Apple Scab: Primary scab season is approaching the end, or has ended. Any established lesions from the primary scab infection period can continue to drive secondary spread if not controlled. Recent wetting events can support disease spread, but the upcoming forecast is relatively dry, which should limit additional infection risk in the short term. Growers should continue to monitor conditions and maintain coverage with Mancozeb or Captan plus a single-site fungicide, particularly where primary infections may have occurred. Keep in mind that Mancozeb has a 77-day pre-harvest interval (PHI).

Cedar apple rust: Rust is active at this time. Even if you have a low to no apple crop, apple rust and scab still need to be managed. Maintain coverage with mancozeb until the end of May.

Powdery mildew: Leaves with powdery mildew were observed this week, and the risk for infection remains active under dry conditions (Figure 1). Mancozeb is not effective. In periods of hot days with high humidity and no rain, sulfur (e.g., Microthiol Dispers at 10 lb/A) can be applied. PM needs to be managed through July. Do not tank mix captan and sulfur.

Figure 1. Powdery mildew is developing on the leaves of the apple. Photo by Sophia Solewater.

Fire blight: Symptoms began appearing in southern county apple orchards the week of 5/11. Products such as Apogee or Kudos are highly recommended to help slow the spread of infections. Repeated applications may be necessary to help control shoot blight from previous blossom infections or leftover cankers in the trees. It is recommended to cut out infected limbs 6–12 inches below the margin of visible infection. Ideally, infected tissue should be removed from the orchard and burned. However, if pressed for time, prunings can be left in the row middles to dry out and subsequently chopped with a mower. Do not cut out infections during wet weather, as bacteria can spread through water.

Rots: In orchards with fruit, management moving forward will focus on summer diseases, including fruit rots like bitter rot, sooty blotch, and fly speck. Broad-spectrum fungicides captan and ziram are effective, and adding single-site products such as Merivon, Luna Sensation, Pristine, Omega, and Aprovia may improve control. The addition of phosphorous acid products such as Prophyt or Rampart to captan sprays can improve control of rots and other summer diseases such as sooty blotch and flyspeck, and may help suppress scab infections where present.

Marssonina Blotch, Glomerella Leaf Spot, and Frogeye Leaf Spot: These diseases should be managed, as they will cause defoliation and provide a source of inoculum for black rot and bitter rot next season.  Maintain coverage of captan, manzate, or ziram prior to rain events through the growing season according to the cover spray rule of applications every 2” of rain or 14 days, whichever comes first.

Insect management programs should be adjusted this season to account for reduced crop load in many orchards. In blocks with little to no fruit, many early-season insect pests will not require treatment; however, monitoring should continue, and management should be maintained where pests threaten tree health or next year’s crop.

Rosy apple aphid: Activity has been very low to start this season. RAA can feed extensively on foliage and terminals, causing leaf curling and stunting. This can impact next year’s fruit that will be set this season. Without fruit, the trees may tolerate a higher threshold of these pests, but they should still be managed. Monitor for colonies during bloom and use a treatment threshold of 1 colony/tree at petal fall.

Woolly Apple Aphid (WAA); Green Apple (Spirea) Aphids (GAA): Aphid colonies are being observed in some apple blocks (Figure 2). WAA and GAA are generally pests that can be tolerated because they cause little direct damage. Treatment thresholds for WAA and GAA are met if 50% of the shoots are infested with no beneficial insects present. Movento will control WAA and GAA and should control scale when applied in mid-May, and suppress scale when applied in late May or early June.

Figure 2b. Green apple aphid colonies on younger branches.

Figure 2a. Woolly apple aphid colonizing pruned wood.

Ambrosia Beetle: Trap captures have decreased in southern NJ, indicating peak flight has ended or is coming to an end. In northern NJ counties, trap captures have been increasing with last week’s warm temperatures. Infested trees should be showing signs of stress or will soon. If you have had a history of this pest in your orchard, you should begin scouting for damage and flag any trees that have been attacked for continued monitoring.

Codling Moth (CM): Biofix has been set for southern counties as of April 20 and in northern counties as of 5/5. In blocks with little to no crop, CM management programs can often be reduced or delayed; however, monitoring should continue. Where mating disruption has been employed or there is a reduced insecticide program, supplemental Madex applications can be made at the timings listed below if the threshold exceeds 5 moths per trap per week.

Leafhoppers: Adult leafhoppers typically begin appearing in apples this time of year. They appear as small, light-green, soft-bodied insects and are often found on the new leaves at the growing tips. High densities should not be tolerated in non-bearing orchards because they can stunt the growth of new shoots. They should also not be tolerated in orchards where fire blight is present, as they have been shown to spread the disease. Neonicotinoids are generally recommended for control; however, other broad-spectrum materials are also effective. 

Dogwood borer: Monitoring traps have captured high numbers of male dogwood borer adults, particularly in orchards with a history of the pest. Mating disruption is recommended and effective for this pest. Manage as needed in blocks with a history of infestation. Assail has demonstrated activity when targeting adults to reduce egg laying. See the 2026 Integrated Orchard Management Guide for Commercial Apples in the Southeast.

Average Trap Captures in Apple – Southern Counties

Average Trap Captures in Apple – Northern Counties

Fabraea Leaf Spot: Spots have been observed on leaves in orchards (Figure 3). Infections can result in significant leaf spotting, defoliation, and unmarketable fruit. 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. See the New Jersey Commercial Tree Fruit Production Guide for more information.

Figure 3. Fabraea leaf spot on foliage in pear. Photo by Katrina DeWitt.

Pear psylla: Second generation pear psylla adults and eggs have been observed in southern counties. Pear Psylla are still actively laying eggs, and nymphs continue to hatch. 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). Other options include Movento (IRAC Group 23). The addition of 0.25-1 gal of summer oil may improve control. Be sure to read and follow the label instructions for adding penetrants to these products.

Plum curculio; Stink bug; Tarnished plant bug: While activity during scouting may appear low, injury is being observed and may be more pronounced in orchards where reduced crop load is present. If high amounts of injury are observed and you intend to harvest the crop, consider a well-timed application of an IRAC Group 4A (Actara, Assail, and Belay).

Given the widespread crop loss in many orchards, disease management programs should be adjusted accordingly. With little to no fruit present in most blocks, emphasis should shift away from fruit protection and toward maintaining tree health and reducing inoculum for next season.

Peach scab: In orchards without a history of high disease pressure, scab is generally not a concern in the absence of fruit. In blocks with a history of scab, lesions can still develop on current-season shoots and serve as inoculum for next year. In these situations, a reduced program may be warranted, with Captan applications timed ahead of significant rainfall events.

Bacterial spot: Leaf symptoms began appearing in orchards earlier in May. Leaf infections appear water-soaked, stay within the leaf veins, and gradually darken. Eventually, the chlorotic tissue abscises from the leaf, leaving a “shot-hole”. Copper injury appears similar. The main differences are that copper injury often appears at the leaf base, where the spray collects as it runs off, and the shot-hole will cross leaf veins. Copper injury often appears red at the margins of the shot hole. Fruit injury from bacterial spot results in dark lesions that are often accompanied by gummosis. Maintain low-rate copper programs to protect foliage and reduce inoculum for future seasons. Particularly important in blocks with a history of bacterial spot or under warm, wet conditions. Avoid combining copper with captan, especially following extended cloudy or slow-drying conditions.

Rusty spot and brown rot: Not a concern in blocks with little to no fruit. Fungicide applications targeting these diseases can be eliminated in most orchards this season unless there is a crop to protect. See the New Jersey Commercial Tree Fruit Production Guide for more information.

Insect management programs for peaches and nectarines should be adjusted this season due to reduced crop load. In blocks with little to no fruit, many fruit-feeding pests will not require treatment; however, monitoring should continue, and management should focus on pests that impact tree health or future production.

Oriental Fruit Moth (OFM): A biofix point for OFM was set on 4/7 for southern counties and 4/15 in northern counties. All treatments for the second generation have passed. We have seen very little flagging in new leaf tissue where OFM larvae have bored into.

Scale: White peach scale and San Jose scale crawlers begin to emerge at this time and will continue to emerge for up to 6 weeks. Control options during crawler emergence include Neonicotinoids (suppression only), Sivanto, Esteem, and Centaur.

Green Peach Aphid: Activity has been low to start this season, but is increasing with warmer temperatures. Examine trees for the presence of aphids by counting the number of colonies on ten trees and use a treatment threshold of 2 colonies/tree at petal fall for peach, and 1 colony/tree for nectarine. Management options include Assail, Actara, Admire Pro, or Sivanto.

Plum Curculio: Injury to developing peaches and apples has been observed in southern counties, with high infestation rates in orchards with a history of high pest pressure. Management for PC is not recommended at this time since adults are not currently active.

Tarnished plant bugs and other catfacing insects: Activity is increasing with dry weather and summer temperatures. Very little recent fruit feeding has been observed. In most blocks with little to no fruit, treatment is not necessary.

Lesser and Greater Peach Tree Borers: Growers using mating disruption for borer control should have them in place by mid-May. Even in orchards with little fruit, borers will need to be managed to maintain healthy tree stands for the next season. If this has been a historical pest in your orchard, mating disruption is recommended. Continue monitoring and managing as usual in problem blocks with mating disruption or trunk sprays.

Average Trap Captures in Peach – Southern Counties

Average Trap Captures in Peach – Northern Counties

• Apple scab symptoms are now appearing in some orchards as secondary infections (Figure 1).
  

  Figure 1. Early onset of scab symptoms on apple leaves. Photo by Kaitlin Quinn.

• Primary scab season is coming to an end or has ended.
• Rust and powdery mildew infections are also a risk during this time.
• These diseases need to be managed, even if you have little to no apple crop, to maintain healthy trees and keep inoculum low going into next season. A conservative spray program can focus on broad-spectrum fungicides, such as mancozeb, captan, ziram, and sulfur. Mancozeb is the only broad-spectrum product to control rust, while sulfur is the only broad-spectrum product to control powdery mildew.
  

  Figure 2. Fire blight strike in apple. Photo by Karlton Raines-Neidigh.

• Marssonina Blotch, Glomerella Leaf Spot, and Frogeye Leaf Spot should be managed, as they will cause defoliation and provide a source of inoculum for black rot and bitter rot next season.  Maintain coverage of captan, manzate, or ziram prior to rain events through the growing season according to the cover spray rule of applications every 2” of rain or 14 days, whichever comes first.
• For those who have fruit on their trees, there are additional fungicide options to consider, particularly to manage bitter rot, sooty blotch & flyspeck. Products such as Merivon, Luna Sensation, Inspire Super, Omega, and Aprovia are effective and can be combined or rotated with broad-spectrum fungicides such as captan and ziram for sustained control.
• Fire Blight:
  • Fire blight strikes are developing in orchards statewide (Figure 2).
  • Products such as Apogee or Kudos are highly recommended to help slow the spread of infections. Repeated applications may be necessary to help control shoot blight from previous blossom infections or leftover cankers in the trees.
  • If there is still some bloom, apply antibiotics when infection events are forecasted using the NEWA fire blight model.
  • Remember to rotate streptomycin and oxytetracycline products.
  • If symptoms appear, it is generally recommended to cut out infected limbs and remove them from the orchard when possible; however, this is a practical decision that must be made on a case-by-case basis.

Insect management programs should be adjusted this season to account for reduced crop load in many orchards. In blocks with little to no fruit, many early-season insect pests will not require treatment; however, monitoring should continue, and management should be maintained where pests threaten tree health or next year’s crop.

• Rosy apple aphid activity has been very low to start this season. RAA can feed extensively on foliage and terminals, causing leaf curling and stunting. This can impact next year’s fruit that will be set this season. Without fruit, the trees may tolerate a higher threshold of these pests, but they should still be managed.
  • Monitor for colonies during bloom and use a treatment threshold of 1 colony/tree at petal fall.
• Green Apple (Spirea) Aphids (GAA) colonies are being observed in some apple blocks. GAA is generally a pest that can be tolerated because it causes little direct damage.
  • Treatment thresholds for GAA are met if 50% of the shoots are infested with no beneficial insects present.
  • Movento will control GAA and should control scale when applied in mid-May, and suppress scale when applied in late May or early June.
• Ambrosia Beetle
  • Trap captures have decreased across NJ, indicating peak flight has ended or is coming to an end.
  • Infested trees should be showing signs of stress or will soon.
  • If you have had a history of this pest in your orchard, you should begin scouting for damage and flag any trees that have been attacked for continued monitoring.

• Codling Moth (CM)
  • A codling moth biofix was set in Southern counties on 4/20 and in Northern counties on 5/5. See the NJ Commercial Tree Fruit Production Guide for recommended materials and rates. Where Mating Disruption has been employed, supplemental Madex applications should be made at the timings listed below.

  • 	Codling Moth Degree Day Timing
    		Application and Insecticide Type
    County Area	Biofix	Rimon: 75-100DD + 14-17 days later		Intrepid 150 + 450 DD Diamides – Altacor, Voliam mixes: (150-200 DD)		Madex 250 DD + 7-10 days during brood hatch (later if first spray is an IGR)	Standard Insecticides –  Delegate, Avaunt, OP’s, carbamates, pyrethroids 250 DD + 550 DD
    DD		75	100	150	450	250	250	550
    Southern	April 20	Past	Past	Past	6/1	5/18	5/18	Too far off
    Northern	May 5	5/12	5/14	5/17	Too far off	5/21	5/21	Too far off

• Plum curculio, tarnished plant bug, stink bugs, BMSB, TABM, and OBLR:
  • In most blocks, treatment is not necessary where little to no fruit is present
  • The timing to treat plum curculio has passed.
• Mites:
  • Continue to use standard thresholds through June
  • Maintaining healthy foliage is important for return bloom next season

Average Trap Captures in Apple – Southern Counties

Average Trap Captures in Apple – Northern Counties

• Fire blight remains a concern during warm and wet periods. Continue to protect actively growing shoots, particularly during warm, wet, or stormy conditions. In high-risk situations, oxytetracycline (e.g., Mycoshield, FireLine) may be used post-bloom to suppress shoot blight.
• Maintain protectant fungicides (e.g., Mancozeb, Ziram) to control rust, scab, and Fabraea leaf spot, protecting foliage.
  • Use FRAC 3 and 7, and premix fungicides (e.g., Inspire Super, Merivon, Luna products) as needed for foliar disease control.
  • In blocks with little to no fruit, fungicide programs can often be reduced and focused on maintaining healthy foliage rather than fruit protection.

• Second generation pear psylla adults and eggs have been observed in southern counties. 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). Other options include Movento (IRAC Group 23). The addition of 0.25-1 gal of summer oil may improve control. Be sure to read and follow the label instructions for adding penetrants to these products.

Given the widespread crop loss in many orchards, disease management programs should be adjusted accordingly. With little to no fruit present in most blocks, emphasis should

Figure 3. Bacterial leaf spot on peach

shift away from fruit protection and toward maintaining tree health and reducing inoculum for next season.

• Peach scab:
  • In orchards without a history of high disease pressure, scab is generally not a concern in the absence of fruit
  • In blocks with a history of scab, lesions can still develop on current-season shoots and serve as inoculum for next year
  • In these situations, a reduced program may be warranted, with Captan applications timed ahead of significant rainfall events (e.g., ~2.5 lb/A)
• Bacterial spot:
  • Leaf symptoms are showing in orchards (Figure 3).
  • Maintain low-rate copper programs to protect foliage and reduce inoculum for future seasons
  • Particularly important in blocks with a history of bacterial spot or under warm, wet conditions
  • Avoid combining copper with captan, especially following extended cloudy or slow-drying conditions
• Rusty spot and brown rot:
  • Not a concern in blocks with little to no fruit
  • Fungicide applications targeting these diseases can be eliminated in most orchards this season unless there is a crop to protect.

Insect management programs for peaches and nectarines should be adjusted this season due to reduced crop load. In blocks with little to no fruit, many fruit-feeding pests will not require treatment; however, monitoring should continue, and management should focus on pests that impact tree health or future production.

Figure 4. Terminal flagging due to Oriental fruit moth.

Oriental Fruit Moth (OFM)

• • A biofix point for OFM was set on 4/7 for southern counties and 4/15 in northern counties.
  • The second insecticide timings for the first generation Oriental Fruit Moth have passed.
  • No insecticides are needed for OFM when mating disruption is implemented.
  • We have seen very few flagging in new leaf tissue where OFM larvae have bored into (Figure 4).

  OFM 1st Generation Timing
  		Insecticide Type
  County/Region	Degree Days by 5/18 base 45	Conventional 170-200, 350-375	Diamide 100-150, 300-350
  Gloucester – Southern	556	1st –past 2nd – past	1st –past 2nd –past
  Middlesex – Northern	456	1st –past 2nd –5/13-5/15	1st – past 2nd –5/10-5/13

Scale

• Beneficial insects may help suppress populations in many blocks
• In orchards with a history of infestation, plan to target the crawler stage starting the third week of May and continue emergence until about the middle of June
• Control options include materials such as Esteem or Centaur
• Where scale is a recurring problem, Movento should be applied between petal fall and shuck split. A penetrant must be included with Movento as per the product label. Applications should be made at optimal temperature conditions. Movento will also control green peach aphid when used at this time.
• Continue monitoring historically infested blocks and plan crawler management for later in the season if populations persist.

Green Peach Aphid

• Activity has been low to start this season, but is starting to increase.
• Examine trees for the presence of aphids by counting the number of colonies on ten trees and use a treatment threshold of 2 colonies/tree at petal fall for peach, and 1 colony/tree for nectarine. See the NJ Commercial Tree Fruit Production Guide for recommended materials and rates.

Plum Curculio

• Injury to fruit has been observed on developing peaches and apples in southern counties.
• Management in NJ typically requires weekly sprays for 3-4 weeks, beginning at petal-fall and continuing through approximately 300 DD₅₀ after petal-fall.
• Materials that cover PC and other key pests encountered at this time include Asana, Avaunt, Imidan, and Voliam Flexi.

Tarnished plant bugs and other catfacing insects

• Activity has been low and is considered a low priority for management, where fruit is not present. If you plan to retain a crop, you must continue to manage insect pests intensively as you would in a normal season.

Lesser and Greater Peach Tree Borers

• Growers using mating disruption for borer control should have them in place by mid-May.
• Even in orchards with little fruit, borers will need to be managed to maintain healthy tree stands for the next season. If this has been a historical pest in your orchard, mating disruption is recommended.
• Continue monitoring and managing as usual in problem blocks

Average Trap Captures in Peach – Southern Counties

Average Trap Captures in Peach – Northern Counties

Apple phenology continued to progress across New Jersey over the past week, with most blocks now moving through bloom into petal fall. The impacts of the recent freeze event are now becoming more apparent, with significant injury observed in many orchards statewide. Early varieties in southern counties, such as ‘Pink Lady,’ sustained substantial damage where they were at full bloom during the freeze.

Later varieties and more northern regions show variable levels of injury depending on bloom stage and site conditions. In some blocks, later-developing blooms appear to have escaped damage and are setting limited fruit. Surviving fruitlets are becoming easier to identify, although some additional drop may still occur over the coming week.

As development continues into petal fall and early fruit set, this remains a critical period for disease management, particularly for fire blight, apple scab, powdery mildew, and cedar apple rust. Even in blocks with reduced crop, maintaining protection of foliage and any surviving fruit is essential for overall tree health and to support return bloom next season. Monitoring for early-season insect pests should also continue, with management decisions adjusted based on crop presence and block-specific conditions.

Phenology Dates by County (earliest varieties)

Insect management programs should be adjusted this season based on reduced crop load in many orchards. In blocks with little to no fruit, many early-season insect pests will not require treatment; however, monitoring should continue, and management should be maintained where pests threaten tree health or next year’s crop.

• Ambrosia Beetle
  • No new significant flight activity has been observed in recent days
  • Peak flight period appears to have passed, though low-level activity may still occur
  • Continue monitoring traps, particularly in stressed, freeze-damaged, declining, or newly planted blocks
  • Freeze-injured trees may remain attractive, so risk is not fully eliminated
  • No additional insecticide applications are needed in most blocks at this time unless activity resumes or trees are under stress

• Codling Moth (CM)
  • Biofix has been set for southern New Jersey as of April 20, 2026
  • In blocks with little to no crop, CM management programs can often be reduced or delayed, as the risk of economic injury is low; however, monitoring should continue.
  • Mating disruption should remain in place where already deployed; do not remove dispensers, as they will continue to suppress populations
  • Where Mating Disruption has been employed or there is a reduced insecticide program, supplemental Madex applications can be made at the timings listed below if threshold exceeds 5 or more moths per trap per week.

• Other Apple Insects
  • In blocks with little to no crop, many early-season fruit-feeding insects will not require treatment at this time. Continue monitoring, and focus management on pests that impact tree health, terminal growth, or future crop potential.

• Plum curculio, tarnished plant bug, stink bugs, BMSB, TABM, and OBLR:
  • In most blocks, treatment is not necessary where little to no fruit is present

• Mites:
  • Continue to use standard thresholds through June
  • Maintaining healthy foliage is important for return bloom next season
•  Rosy apple aphid:
  • Manage only in cases of severe infestation to avoid excessive leaf curling and shoot distortion
• Dogwood borer:
  • Manage as needed in blocks with a history of infestation

• The recent freeze has resulted in widespread blossom and fruit loss across many orchards, with damage now becoming more clearly defined at the block level
• Some late-developing apple blooms have escaped injury and are setting limited fruit
• Apple scab season is nearing completion, with most ascospores matured and a large portion already discharged; one final well-timed fungicide application should be sufficient in most blocks
• Fire blight risk remains in blocks with open bloom or recent injury; 1–2 additional bactericide applications may be warranted based on model predictions and weather conditions
• Insect management programs can be reduced in many blocks due to low crop, but monitoring should continue and management maintained for pests that impact tree health
• Maintaining healthy foliage and overall tree vigor remains critical to support return bloom and production for the 2027 season

Pear development continued to progress across New Jersey over the past week, and the impacts of the recent freeze event are now becoming more clearly defined. Significant injury to blossoms and young fruit has been confirmed across much of the state, with many orchards reporting substantial crop loss.

Most European pear varieties were at full bloom to early petal fall during the freeze and have sustained widespread damage, particularly in low-lying or frost-prone areas. In many blocks, little to no viable fruit remains, though isolated pockets of surviving fruit may still be present depending on site conditions.

Asian pear varieties, which were generally more advanced at the time of the freeze, appear to have experienced even greater levels of injury in some locations. In northern counties, where bloom was still ongoing, damage remains variable but is often still substantial in exposed sites.

At this stage, surviving fruitlets are becoming easier to identify (Figure 2), although some additional drop may still occur over the coming week. Growers should continue to assess blocks carefully before making final management decisions.

Figure 1. Pear fruitlets cut to assess freeze injury—internal tissue appears viable; however, additional drop may occur. Salem County, NJ.

Despite reduced crop potential, maintaining disease management and overall tree health remains important, particularly to support return bloom and long-term productivity.

• Pear psylla activity remains low across much of southern New Jersey, with limited observations to date
• Some variability exists by block, though overall pressure remains light at this time
• Freeze-damaged orchards may be more susceptible to colonization as stressed trees can favor psylla buildup

Regional Observations:

• Gloucester County: None observed
• Salem County: Newly emerged Adults observed
• Burlington County: No activity observed to date
• Mercer County: No activity observed to date

As orchards move through petal fall and temperatures warm, psylla populations may increase gradually, particularly in blocks where adults are present. However, given the widespread crop loss this season, economic risk is reduced in many orchards.

Management Considerations

• In most blocks, immediate treatment is not necessary at this time
• Continue monitoring for adults, eggs, and early nymphs, especially in historically infested blocks
• Where management is needed, target newly hatched nymphs, which are the most susceptible stage
• Focus treatments on blocks with high historical pressure, active populations, or significant freeze stress
• Even with little to no crop, psylla should be managed where populations build to levels that may impact tree health, vigor, or lead to honeydew and sooty mold accumulation

Recommended Options

• Movento (IRAC 23) – excellent systemic control of psylla, scale, and aphids (apply with a spreading/penetrating adjuvant for best performance)
• Actara, Assail, Belay (IRAC 4A) – effective options for psylla control
• Centaur (IRAC 16) – targets immature stages
• Sivanto Prime (IRAC 4D) – effective, softer option with good activity
• Agri-Mek (IRAC 6) – strong option when applied with oil/adjuvant, especially for nymph control

With little to no fruit in many blocks, psylla management should be highly targeted rather than routine. Focus on monitoring and only treat where populations threaten tree health or where there is a history of significant infestation.

• The recent freeze has resulted in widespread blossom and fruit loss across many New Jersey pear orchards, with damage now more clearly defined at the block level.
• Most orchards are now at petal fall to early post-bloom in southern counties, while northern counties have largely progressed through bloom with variable levels of injury.
• Asian pear varieties, which were more advanced at the time of the freeze, experienced greater levels of injury in many locations; in most blocks, little to no viable fruit remains.
• Pear psylla pressure remains low at this time; while populations may increase with warmer temperatures, most blocks do not require immediate treatment, though monitoring should continue—particularly in freeze-stressed or historically infested orchards.
• Insecticide applications can be reduced in many blocks due to low crop; where needed, target early nymph stages and focus on blocks with active populations or a history of pressure.
• Pear scab risk peaked during the April 25–27 infection period; current risk is declining, and one additional fungicide application is likely sufficient in most blocks to cover remaining primary infection.
• Fire blight risk remains a concern in blocks with freeze injury and actively growing shoots; 1–2 additional bactericide applications may be warranted depending on conditions and model predictions.
• With little to no crop in many orchards, management should shift toward maintaining healthy foliage, reducing inoculum, and supporting return bloom and productivity for the 2027 season.
• Continued scouting and monitoring of weather conditions, pest activity, and tree response will remain important over the next 7–10 days.

Peach and nectarine development continued to progress across New Jersey over the past week, and the impacts of the recent freeze event are now becoming more clearly defined. Significant injury to blossoms and young fruit has been confirmed in many orchards, particularly in southern counties.

Most varieties in southern New Jersey were at shuck split during the freeze, a highly sensitive stage, and have sustained substantial crop loss, especially in low-lying or frost-prone areas. In many blocks, little to no viable fruit remains, though isolated pockets of surviving fruit may still be present depending on site conditions.

In northern counties, where bloom was still ongoing at the time of the freeze, damage remains variable but is often still significant in more exposed locations. Some blocks may retain limited crop depending on bloom stage and site protection.

At this stage, surviving fruitlets are becoming easier to identify, although additional drop may still occur over the coming week. Growers should continue to assess crop viability at the block level before making final management decisions.

Despite reduced crop potential, maintaining disease management and overall tree health remains important to support return bloom and long-term productivity for the 2027 season.

Given the widespread crop loss in many orchards, disease management programs should be adjusted accordingly. With little to no fruit present in most blocks, emphasis should shift away from fruit protection and toward maintaining tree health and reducing inoculum for next season.

• Peach scab:
  • In orchards without a history of high disease pressure, scab is generally not a concern in the absence of fruit
  • In blocks with a history of scab, lesions can still develop on current-season shoots and serve as inoculum for next year
  • In these situations, a reduced program may be warranted, with Captan applications timed ahead of significant rainfall events (e.g., ~2.5 lb/A)
• Bacterial spot:
  • Maintain low-rate copper programs to protect foliage and reduce inoculum for future seasons
  • Particularly important in blocks with a history of bacterial spot or under warm, wet conditions
  • Avoid combining copper with captan, especially following extended cloudy or slow-drying conditions
• Rusty spot and brown rot:
  • Not a concern in blocks with little to no fruit
  • Fungicide applications targeting these diseases can be eliminated in most orchards this season.

Insect management programs in peaches and nectarines should be adjusted this season based on reduced crop load. In blocks with little to no fruit, many fruit-feeding pests will not require treatment; however, monitoring should continue, and management should focus on pests that impact tree health or future production.

Oriental Fruit Moth (OFM)

• OFM biofix has been set for April 7 in southern New Jersey and April 15 in northern counties
• Degree-day accumulations should continue to be tracked from biofix to time first-generation management
• In blocks with little to no fruit, OFM pressure will have limited economic impact; however, a well-timed application may still be beneficial to reduce populations, particularly in young blocks or orchards with historically high pressure
• Where treatment is warranted, first-generation control should be timed around 170–200 DD (base 45°F) after biofix
• A second treatment can be timed 10-14 days after petal fall where traps capture moths above threshold (>10) at 300-350 DD.
• Mating disruption should remain in place where already deployed; do not remove dispensers

Scale

• Beneficial insects may help suppress populations in many blocks
• In orchards with a history of infestation, plan to target the crawler stage later in the season
• In severe infestations, materials such as Esteem or Centaur may be used
• Where scale is a recurring problem, an application of Centaur at petal fall or Movento between petal fall and shuck split should “clean up” problem blocks. Centaur is recommended at 34.5 ozs./ac and Movento should be applied at 6-9 ozs./ac. A penetrant must be included to Movento as per the product label. Movento will also control green peach aphid when used at this time.
• Continue monitoring historically infested blocks and planning for crawler management later in the season if populations persist.

Green Peach Aphid

• Continue scouting as terminals expand and colonies begin to establish
• Manage populations to prevent leaf curling and shoot distortion
• Treatment thresholds remain:
  • Nectarines: 1 colony per tree
  • Peaches: 2–3 colonies per tree

Lesser and Greater Peach Tree Borers

• Growers using mating disruption for borer control can begin placing dispensers around the end of April and should have them in place by mid-May.
• Even in orchards with little fruit, borers will need to be managed to maintain healthy tree stands for the next season. If this has been a historical pest in your orchard, mating disruption is recommended.
• Continue monitoring and manage as usual in problem blocks

Other Insects

• Plum curculio, tarnished plant bug, stink bugs, BMSB, Japanese beetle, TABM, and thrips: In most blocks with little to no fruit, treatment is not necessary

Recommended Options

• OFM / Leafrollers:
  • Altacor, Asana, Delegate, Besiege, Voliam Flexi
• Lesser and Greater Peach Tree Borers
  • Asana XL, Pounce 25WG
• Green Peach Aphid:
  • Assail, Actara, Admire Pro

• The recent freeze has resulted in widespread blossom and fruit loss across many peach and nectarine orchards, with damage now clearly defined at the block level
• Most southern New Jersey orchards have little to no viable fruit remaining, while northern orchards show variable but often significant injury depending on bloom stage and site conditions
• Surviving fruitlets are becoming easier to identify, though additional drop may still occur over the coming week
• With minimal crop present, disease management programs can be significantly reduced, with emphasis shifting to maintaining foliage health and reducing inoculum for next season
• Fruit diseases such as brown rot and rusty spot are not a concern in most blocks this season
• Insect management programs can also be reduced; most fruit-feeding pests will not require treatment in blocks without crop
• Oriental fruit moth should still be monitored and may warrant a well-timed application in high-pressure or young blocks to reduce populations
• Green peach aphid and mites should be managed as needed to protect foliage and support return bloom
• Maintaining tree health and canopy development remains critical to support productivity for the 2027 season
• Continued scouting and monitoring of weather, pest activity, and tree response will be important over the next 7–10 days