Make sure to match the materials you use with the specific pest pressure that is present.

Aphids: Aphids are also still present in some locations. In most cases populations have decreased and average about 5.6% infested shoots on new shoots. Some counts were as high as 46% of shoots infested. It is very important to get aphid control Out of the Way and Done so you can move on to the next pest, which will be Spotted Wing Drosophila. Products that work well for aphids include Assail, Admire, Actara, Sivanto, and (Movento – use with an adjuvant) the last choice is put in parentheses since most blueberry growers avoid the use of spreaders/stickers because of possible phyto problems. Make sure to check the PHI on all products and match to your picking dates. The above products are all effective, but we did notice a recent application that was tank mixed with various foliar nutrients, including calcium and copper. In this case there was an aphid control failure. Keep it simple and avoid tank mixes, especially with products that may not be needed or may interfere with the original critical reason for the spray in the first place. Also if you intend to make aphids your main target, then use the most effective products. Control failures have also been seen with Lannate (a carbamate), Diazinon (an OP), and Mustang Maxx (a pyrethroid). None of these materials are good aphicides, but do have a place in later sprays.

LEPS/worms and Cranberry Fruitworm (CBFW): During this past week of scouting, numbers have decreased on lower shoots as well as injury to infested fruit. The average percentage of lower infested shoots was 0.269 larvae per shoot with a high of 10 percent of LEPS on shoots. The average count was 0.031 larvae per bush. Treatments are considered when there is at least 1 larva per bush. Some remaining CBFW and cherry fruitworm (CFW) injury is present, but dropping off the plants. No additional treatments are needed for these insects. 

Cherry Fruitworm injured fruit. Photo-Carrie Denson

Oriental Beetle (OB): Traps were set last week in both Atlantic and Burlington County. Adults are being captures with a high in Atlantic County of 30 males per trap during the first week of emergence. Trap count records provide the grower with an idea on the effectiveness of the prior year’s grub control practices and if additional controls are needed. We have see problem fields with grubs feeding on roots when the trap counts peak out at over 600 beetles per trap . Growers should keep this approximate number in mind as we go through the Oriental Beetle emergence through June and early July.

Spotted Wing Drosophila (SWD): We started to place traps this past week and continue into this week. The first males were captured on Wednesday 6/13 in Atlantic County. This means that SWD is now the primary pest to target on all fruit that has any blue color. So for the immediate future, include Duke and skip most Bluecrop, Draper, and Elliott…..But this will change fast as fruit starts to color and SWD populations start to increase.

Malathion Section 24C SLN (Special Local Needs) Label: Malathion is one of 2 materials that can be used for SWD control up to 1 day PHI. The material needs to be used at 2 – 2.5 lb ai per acre to be effective, and this is only possible with a section 24C label in effect. Not all formulations have the label. The Gowan label for Malathion 8 Flowable has just been renewed for up to 2.5 pt/A and is good through 2020.

Summary of insect counts seen during the week of June 3 – 9

Blueberry Trap Captures – Atlantic County

Blueberry Trap Captures – Burlington County