Fruit IPM for August 16, 2017

Peach:

Spotted Wing Drosophila (SWD), Crop Diversity, Alternate Hosts, Wild Grape, Tall Trees and ‘Ready to Eat Fruit, Table-Ripe’ Fruit: Some farms, particularly in northern counties have diverse crops where stone fruit, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, and cherries (all SWD hosts) are grown on the same farm and often next to or close to each other. These same farms may be surrounded by woodlands that include wild chokecherry, wild grape, maturing pokeweed and other alternate hosts for SWD. As the season progresses, be aware that SWD populations go in only one direction – UP! The later the season, then the higher the population, and the greater the pest pressure. This means that the likelihood of infestation is increased, while control is made more difficult if sprays are skipped.

SWD also likes ripening fruit. Recent concern has been expressed in New York and New England about SWD ovipositing on ripening peach fruit. We have never seen this in large commercial orchards. Although peach is listed as a host, it is not a preferred host. However it is entirely reasonable that ripe peaches grown for immediate consumption (table ripe), could be attacked. The likelihood is increased if those peaches are also surrounded by alternate host crops and wild hosts that are not being sprayed, thus building up the SWD population. This makes the last 2 weeks of fruit maturation particularly critical, especially in this type of environment. Add to this the possibility of late movements of BMSB. Therefore we would always suggest that insecticide be included during the last 2 weeks before harvest in these high pressure situations.

Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (BMSB): Very little activity is present. One recently hatched egg mass was seen in Middlesex County, illustrating that any insecticides now being applied should be those that are effective for BMSB.

Oriental Fruit Moth (OFM): According to the model, treatments should be over for the third generation flight statewide. However trap counts in southern counties still show captures above the treatment threshold of 6/trap. These captures are likely from the start of the fourth flight and overlapping late emergence from the third flight. All materials used to treat for tufted apple budmoth (see below) should also control OFM.

Tufted Apple Budmoth (TABM): Very little to no feeding damage is present. For those growers with high trap captures, the insecticide timings are updated as follows:

Cat-facing Insects, Tarnished Plant Bug (TPB) and Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (BMSB): Catfacing insects and stink bugs are difficult to find. Very little activity is present.

Brown Rot: Recent rain and high humidity has significantly increased brown rot pressure. DO NOT stretch your fungicides, and make sure to alternate materials on a 5-7 day schedule. If you have 1.5 to 2” of rain, then realize that there is no more protection after that rain, unless you just applied a systemic material.

Peachtree Borers: Where Mating Disruption has not been deployed. Butt sprays using a handgun can be applied anytime from now through mid-September, as long as the crop has been harvested. See the NJ Tree Fruit Production Guide for materials and rates.

Apple:

Codling Moth (CM): The second flight continues to be stretched out. Numerous sites in all counties continue to have trap counts that show high populations. There are 5 locations in northern counties and a number of locations in southern counties where trap captures exceed 5 moths per trap, and often above 20 to 40 moths per trap. Any site with a trap count that exceeds 5 males per trap is considered above treatment threshold. While applications using Delegate, Altacor, Exirel, Voliam products, and Intrepid should be continued where populations are high, these materials should be alternated, or include pyrethroids in the rotation. Remember that Altacor, Exirel, Intrepid and Delegate do not control BMSB.

Bitter Rot: Bitter rot is appearing on susceptible cultivars such Honeycrisp and Empire in southern and northern counties. All covers should include Captan and/or Ziram. Frequent covers may be necessary in our current wet weather pattern. The addition of Pristine (14.5-15 oz/A), although a higher cost, will help bitter rot control.

Tree Fruit Trap Counts – Southern Counties

Tree Fruit Trap Counts – Northern Counties

Blueberry:

Putnam Scale: Second generation scale crawlers have emerged over the last couple of weeks. Newly emerged crawlers are being found on black tape traps in known infested bushes (Figure 1). Activity has increased over the last 7 days where scale was present during the first generation in late June. Where scale is present, applications of Esteem are suggested. If Diazinon has not yet been used this year, then 1 application of this material is permitted. Applications for scale control need to be made with as much water volume as possible in order to cover the entire surface of exposed wood. Physical contact with the small scale insects on the wood is required for control. If left uncontrolled, high scale populations will weaken canes and downgrade the fruit for next year.

Figure 1. Newly emerged scale crawlers on black tape trap. See small yellow insects at bottom of photo.

Sharpnosed Leafhopper (SNLH): Populations are still very low and have not significantly increased. Treatments for the second generations are still NOT suggested at this time.

 Spotted Wing Drosophila (SWD): SWD populations (and BBM) are still present and should still be controlled if any late fruit is still present. This is especially true for smaller operations concerned with SWD and caneberries.

Blueberry Trap Counts

Atlantic County

 Burlington County

Partial Key: SNLH – sharpnosed leafhopper, BBM – blueberry maggot

Grape: The timing for the 4^th generation grape berry moth treatment is this week. The timing in southern counties is around 8/16 for the use of Intrepid and diamides, and a few days later for pyrethroids and organophosphates. Treatment is Not suggested if you don’t see any damage from the 3^rd generation.