Fruit IPM Report July 29, 2026

• Foliar diseases should be managed with Mancozeb or Ziram, plus a single-site fungicide, to maintain pressure and inoculum at low levels, protecting fruit and maintaining a healthy orchard going into the next season.  

• Where fire blight is present, it is appropriate to prune out infected shoots. Prune out strikes on dry, cooler days, cut back 8-12” back into healthy tissue, and sterilize pruners between cuts.  

Pear psylla: Adult populations have decreased compared to previous weeks. If adult psylla are present, options for control include Actara, Assail, and Belay (IRAC group 4A); Sivanto Prime (IRAC group 4D); Delegate (IRAC Group 5); and products containing abamectin (IRAC group 6).  

Brown rot: Brown rot incidence remains low, but where fruit is present,rot has been observed (Figure 3).Highly effective rot materials include DMI’s Indar, Cevya, Orius, Quash, and Tilt (FRAC group 3), and Strobilurin materials including Merivon, Luna Sensation, Pristine, and Quadris Top (FRAC group 11), which should be applied beginning 3 – 4 weeks prior to harvest. 

Figure 3. Brown rot developing on ripening peach.

Oriental Fruit Moth (OFM): A biofix point for OFM was set on 4/2 for southern counties and 4/15 in northern counties. See below for timings for the third generation. Consider treatment if trap captures are above threshold (>8 moths per trap). 

Japanese Beetles: Japanese beetles have been observed feeding significantly on foliage and fruit. Products containing imidacloprid (Admire Pro, Leverage 360) are effective and may be warranted to protect fruit through harvest.  

Scale: Crawlers are active in orchards. Esteem is a good scale material that has a 14-day PHI for stone fruit. Centaur is also effective, has a 14-day PHI, and can be used only once during the growing season. Venerate has shown efficacy as a pre-harvest treatment against scale and has a 0-day PHI. If using Venerate to control scale insects, make 2 applications 7 days apart, starting a week after crawler emergence. 

Tarnished plant bugs and other catfacing insects: Insects are active, but new fruit feeding injury has been minimal.   

Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs: Nymphs and adults are active. See the NJ Tree Fruit Production guide for effective materials.  

Mites: Mite pressure can increase due to hot, dry weather from previous weeks. If leaf damage from high infestation is heavy enough, defoliation can occur, and next year‘s crop can be affected. Consider treatment if more than 10 mites per leaf are observed. The 2026 Southeastern Peach, Nectarine, and Plum Pest Management and Culture Guide has a good summary of miticides labeled for spider mite control on pages 31-32. Consider the pre-harvest interval and colony size/life stages of the mite present. Limit miticide use to one application per material class per season.

Figure 4. Peachtree borer larvae feeding within the trunk.

Peachtree Borers: Trap captures of both lesser peachtree borer and peachtree borer continued to decline this week, although adults remain active, and egg laying is ongoing. Newly hatched larvae feed on the bark before boring into the lower trunk and root crown, where they overwinter and can weaken or kill trees (Figure 4). Growers should begin preparing for post-harvest trunk applications, with mid-August through early September generally providing the best timing to target young larvae before they enter the tree. Trunk sprays containing chlorpyrifos (Lorsban), esfenvalerate (Asana XL), and permethrin (Pounce) are recommended for borer control. Apply the insecticide thoroughly to the lower trunk, root flare, scaffold crotches, and any cankered areas, following label directions.

Average Trap Captures in Peach – Southern Counties

Average Trap Captures in Peach – Northern Counties

Spotted-wing drosophila: Trap captures increased in both Atlantic and Burlington Counties. SWD remains the primary target for insecticide applications (Table 1). For management recommendations for SWD in blueberry and other berry crops, reference Rutgers Cooperative Extension Factsheet FS1246 and SWD Insecticides for Berries. 

Blueberry maggot: Traps continue to capture adults in low numbers, particularly in fields where picking and pesticide applications have slowed. 

Table 1. Spotted-Wing Drosophila and Blueberry Maggot traps 

Sharp-nosed leafhopper: Trap counts remain low (Table 2).  

Oriental beetle: Adult flight activity has decreased (Table 2). 

Table 2. Sharp-nosed Leafhopper and Oriental Beetle traps 

Scales: Crawler activity of both terrapin scale and Putnam scale slightly increased (Table 3). Monitoring will continue throughout the fall to detect the emergence of the second crawler generation and determine the appropriate timing for pesticide applications. Continued monitoring will help ensure that management recommendations are based on current pest activity and that insecticide applications are made when crawlers are most susceptible. Scale infestations on fruit decreased from previous weeks (Table 4). For scale management, target the second generation of crawlers with post-harvest applications of diazinon or pyriproxyfen (Esteem). 

Table 3. Scale Traps 

 Table 4. Scale Infestation on Fruit 

The IPM team continues to observe anthracnose and Alternaria, likely associated with mechanical damage caused by picking machine activity.  

For recommendations on fungicide products, refer to:  

• the 2026 Commercial Blueberry Pest Control Recommendations for New Jersey 

• https://extension.rutgers.edu/sites/default/files/2026-03/bb-v42n01.pdf 

Weeds

Last week, the IPM team monitored 86 fields for weed pressure. The predominant weed species observed across production fields were crabgrass and goosegrass. Based on current field conditions, postemergence herbicide selections should prioritize products with strong activity on annual grass species while considering the existing weed spectrum within individual fields. Refer to the 2026 Rutgers Blueberry Commercial Guide: https://njaes.rutgers.edu/pubs/publication.php?pid=e265 . 

Grape berry moth (GBM): Third-generation adult moths continue to be captured in pheromone traps placed in the vineyard. The timing to apply control for third-generation GBM is 1620-1710 DD from the biofix date of wild grape bloom (5/19 for Gloucester County). Consult the Grape berry moth NEWA model for the most accurate forecasting for your area. Consider treatment when 10% or more of the bunches show berry webbing and GBM larval feeding injury. To determine the percent injury, examine 10 bunches on 5 vines in 4 locations. Often, the greenish-brown larvae can be found inside the berry. See the Commercial Grape Pest Control Recommendations for New Jersey for management options. 

Spotted lanternfly (SLF): Adult SLF are present in vineyards. See this previous Plant & Pest Advisory post on Management of Spotted Lanternfly in New Jersey Vineyards.  

Grape root borer (GRB): Adults are active and flying in vineyards. Monitoring traps indicate the presence of GRB in the area, but only scouting around the bases of vines will indicate the presence of GRB in the vineyard. Adult moths will lay eggs July-August. Larvae will enter the soil and migrate to the roots, where they feed and cause damage. Dr. Anne Nielsen and the IPM team will be monitoring vineyards throughout the state to assess GRB population pressure in NJ. 

Monitoring for downy mildew and powdery mildew in NJ vineyards continues, but disease observations have been minimal. Botrytis has been observed. See the NJ Commercial Grape Production Guide for more information on disease management options.