Fruit IPM for August 25, 2020

Stink Bugs Apples and Peaches: Populations are little changed since last week, although slightly lower in most areas. Hot spots are starting to show up to 3% damage in southern county apples.  Hot spots also exist in Morris and Middlesex Counties. In order to prevent damage growers need weekly BMSB effective materials, especially on the block edges that have woods borders. The most effective materials for apples include: Danitol, Declare, Endigo, Lambda-Cy, Lannate (short residual), Leverage, Mustang Maxx, Proaxis, Renounce, Tombstone, Voliam Flexi and Warrior II.

Peach:

Oriental Fruit Moth (OFM): Trap counts are very low, indicating low pest pressure. Most growers do not have to treat for this insect at the present time, although a few locations show over 8 moths per trap, which does merit treatment. See apple section below.

Rhizopus rot: Rhizopus infected fruit has been occasionally seen in southern orchards. Merivon and Orius are rated good for Rhizopus. If you have any old Botran with a peach label, that can also be used, but the new product is no longer labeled

Apple:

Codling Moth (CM): Trap captures remain above threshold in problem blocks in southern and northern counties, but in most cases are well below treatment levels. Treatments should be continued any time there are close to 5 or more moths per trap. Diamide products (Altacor, Voliam, Besiege, Exirel, Verdepryn), and Delegate are the products of choice. Under high populations, the additional use of the CM/OFM virus, Madex, can be helpful.

Oriental Fruit Moth (OFM): This is the “Other Worm” in apples. If you have high OFM trap counts (in peach or apple), but no to low codling moth pressure, DO NOT put the sprayer away. This last OFM generation can create quite a bit of havoc if not controlled. Also, any mating disruption dispensers that were used in peaches do not control OFM populations that are in apples, unless you used the CM/OFM dispensers in apples.

Grapes:

Spotted Lanternfly (SLF): Adults are becoming more common in vineyards statewide, but only a concern in northern counties at the present time. The highest levels during the last several weeks were seen today in Hunterdon County, averaging about 6 adults per vine. SLF adults will commonly settle on the edge rows nearest a wooded border, which produces the highest populations. Adults (see below) can settle anywhere in the vineyard including trunks, all other plant parts, posts and stakes.

Spotted lanternfly adults on grapevine trunk in Hunterdon County. Photo – Emma Waltman

If you wish to treat for high populations of SLF adults, the following materials can be used in grapes (adapted from Penn State, and reprinted from last week). Other formulations may be available, but the data was generated with the formulations listed.

Tree  Fruit Trap Counts – Southern Counties

Tree  Fruit Trap Counts – Northern Counties

Blueberry:

Sharpnosed Leafhopper (SNLH): The main thing we are watching for now is a significant increase in adult activity, which would indicate the second generation flight. However we have still not seen this, and therefore it is too early to think about second generation SNLH treatments.

Putnam Scale: Crawlers are still active. So if you had first generation damage and still have not treated this second generation, you still have a little time to do so. The clock is running out though, so this may be the last week. Options for control include: Esteem 35W @ 5oz/A, or Diazinon @ 1-2 lb/A (50W). The diazinon label specifies that there is a maximum of 2 lb of formulated product allowed per season, and a maximum of only 1 in-season foliar application per year. The application volume is just, if not more important that the rate. The insecticide must contact the insect as it crawls up the cane and onto the branches. Make sure to use as much water as possible, or close to 50 gal/A or more. Use of a non-ionic spreader will help slightly to increase coverage. Scale applications Will Not Work if done by air. Good pruning that eliminates the old canes that harbor the highest populations is another management tactic that should always be practiced.