June 5, 2026 , , , and

Vineyard Pest and Disease Management Considerations Following Freeze Injury

Vineyard Management Following Freeze Injury and Reduced Crop Potential
Reminders

Management programs this season should focus on preserving healthy foliage, minimizing inoculum buildup, and protecting any remaining harvestable crop. In New Jersey vineyards recovering from freeze injury, timing sprays appropriately and maintaining good canopy coverage will be especially important. 

Recommendations should always be adjusted based on vineyard history, cultivar susceptibility, weather conditions, and local scouting observations. 

Disease Management Following Freeze Injury 

Although immediate concerns following freeze events often focus on crop loss, freeze injury can substantially alter disease risk throughout the growing season. Even when crop potential is limited, disease management remains important. 

Phomopsis Cane and Leaf Spot
Phomopsis infections are favored by cool, wet conditions early in the growing season and can become established on shoots, rachises, and leaves shortly after budbreak. The disease becomes particularly important once flower clusters become visible, and grapevine tissues remain susceptible through berry set. In New Jersey vineyards, it is important to maintain fungicide protection during these periods. Maintaining good canopy airflow can also help reduce prolonged leaf wetness and disease development.  Mancozeb products can be used during the early season, provided the 66-day pre-harvest interval (PHI) is observed. After bloom, growers can transition to Ziram products with a 21-day PHI. Captan products may also serve as an alternative option for disease management.

Black Rot
Black rot management remains important with the remaining crop potential. Despite the freeze, this overwintering inoculum remains active and ready to infect new growth. The most critical control period for black rot is around bloom. This is important because berries naturally become resistant to black rot 4 to 5 weeks after bloom, meaning your spray timing window is narrow and critical. The first and second post-bloom sprays are the most important applications for black rot control. These sprays cannot be skipped if you want to protect any crops. Mancozeb applied before bloom provides good protectant activity. FRAC 3 fungicides, such as Rally and Mettle, combined with Ziram, are effective options for post-bloom black rot control. FRAC 11 fungicides like Abound are also effective but require careful management.  

Powdery Mildew
Powdery mildew is the most important fungal disease of grapevines. In freeze-damaged vineyards with reduced crop load, the focus of disease management shifts from fruit protection to maintaining leaf health. Severe defoliation from uncontrolled powdery mildew compromises vine recovery, making disease control important but requiring a different strategy. Rather than intensive fruit protection, growers should focus on reducing infections and limiting the overwintering inoculum for next season.  This provides flexibility to reduce the spray program from its usual calendar-based schedule. However, lateral shoots from secondary buds can cause dense growth, creating a perfect microclimate for powdery mildew. 

Sulfur is an excellent option for powdery mildew control, providing both preventative and curative activity. FRAC 3 (Demethylation Inhibitors) such as Rally 40WSP, Mettle 125ME, Inspire Super, and Quadris Top can be a good option for application in mid- to late-season to reduce the inoculum for next year. Other fungicides such as FRAC 11 (Quinone outside Inhibitors: Abound, Flint) can also be used. Newer chemistry options such as Quintec (FRAC 13), Torino (FRAC U6), and Gatten (FRAC U13) are also viable alternatives. However, you can stick with affordable options this year to keep costs down. The key is to maintain leaf health throughout the season. 

Growers should use caution with sulfur applications during periods of high temperatures or on sulfur-sensitive cultivars. 

Downy Mildew
Management of downy mildew in New Jersey vineyards requires regular scouting, especially after rain events and during periods of high humidity. Once the bloom is established, management becomes critical. If lesions appear, applying Captan can eradicate the disease and stop its spread. Scout again after two to three weeks to monitor effectiveness. Improving airflow through shoot thinning and canopy management is equally important, as it directly reduces the humidity that favors downy mildew development. Continue monitoring even in low-crop vineyards to preserve canopy function and vine health. 

Multi-site fungicides such as Captan and Ziram are effective in managing this pathogen. Phosphorous acid products offer curative activity for early-stage infections but have limited residual protection. If using Phosphorous acid products, Ziram can be added for longer protection. Copper products are effective where varietal sensitivity allows. For systemic control, Revus and Zampro are available options. Always tank mix or rotate these materials with unrelated fungicide groups to maintain effectiveness. 

Botrytis Bunch Rot
Botrytis presents a special challenge in freeze-damaged vineyards. Freeze-damaged tissues may increase susceptibility to infection. The risk increases during wet conditions between bunch closure and harvest. Botrytis primarily affects tight-clustered Vitis vinifera and hybrid cultivars, dense canopies due to lateral shoots, and delayed-ripening fruits on freeze-damaged vines, which can elevate risk.  Consider using Botrytis fungicide from FRAC groups (9, 12, and 17) during the bloom period. Importantly, tank mix any Botrytis material with either Captan or fixed copper to maintain resistance management and provide broader disease protection. Veraison, when berries begin to soften and ripen, is critical for timing protection. Some important management considerations include improving airflow and reducing cluster-zone humidity, carefully monitoring late-season weather conditions, and prioritizing protection in tight-clustered vinifera cultivars.  

Re-timing Your Spray Schedule
A standard “calendar-based” fungicide program, or a program based on fixed phenological stages, does not work in freeze-damaged vineyards. The reason is simple: uneven vine recovery leads to staggered growth. New growth remains vulnerable longer than expected in traditional vineyards. Not all vines reach the same growth stage at the same time. The standard spray timing developed for uniform vineyards misses the peak-risk periods in freeze-damaged blocks. 

The solution is to shift to phenology-based programs. Scout your vineyard regularly, at least weekly, from May to June. Identify where new secondary and tertiary shoots are emerging. Time your fungicide applications are based on the growth stage of most of your new growth, not calendar weeks. This approach ensures you are protecting the most susceptible tissue at the right time. 

 

REMINDERS 

Fungicide  Key Precautions 
Sulfur  Do not apply during hot weather (>85°F-90°F) due to phytotoxicity risk. Avoid use of sulfur-sensitive cultivars. Do not apply within 14 days of oil sprays—maintain at least a 14-day separation. May cause leaf burn on stressed or freeze-damaged vines. 
Copper  Can cause phytotoxicity, especially on sensitive cultivars. Increased injury risk under slow drying conditions or with repeated applications. Avoid mixing copper with phosphorous acid products. Excessive copper use may accumulate in soil over time. 
Mancozeb  Observe seasonal maximum application limits and monitor total lb. a.i./acre/year applied. Restricted by a 66-day PHI if the crop will be harvested. If it is a no-crop season, this restriction does not apply. Primarily a protectant fungicide; good coverage is essential for effectiveness. 
Captan  Avoid application during very hot weather or in slow-drying conditions. Do not mix with oils or apply near oil sprays. Can cause phytotoxicity on stressed vines, so use extra caution in freeze-damaged vineyards. 
Phosphorous Acid  Do not tank-mix with copper products due to the risk of phytotoxicity. Limited residual activity; may require shorter intervals or tank-mixing with protectant fungicides to maintain adequate protection. 

 

Young Vineyards May Require Additional Attention
Young or recently established vineyards may be particularly vulnerable following freeze injury because they have not yet developed extensive carbohydrate reserves within trunks and cordons. These vines are often located closer to the ground, where temperatures may be colder during frost events and may require additional monitoring throughout the recovery period. Severely injured young vines may recover slowly or, in extreme cases, require replacement. 

Weed Management Following Freeze Injury 

The goal during a low- or no-crop year is not to maintain a completely weed-free vineyard floor, but to reduce perennial weed populations, prevent annual weed seed production, manage excessive vine vigor, and prepare for the following season. 

Low crop years provide a unique opportunity to address persistent weed problems that are often difficult to manage during seasons with normal fruit production. With reduced concerns about immediate crop losses, vineyard managers can shift their focus from protecting current yield to improving long-term vineyard floor management and reducing future weed pressure. 

Prioritizing Perennial Weed Management
Perennial weeds should be the primary target during low-production years. Effective suppression of species such as mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris), field bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis), poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans), multiflora rose (Rosa multiflora), Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense), or goldenrod (Solidago spp.) typically requires a multi-year management approach. A season with little or no crop presents an ideal opportunity to target these species when they are actively growing and most susceptible to control measures. Directed applications of systemic herbicides or repeated mowing may help reduce underground reserves and limit re-establishment in subsequent years. 

Rethinking Annual Weed Management
Unlike perennial weeds, annual weeds may not require complete season-long suppression during a low crop year. Moderate levels of annual weed growth within the row can provide some competition for water and nutrients, potentially helping to moderate excessive vine vigor that frequently develops when crop load is substantially reduced or absent. Excessive vegetative growth can increase canopy management requirements, reduce spray penetration, and create favorable conditions for disease development. For this reason, vineyard managers may be able to tolerate greater annual weed presence than would normally be acceptable in a full-crop season, provided weeds are prevented from producing seed. Mowing and mechanical suppression may therefore become more important management tools than repeated postemergence herbicide applications, particularly where annual weed populations are not interfering with vineyard operations. 

Preparing for the Following Season
Although some annual weed competition may be acceptable during the growing season, vineyard floors should be as free of weeds as possible by late summer and early fall. Clean vineyard rows improve the effectiveness of fall weed management programs and allow timely application of residual herbicides where appropriate. Reducing existing vegetation before fall applications can improve soil coverage and help establish a cleaner vineyard floor entering the 2027 growing season. 

Scouting and Mapping Problem Areas
Low crop years also provide an excellent opportunity to scout vineyards and document the location of troublesome perennial weed infestations. Mapping species composition and problem areas can improve future management decisions, facilitate site-specific applications, and help prioritize areas requiring more intensive intervention in subsequent seasons. Investments made in weed management during a low-production year can provide benefits that extend well beyond a single season.

Insect Management Considerations Following Freeze Injury

Insect management decisions should be based on remaining crop potential, vineyard history, and scouting observations. 

Where harvestable fruit remains, cluster-feeding pests such as grape berry moth should still be prioritized to preserve fruit quality and reduce population buildup for future seasons. Grape berry moth remains one of the most important cluster-feeding pests in New Jersey vineyards and may become concentrated on fewer remaining clusters in reduced-crop situations. 

Growers should continue monitoring for: 

  • Grape berry moth 
  • Japanese beetle 
  • Spotted lanternfly 
  • Mites 
  • Grape root borer where historically problematic 
  • Leafhoppers, mealybugs, and scale insects where historically problematic 

 

Regular scouting remains critical for identifying developing pest populations and determining whether treatment thresholds are exceeded. Recommendations emphasize the importance of local scouting information when making insecticide and fungicide decisions. 

 

Grape Berry Moth
Grape berry moth (GBM) pressure may vary considerably across New Jersey vineyards depending on surrounding wooded habitat, vineyard history, cultivar susceptibility, and remaining crop levels following freeze injury. Vineyards bordering wooded areas often experience greater pressure, particularly where wild grape hosts are present. In vineyards with reduced crop loads following freeze injury, clusters that remain may warrant protection to preserve fruit quality. 

Management considerations for New Jersey vineyards: 

  • Continue scouting vineyards and using pheromone traps to determine relative pest pressure and adult flight timings. Vineyards adjacent to wooded habitats are often at greater risk. 
  • Monitor clusters for webbing, frass, and larval feeding injury, particularly after peak moth flight periods. 
  • Time insecticide applications around egg hatch and early larval activity using regional degree-day models, scouting observations, and vineyard history. 
  • Using January 1 as a biofix, target the second generation at 1200–1400 degree days and third generation at 2100–2300 degree days (base temperature 47°F) when larval activity in bunches exceeds thresholds. 
  • Insecticides labeled in New Jersey grapes include products containing chlorantraniliprole (Altacor and generics), methoxyfenozide (Intrepid), indoxacarb (Avaunt), spinetoram/spinosad (Delegate, Entrust), Bacillus thuringiensis products, and pyrethroids such as bifenthrin and zeta-cypermethrin. Rotate modes of action to reduce resistance risk and always consult product labels for rates, timing, PHIs, and restrictions. 

 

Japanese Beetle
Japanese beetles can skeletonize grape leaves and may be especially problematic in young, newly planted, or freeze-stressed New Jersey vineyards during mid- to late summer. While established vines can tolerate some feeding, excessive defoliation may reduce vine vigor and limit canopy development needed for vine recovery and carbohydrate storage. 

Management considerations: 

  • Monitor vineyards from June through late summer, particularly along vineyard edges and in historically infested areas. 
  • Focus protection efforts on young vineyards, replants, and highly stressed vines, which are more vulnerable to excessive defoliation. 
  • Preserve canopy leaf area needed for vine recovery, particularly in vineyards affected by winter injury or freeze stress. 
  • Avoid placing Japanese beetle traps near vineyards, as traps may attract additional beetles and increase localized feeding pressure. 
  • Insecticide applications may be warranted when populations are high and defoliation threatens vine health. Products labeled in New Jersey grapes include materials containing acetamiprid (Assail), bifenthrin, zeta-cypermethrin (Mustang Maxx), carbaryl (Sevin), chlorantraniliprole (Altacor and generics), and imidacloprid. Always consult the product label for rates, timing, PHIs, and restrictions. 

 

Spotted Lanternfly
Spotted lanternfly (SLF) continues to be an important concern in many New Jersey vineyards. Heavy feeding by SLF can stress vines, reduce winter hardiness, and contribute to reduced vine vigor. Following the 2025–2026 freeze events, vines experiencing crop loss or environmental stress may be more vulnerable to additional injury from high SLF populations. While SLF can be found throughout vineyards, populations often begin along vineyard borders adjacent to wooded edges or preferred host plants. 

Management considerations for New Jersey vineyards: 

  • Continue monitoring vineyard borders and interior rows throughout the growing season, particularly near wooded edges and areas with known infestations. 
  • Scout regularly for nymphs and adults on trunks, cordons, and shoots, as well as honeydew accumulation and sooty mold. 
  • Remove or manage nearby tree-of-heaven (Ailanthus altissima) where practical, as it is a preferred host that can support local populations. 
  • Well-timed insecticide applications targeting other vineyard pests may also help suppress SLF populations. Products labeled in New Jersey grapes include materials containing bifenthrin, dinotefuran (Venom), thiamethoxam (Actara), carbaryl (Sevin XLR Plus), zeta-cypermethrin (Mustang Maxx), and phosmet (Imidan). Always consult the product label for rates, timing, PHIs, and restrictions. 
  • In vineyards with a history of high pressure, prioritize management when large numbers of SLF are present on vines to reduce additional vine stress. 

 

Spider Mites
Mite outbreaks are often associated with hot, dry conditions and may worsen in stressed New Jersey vineyards later in the season. 

Management considerations for New Jersey vineyards: 

  • Monitor leaves for bronzing and stippling 
  • Preserve predatory mites whenever possible and limit use of pyrethroids 
  • Avoid unnecessary insecticide applications that disrupt biological control 
  • Pay particular attention during hot, dry periods later in the season 

Regular scouting and preservation of beneficial arthropods remain key components of mite management in New Jersey vineyards. 

 

Grape Root Borer
Grape root borer is a variable pest across New Jersey vineyards, with some vineyards requiring yearly management while others experience little pressure. Vineyards with a history of grape root borer infestations may be at greater risk for winter injury and vine decline, as larval feeding on roots weakens vines and can increase susceptibility to environmental stress, including freeze damage. Larvae feed on grapevine roots, reducing vine vigor and, in severe infestations, may contribute to vine decline or death. 

Management considerations: 

  • Monitor vines for symptoms including reduced vigor, shortened shoot growth, small leaves, yellowing or wilting foliage, and reduced fruit production. 
  • Scout for empty pupal cases protruding from the soil around the base of vines from July through September, which indicate adult emergence. 
  • Eliminate weeds and excessive vegetation around the vine base to reduce favorable egg-laying sites and improve monitoring. 
  • Use mating disruption in vineyards with a history of infestations. Isomate GRB can help disrupt adult mating and reduce populations. 
  • In vineyards under chronic pressure, insecticides used on New Jersey grapes include products containing bifenthrin and chlorpyrifos. Applications should be timed to target adults and newly hatched larvae according to label directions and local emergence timing. Always consult the product label for rates, timing, PHIs, and restrictions. 

 

Mealybugs
Three mealybug species may be found in New Jersey vineyards: grape mealybug (Pseudococcus maritimus), obscure mealybug (Pseudococcus viburni), and Gill’s mealybug (Ferrisia gilli). Mealybugs feed on grapevines and excrete honeydew, which can lead to the development of sooty mold on leaves and clusters. More importantly, mealybugs are an important vector of Grapevine Leafroll–Associated Viruses (GLRaVs), which can reduce vine vigor, delay fruit ripening, and decrease fruit quality and yield. 

Management considerations for New Jersey vineyards: 

  • Monitor vines for white cottony masses under bark, at nodes, and around clusters, as well as honeydew and associated sooty mold. 
  • Scout for crawler activity, as crawlers are the most susceptible life stage for management. 
  • Remove and destroy heavily infested vines when practical to reduce virus spread. 
  • Manage ants when present, as they protect mealybugs from natural enemies. 
  • Avoid unnecessary broad-spectrum insecticide applications that disrupt biological control by predators and parasitoids. 
  • Preserve natural enemies, including lady beetles, lacewings, and parasitoid wasps, which can help suppress populations. 
  • When treatment is warranted, target the crawler stage for best efficacy. Products labeled for mealybug management in New Jersey include Movento, Applaud (buprofezin), Assail and generics (acetamiprid), Scorpion/Certador (dinotefuran), and azadirachtin products. Always consult the product label for rates, timing, PHIs, and restrictions. 

 

Continue Scouting and Targeting Inputs Carefully
Regular scouting remains especially important this season, as pest pressure and vine recovery may vary significantly between vineyards and even between blocks within the same operation. 

Careful monitoring can help growers: 

  • Identify developing disease outbreaks early 
  • Determine whether insect populations exceed treatment thresholds 
  • Prioritize sprays where crop remains 
  • Reduce unnecessary pesticide applications 
  • Improve timing and efficacy of needed treatments 

 

When sprays are necessary, maximizing coverage and application timing will be especially important to ensure each input provides the greatest benefit possible. 

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May 19, 2026 , , , , , , , and

Vineyard Management Following Freeze Injury and Reduced Crop Potential 

Vineyard Management Following Freeze Injury and Reduced Crop Potential
What Caused the Widespread Freeze Injury?

The widespread freeze injury observed this spring followed several nights of below-freezing temperatures after unusually warm early-season conditions accelerated bud development throughout much of New Jersey. In many southern New Jersey production regions, temperatures dropped into the mid-20s°F, while in northern areas they were near or below 20°F. Clear skies and calm wind conditions likely intensified injury through radiational cooling and rapid heat loss from actively growing green tissue. Comparable freeze injury has been reported across much of the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic this season, particularly in vineyards.

Damage severity varied substantially across vineyards depending on location, topography, vine developmental stage, and cultivar. Low-lying frost pockets generally sustained more severe damage, while elevated sites and some coastal areas sustained less damage. Vineyards with vines still in earlier developmental stages often escaped damage more successfully than vineyards with actively expanding shoots and flower clusters. Even within the same vineyard block, damage may vary considerably depending on local elevation changes, air drainage, and cold-air movement patterns. Because of this, management decisions should be based on detailed observations and adjusted in light of remaining crop potential and vine recovery. Although crop loss is the immediate concern in many vineyards, freeze injury may also alter canopy development, nutrient demand, disease pressure, and long-term vine productivity.

Evaluating Freeze Injury and Vineyard Recovery

The full extent of freeze injury is not immediately apparent. Injured shoots and flower clusters may continue to deteriorate for several days after freezing temperatures, and growers should avoid making rapid assumptions about final crop loss immediately after injury. In many vineyards, much of the damage only becomes evident as secondary buds begin to emerge and fruit set progresses. Some vines that initially appeared heavily damaged may still yield partial crops through surviving secondary buds, while others may continue showing delayed injury symptoms over the coming weeks.

Fortunately, grapevines recover from freezes through shoot growth from secondary and tertiary buds within count buds, release from inhibition of basal buds, and development of adventitious shoots from latent buds. These features give vines the capacity for recovery after freeze events.

Primary buds are generally the most productive and account for the majority of crop production. When primary shoots are damaged or killed, secondary buds may emerge within days to weeks, depending on weather conditions and vine vigor. Although secondary shoots often produce smaller clusters and reduced yields, they may still contribute meaningfully to crop recovery in some cultivars. Figure 1 provides an example of freeze injury where a frost-killed shoot from the primary bud is accompanied by new development emerging from a surviving secondary bud.

Figure 1. The frost-killed young shoot (right) of Chambourcin and a new bud developing from the secondary bud (left).

Figure 1. The frost-killed young shoot (right) of Chambourcin and a new bud developing from the secondary bud (left). Photo by H. Gohil

 

In many Vitis vinifera cultivars, secondary shoots may support only a fraction of a normal crop. However, several hybrid cultivars may retain greater productivity following freeze injury.

When both primary and secondary buds are damaged, tertiary buds may still produce vegetative shoots. While tertiary growth and adventitious shoots generally contribute little or no fruit, they remain critically important for rebuilding the canopy and maintaining vine productivity for future seasons.

Vineyards may also contain both primary and secondary shoot-derived clusters on the same vine, contributing to uneven crop development and maturity (Figure 2).

Figure 2. Vidal Blanc, a shoot from the primary bud, had a typical cluster; on the same cordon, a shoot from the secondary bud had a smaller cluster.

Figure 2. Vidal Blanc, a shoot from the primary bud, had a typical cluster; on the same cordon, a shoot from the secondary bud had a smaller cluster. Photo by H. Gohil

As recovery continues, vineyards may contain a mixture of surviving primary shoots, secondary regrowth, and delayed vegetative growth. Uneven canopy development may complicate pest management, fungicide timing, canopy management, and harvest timing later in the season.

Growers should continue monitoring:

  • Primary and secondary shoot survival
  • Cluster development on secondary shoots
  • Variability within vineyard blocks
  • Low-lying frost pockets and delayed-growth areas
  • Trunk or cordon vascular injury
  • Sucker emergence and retraining potential
  • Overall vine vigor and canopy development

Management decisions may differ substantially among blocks depending on remaining crop potential.

Avoid Removing Frost-Damaged Shoots Prematurely

Although severely damaged shoots may appear unlikely to recover, removing frost-injured shoots too early often provides little benefit and may unintentionally reduce remaining crop potential.

In many situations, allowing vines time to recover naturally is the best approach, particularly when injury severity is still being assessed. Removal of damaged tissue too soon may eliminate secondary or latent buds capable of producing additional growth. Dead or injured tissues frequently dry and detach naturally over time without intervention.

Growers should therefore avoid making aggressive canopy removal decisions immediately after freeze injury unless tissue viability and recovery potential are clearly understood.

Vineyard Recovery Scenarios and Canopy Management Considerations

Primary Bud Loss with Secondary Regrowth

In vineyards where primary shoots were largely lost, growers should allow time for secondary buds to push before making major management decisions. Depending on temperatures and vine vigor, secondary shoots may emerge within days to weeks following injury.

Although crop potential will often be reduced, canopy development may still recover relatively uniformly. Delayed development should be expected, and management programs may need to be adjusted according to new growth stages rather than original seasonal timelines.

Dead tissues often fall naturally and may not require immediate removal unless they interfere with vineyard operations or pose a disease risk.

Partial Shoot Injury

Freeze injury is often uneven, even on the same vine. Some shoots may experience leaf injury while retaining healthy shoot tips and continue to grow normally. In these situations, little intervention may be necessary.

Figure 3. Epical meristem is actively growing (left) in Marquette and completely frost-damaged in Chardonnay (Right)

Figure 3. Epical meristem is actively growing (left) in Marquette and completely frost-damaged in Chardonnay (Right). Photos by H. Gohil

However, when shoot tips are killed, continued development may stop, and secondary buds near the base of shoots may begin to grow instead. Vineyard managers should carefully monitor which shoots remain viable and adjust canopy management accordingly. Careful evaluation of shoot tip survival can help determine whether shoots are likely to continue growing or whether regrowth from secondary buds should be expected (Figure 3).

Because vineyards frequently contain both surviving and injured shoots after freeze events, variability within rows and blocks should be expected.

Severe Injury and Cordon or Trunk Damage

In some vineyards, no primary, secondary, or tertiary growth may emerge from portions of the vine, indicating more substantial injury to cordons or vascular tissues. In these situations, strong suckers emerging from the trunk may offer opportunities for retraining vines for future production. Although current-season yields may be lost, maintaining healthy vegetative growth remains critical for long-term vineyard recovery and productivity.

Shoot Thinning Requires a Different Approach This Year

Canopy management recommendations following freeze injury may differ substantially from those of a normal season. Under normal conditions, shoot thinning improves airflow, reduces canopy density, and enhances fruit quality. However, in freeze-damaged vineyards, excessive shoot removal too early may unintentionally increase vine vigor and promote overly vegetative “bull cane” growth with limited fruitfulness. Retaining additional shoots may reduce excess vigor, help balance vine growth, and preserve vine structure for next season. Decisions regarding thinning should therefore be adjusted according to cultivar, remaining crop potential, pruning system, vine vigor, and recovery patterns.

Nitrogen Management Following Freeze Injury

One of the key management questions following widespread freeze injury is whether vineyard nitrogen (N) programs should be adjusted under reduced crop conditions.

In many New Jersey vineyards, nitrogen applications are not made annually and are often applied only every 3 to 5 years. Excessive vine vigor is frequently a greater concern than nitrogen deficiency, particularly in seasons with abundant precipitation. In addition, vineyard soils with moderate to high organic matter often provide substantial nitrogen through natural mineralization. As a general guideline, approximately 20 pounds of nitrogen per acre may become available annually for each 1% soil organic matter.

Following freeze injury, nitrogen demand may be substantially altered due to reduced fruit load. In vineyards where primary buds were lost and crop potential has been significantly reduced, nitrogen requirements are also likely lower than in a typical production year.

Excess nitrogen application under low-crop conditions may unintentionally stimulate excessive vegetative growth, resulting in overly vigorous canopies and increased management challenges later in the season. Excessive vigor may also reduce winter hardiness and negatively affect vine acclimation as vines enter dormancy.

Growers should therefore avoid making automatic nitrogen applications before crop potential becomes clearer.

Where petiole analysis from previous seasons indicated nitrogen deficiency, some nitrogen inputs may still be warranted. However, management decisions should be adjusted according to expected yield, vine vigor, and vineyard history.

It is also important to remember that much of the nitrogen supporting early-season growth from bud break through bloom originates from reserves already stored within the vine. Because of this, immediate nitrogen applications following freeze injury are generally unlikely to improve short-term recovery.

Nitrogen applications are typically timed from approximately two weeks before bloom through two weeks after bloom. In freeze-affected vineyards this season, delaying nitrogen decisions until bloom may allow growers to better evaluate secondary bud survival, crop recovery, and overall fruit potential before making fertility adjustments.

Reduced fruit load means reduced nitrogen demand. In many vineyards affected by freeze injury, a conservative nitrogen management approach may help avoid excessive vigor while supporting long-term vine health and winter hardiness.

Weed Management Following Freeze Injury 

The goal during a low- or no-crop year is not to maintain a completely weed-free vineyard floor, but to reduce perennial weed populations, prevent annual weed seed production, manage excessive vine vigor, and prepare for the following season. 

Low crop years provide a unique opportunity to address persistent weed problems that are often difficult to manage during seasons with normal fruit production. With reduced concerns about immediate crop losses, vineyard managers can shift their focus from protecting current yield to improving long-term vineyard floor management and reducing future weed pressure. 

Prioritizing Perennial Weed Management 

Perennial weeds should be the primary target during low-production years. Effective suppression of species such as mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris), field bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis), poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans), multiflora rose (Rosa multiflora), Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense), or goldenrod (Solidago spp.) typically requires a multi-year management approach. A season with little or no crop presents an ideal opportunity to target these species when they are actively growing and most susceptible to control measures. Directed applications of systemic herbicides or repeated mowing may help reduce underground reserves and limit re-establishment in subsequent years. 

Rethinking Annual Weed Management 

Unlike perennial weeds, annual weeds may not require complete season-long suppression during a low crop year. Moderate levels of annual weed growth within the row can provide some competition for water and nutrients, potentially helping to moderate excessive vine vigor that frequently develops when crop load is substantially reduced or absent. Excessive vegetative growth can increase canopy management requirements, reduce spray penetration, and create favorable conditions for disease development. For this reason, vineyard managers may be able to tolerate greater annual weed presence than would normally be acceptable in a full-crop season, provided weeds are prevented from producing seed. Mowing and mechanical suppression may therefore become more important management tools than repeated postemergence herbicide applications, particularly where annual weed populations are not interfering with vineyard operations. 

Preparing for the Following Season 

Although some annual weed competition may be acceptable during the growing season, vineyard floors should be as free of weeds as possible by late summer and early fall. Clean vineyard rows improve the effectiveness of fall weed management programs and allow timely application of residual herbicides where appropriate. Reducing existing vegetation before fall applications can improve soil coverage and help establish a cleaner vineyard floor entering the 2027 growing season. 

Scouting and Mapping Problem Areas 

Low crop years also provide an excellent opportunity to scout vineyards and document the location of troublesome perennial weed infestations. Mapping species composition and problem areas can improve future management decisions, facilitate site-specific applications, and help prioritize areas requiring more intensive intervention in subsequent seasons. Investments made in weed management during a low-production year can provide benefits that extend well beyond a single season.

Disease Management Following Freeze Injury

Although immediate concerns following freeze events often focus on crop loss, freeze injury can substantially alter disease risk throughout the growing season. Damaged shoots and leaves are more vulnerable to infection once warm, wet conditions return, while wounds in shoots and permanent wood may provide entry points for pathogens such as Botrytis and grapevine trunk diseases.

Even when crop potential is limited, disease management remains important. Maintaining healthy foliage supports carbohydrate storage, winter hardiness, and next year’s productivity. Disease priorities may shift away from fruit protection and toward preserving canopy health and minimizing inoculum for future seasons.

Remember, long-term vineyard health is the goal this season. Managing diseases that cause defoliation and negatively affect grapevine health remains critical, even in vineyards with little or no harvestable crop.

Key diseases to continue monitoring include:

  • Downy mildew
  • Powdery mildew
  • Black rot
  • Botrytis bunch rot
  • Phomopsis cane and leaf spot
  • Anthracnose in susceptible cultivars

Dense regrowth following freeze injury may increase canopy humidity and prolong leaf wetness periods, creating favorable conditions for disease development. Good canopy airflow and spray penetration remain important, and practices such as shoot positioning and, if needed, selective thinning may help improve canopy conditions. Management decisions should continue to be guided by vineyard history, weather conditions, canopy density, and ongoing regrowth patterns rather than calendar timing alone.

Insect Management Considerations Following Freeze Injury

Although freeze injury may substantially reduce crop potential, insect management should not be abandoned entirely. Reduced fruit load does not necessarily reduce insect pressure, and some pests may still negatively affect vine health, vegetative growth, or future productivity.

In vineyards with limited or no crop, management priorities may shift away from fruit protection and toward preserving canopy health, minimizing vine stress, and maintaining productive vines for future seasons. Continued scouting remains essential, particularly as secondary and tertiary growth emerges following freeze injury.

Growers should continue monitoring for key vineyard pests, including:

  • Grape berry moth
  • Japanese beetle
  • Spotted lanternfly
  • Phylloxera in susceptible vineyards
  • Leafhoppers and other sap-feeding insects
  • Mites during hot, dry periods
  • Grape flea beetle and climbing cutworms where injury is present

Secondary shoots and delayed regrowth may remain susceptible to feeding injury throughout the season, particularly when vines are already stressed from freeze damage. Insect feeding on recovering canopies may further reduce photosynthetic capacity and negatively affect carbohydrate storage needed for winter survival and next season’s productivity.

At the same time, reduced crop potential may allow greater flexibility in treatment thresholds in some situations. Vineyard managers should continue making management decisions based on scouting observations, pest pressure, remaining crop potential, and overall vine recovery rather than relying solely on calendar-based schedules.

Spotted lanternfly (SLF) deserves particular attention in freeze-affected vineyards. Heavy feeding by large populations can place additional stress on vines already recovering from freeze injury. Vineyards with a history of SLF pressure should continue monitoring and management efforts where warranted.

Even in vineyards with little or no fruit, maintaining healthy foliage remains important. Protecting functional canopy growth throughout the season will help support carbohydrate storage, winter hardiness, and productive growth in future years.

Final Considerations

As vineyard recovery continues over the coming weeks, management programs will likely need to remain flexible. The full extent of freeze injury may not become apparent until secondary growth progresses and crop potential becomes clearer.

Management decisions should therefore be adjusted based on remaining crop potential, canopy recovery, vine vigor, and vineyard-specific conditions rather than standard seasonal assumptions. Different blocks within the same vineyard may require substantially different approaches depending on injury severity and remaining productivity.

Even in vineyards with severely reduced crop potential, maintaining healthy foliage and vine structure remains critical for long-term productivity. Continued attention to canopy management, nutrient decisions, disease prevention, and insect scouting will help support carbohydrate storage, winter hardiness, and productive growth in future seasons.

Growers are encouraged to continue closely monitoring vineyard recovery and adjust management programs as the season progresses.

Filed Under: Fruit, Wine Grape Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,
May 18, 2021

Fruit IPM for 5/18/21

Peach:

Oriental Fruit Moth: First generation timings are updated below. Growers that have utilized mating disruption for OFM can focus on PC; GPA; and catfacing insect pests as described below.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Blueberry, Fruit, Tree Fruit, Wine Grape Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,
May 10, 2021

Tree Fruit IPM Report for 5/11/21

Peach:

Oriental Fruit Moth: First generation timings are updated below: Growers that have utilized mating disruption for OFM can focus on PC; GPA; and catfacing insect pests as described below. If you have not placed mating disruption dispensers yet they can still be deployed for later generations, but this generation must be treated with insecticides at the first generation timings.

 

OFM 1st Generation Timing
Insecticide Type
County/Region Degree Days by  5/10 base 45 Conventional

170-200, 350-375

 Diamide

100-150, 300-350
Gloucester – Southern 384 1st – past

2nd – past

 1st – past

2nd – past
Hunterdon – Northern 307 1st – past

2nd – May 14-15

 1st – past

2nd – May 9-12

 

Plum Curculio (PC): PC activity usually peaks about mid-May and may linger into early June. Preferred materials that offer PC control now are Avaunt, and Imidan. If using high rates of a neonicotinoid (i.e. Actara, Belay, Assail), be aware that there is a synergistic effect when used in tank mixes with DMI materials (i.e. Rally) with regard to bee toxicity. Neonicotinoids should not be used if there are any flowering weeds in your orchard. Those flowering weeds will attract bees, which will be killed by the insecticide. The use of most of these products when bees are present is off label and therefore not legal. If pyrethroids are being used, then high rates are advisable, since low rates often do not control PC, especially in hot weather. Where PC is a problem, growers should rotate away from pyrethroid insecticides if possible. Actara and Belay will also control PC (and GPA), but not OFM.

Green Peach Aphids (GPA): Green Peach Aphid: GPA colonies remain at very low levels in southern counties, and are well below treatment thresholds. If aphids are at treatment level, you have and your ground cover is clean of blooming weeds, a good choice that will cover catfacing insects, aphids, and plum curculio is Thiamethoxam (Actara and in VoliamFlexi). Actara will not control OFM. Examine trees for the presence of colonies by standing back and looking at the entire tree. Clusters of curled leaves will define a single colony. Count the number of colonies on ten trees and use a treatment threshold of 2 colonies/tree at petal fall to shuck split for peach, and 1 colony/tree for nectarine. If treating aphids alone then Movento @ 6 oz/A is a good non-neonicotinoid choice. Movento must be combined with a spreader/penetrant spray adjuvant. Used later during late May to early June this will also control scale. Movento will not control PC or catfacing insects. Lannate can also be used, but is not quite as effective and is a weak PC material. To date no aphids have been observed in southern county orchards.

Tarnished Plant Bugs and Other Catfacing Insects:  This is the other key insect complex at this time of year. Stink bugs have been found at low levels in beating tray samples. Tarnished plant bugs will become more of an issue as temperatures warm and mowing and other ground cover activities become more common. General spray timing at this time of year should still be targeted for Oriental Fruit Moth and/or Plum Curculio (PC). Most materials, except the diamides (Altacor, Belt, Tourismo) used for these pests will have some efficacy for plant bugs.

Lesser Peach Tree Borer and Peach Tree Borer: Growers that wish to use mating disruption for borer control should place them in the orchard before the lesser borer flight begins, which should be sometime very soon. 

Bacterial Spot: Maintain tight covers with antibiotics until pit hardening. Typical antibiotics used include various copper and oxytetracyclene formulations. Full covers with at least 100 gpa are recommended around wetting periods or severe weather. No bacterial spot cankers or leaf symptoms have been observed in southern county orchards as of yet.

Peach Scab: In addition to Rusty Spot and Bacterial Spot, peach scab requires protective applications starting at petal fall. Peach scab cankers begin to expand at bloom and by shuck split begin to shed spores during wetting periods. Topsin, Topsin/Captan combinations, Flint Extra, Inspire Super, and especially Quadris Top applied at petal fall are the best materials for blocks that had scab last year. Quadris Top, Flint Extra and Topsin should be used at the high rate to suppress overwintering lesions on the wood. Quadris Top contains azoxystrobin which is phytotoxic to many apple varieties. Phytotoxic residues can remain in the tank for long periods after an application is made, even if a tank cleaner is used. Do not use Quadris Top or Abound in the same sprayer used for apples. Bravo (chlorothalonil) is also a good protectant that may be applied no later than shuck split. Captan is also helpful in cover sprays after shuck split where scab was troublesome last year.

Rusty Spot: Rusty spot infections are ongoing until pit hardening. If you are using Flint Extra, Inspire Super, or Quadris Top for scab, these materials will also control rusty spot. After petal fall, maintain coverage with effective materials such as Rally, Rhyme, or potassium bicarbonate products.

Apple:

Codling Moth (CM): Biofixes for Codling moth have been set. See the chart below. Timings for codling moth treatments by chemistry are 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) + 14-21 days later

 Cyd-X, Carpovirusine

250 DD + every 7-9 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 May 2 May 6 May 13 May 16 Too far off Too far off Too far off Too far off
Northern April 28 May 4 May 8 May 17 Too far off Too far off Too far off Too far off

European Apple Sawfly (EAS): This insect is active through bloom and into petal fall and first cover. Adult females lay eggs just under the skin of freshly set fruit, and the young larvae mine just under the skin. Where this insect is active, it is a primary target at petal fall. In orchards of mixed variety plantings, the petal fall spray for the entire planting is prolonged. This enables EAS to start damaging the first varieties where petals fell earlier before a petal fall spray could be applied to the entire block.

Tufted Apple Budmoth (TABM): A biofix was set statewide on May 3. Predictions for insecticides timings are too far out at this time. More on this in later reports.

Diseases: Apple Scab, Powdery Mildew, Cedar Apple Rust, are diseases of concern at this time. The NEWA scab models are predicting about 100% ascospore maturity during this period in southern NJ. Primary apple scab spores are released during any substantial wetting and infection period, and since all ascospores are predicted to be mature primary scab season is nearing the end in southern counties. Growers should continue to manage for primary scab through May since microclimates may affect spore maturity and because it has been dry the next significant wetting may still result in a primary scab infection. Ascopore maturity will be slightly less in northern counties. Cedar apple rust infections can occur anytime between pink and 3rd cover.

Fire Blight: Continue rotations of Streptomycin, Mycoshield or Firewall through 1st cover for shoot blight. If using apogee or Kudos for shoot blight suppression follow label instructions.

Grapes:

Diseases: Grape diseases active at this growth stage are phomopsis, powdery mildew and black rot. Disease infection periods can be monitored using the NEWA models. Choose the weather station closest to your vineyard.

Insects: At this growth stage monitor for climbing cutworms and grape flea beetle. Both of these are considered minor pests. Leafhoppers have been seen in a few spots. This complex is generally not of concern. Potato leafhoppers, which arrive sometime in June, can cause some minor damage.

Scouting Calendar Tree Fruit Southern Counties

The following table is intended as an aid for orchard scouting. I t 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.

 

Pest Event or Growth Stage

 Approximate Date 2019 Observed Date
Bud Swell (Redhaven) March 23 +/- 15 Days March 29

1/4″ Green Tip Red Delicious

 March 31 +/- 13 Days March 27

Pink Peach (Redhaven)

 April 4 +/- 15 Days April 4

Tight Cluster Red Delicious

 April 9 +/- 13 Days April 6

Oriental Fruit Moth Biofix

 April 9 +/- 13 Days April 8

Full Bloom Peach (Redhaven)

 April 9 +/- 14 Days April 10

Pink Apple (Red Delicious)

 April 14 +/- 12 Days April 11

Codling Moth Biofix

 April 27 +/- 13 Days May 2

Green Peach Aphid Observed

 April 16 +/- 16 Days April 26

Full Bloom Apple (Red Delicious)

 April 22 +/- 11 Days April 20

Petal Fall (Redhaven)

 April 22 +/- 10 Days April 24

Petal Fall (Red Delicious)

 April 27 +/- 14 Days May 7

Shuck Split (Redhaven)

 April 30+/- 11 Days April 29

First PC Oviposition Scars Observed

 May 3 +/- 18 Days April 29

Tufted Apple Bud Moth Biofix

 May 4 +/- 10 Days May 3

San Jose Scale Crawlers

 June 2 +/- 8 Days Not yet observed

White Peach Scale Crawlers

 May 26 +/- 11 days Not yet observed

Pit Hardening Peach

 June 16 +/- 8 Days Not yet observed

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tree  Fruit Trap Counts – Southern Counties

 

Weekending STLM TABM-A CM AM OFM-A DWB OFM-P TABM-P LPTB PTB
4/17/21 7 0 8 1
4/24/21 12 0 34 2
5/1/21 7 0 11 1 0 0
Filed Under: Fruit, Tree Fruit, Wine Grape Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,
May 4, 2021

Tree Fruit IPM Report for 5/4/21

Peach:

Oriental Fruit Moth: First generation timings are updated below: Growers that have utilized mating disruption for OFM can focus on PC; GPA; and catfacing insect pests as described below. If you have not placed mating disruption dispensers yet they can still be deployed for later generations, but this generation must be treated with insecticides at the first generation timings.

 

OFM 1st Generation Timing
Insecticide Type
County/Region Degree Days by  5/4 base 45 Conventional

170-200, 350-375

 Diamide

100-150, 300-350
Gloucester – Southern 312 1st – past

2nd – May 7-9

 1st – past

2nd – May 4-7
Hunterdon – Northern 261 1st – past

2nd – May 12-14

 1st – past

2nd – May 9-12

 

Plum Curculio (PC): PC adults usually begin egg laying once the fruit is out of the shuck. Preferred materials that offer PC control now are Avaunt, and Imidan. If using high rates of a neonicotinoid (i.e. Actara, Belay, Assail), be aware that there is a synergistic effect when used in tank mixes with DMI materials (i.e. Rally) with regard to bee toxicity. Neonicotinoids should not be used if there are any flowering weeds in your orchard. Those flowering weeds will attract bees, which will be killed by the insecticide. The use of most of these products when bees are present is off label and therefore not legal. If pyrethroids are being used, then high rates are advisable, since low rates often do not control PC, especially in hot weather. Where PC is a problem, growers should rotate away from pyrethroid insecticides if possible. Actara and Belay will also control PC (and GPA), but not OFM.

Green Peach Aphids (GPA): Green Peach Aphid: GPA colonies typically begin forming at bloom, however in southern counties aphids are present at very low levels, and well below treatment thresholds. If aphids are at treatment level, you have and your ground cover is clean of blooming weeds, a good choice that will cover catfacing insects, aphids, and plum curculio is Thiamethoxam (Actara and in VoliamFlexi). Actara will not control OFM. Examine trees for the presence of colonies by standing back and looking at the entire tree. Clusters of curled leaves will define a single colony. Count the number of colonies on ten trees and use a treatment threshold of 2 colonies/tree at petal fall to shuck split for peach, and 1 colony/tree for nectarine. If treating aphids alone then Movento @ 6 oz/A is a good non-neonicotinoid choice. Movento must be combined with a spreader/penetrant spray adjuvant. Used later during late May to early June this will also control scale. Movento will not control PC or catfacing insects. Lannate can also be used, but is not quite as effective and is a weak PC material. To date no aphids have been observed in southern county orchards.

Tarnished Plant Bugs and Other Catfacing Insects:  This is the other key insect complex at this time of year. Stink bugs have been found at low levels in beating tray samples. Tarnished plant bugs will become more of an issue as temperatures warm and mowing and other ground cover activities become more common. General spray timing at this time of year should still be targeted for Oriental Fruit Moth and/or Plum Curculio (PC). Most materials, except the diamides (Altacor, Belt, Tourismo) used for these pests will have some efficacy for plant bugs.

 

Lesser Peach Tree Borer and Peach Tree Borer: Growers that wish to use mating disruption for borer control should place them in the orchard before the lesser borer flight begins, which should be sometime in the next few weeks.

 

Bacterial Spot: Maintain tight covers with antibiotics until pit hardening. Typical antibiotics used include various copper and oxytetracyclene formulations. Full covers with at least 100 gpa are recommended around wetting periods or severe weather. No bacterial spot cankers or leaf symptoms have been observed in southern county orchards as of yet.

Peach Scab: In addition to Rusty Spot and Bacterial Spot, peach scab requires protective applications starting at petal fall. Peach scab cankers begin to expand at bloom and by shuck split begin to shed spores during wetting periods. Topsin, Topsin/Captan combinations, Flint Extra, Inspire Super, and especially Quadris Top applied at petal fall are the best materials for blocks that had scab last year. Quadris Top, Flint Extra and Topsin should be used at the high rate to suppress overwintering lesions on the wood. Quadris Top contains azoxystrobin which is phytotoxic to many apple varieties. Phytotoxic residues can remain in the tank for long periods after an application is made, even if a tank cleaner is used. Do not use Quadris Top or Abound in the same sprayer used for apples. Bravo (chlorothalonil) is also a good protectant that may be applied no later than shuck split. Captan is also helpful in cover sprays after shuck split where scab was troublesome last year.

Rusty Spot: Rusty spot infections are ongoing until pit hardening. If you are using Flint Extra, Inspire Super, or Quadris Top for scab, these materials will also control rusty spot. After petal fall, maintain coverage with effective materials such as Rally, Rhyme, or potassium bicarbonate products.

Apple:

Codling Moth (CM): Biofixes for Codling moth have been set. See the chart below. Timings for codling moth treatments by chemistry are 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) + 14-21 days later

 Cyd-X, Carpovirusine

250 DD + every 7-9 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 May 2 May 6 May 9 May 14 Too far off Too far off Too far off Too far off
Northern April 28 May 4 May 8 May 13 Too far off Too far off Too far off Too far off

 

Spotted Tentiform Leafminer (STLM): Adults are flying, but are not considered a pest target at this time. This is one of the most highly parasitized insects in the orchard. We have not seen economic damage from this pest in recent years. However in recent summers we have observed a slight increase in trap counts and injury in a few orchards in southern counties. Monitor your orchard for damage.

European Apple Sawfly (EAS): This insect is active through bloom and into petal fall and first cover. Adult females lay eggs just under the skin of freshly set fruit, and the young larvae mine just under the skin. Where this insect is active, it is a primary target at petal fall. In orchards of mixed variety plantings, the petal fall spray for the entire planting is prolonged. This enables EAS to start damaging the first varieties where petals fell earlier before a petal fall spray could be applied to the entire block.

Tufted Apple Budmoth (TABM): A biofix was set statewide on May 3. Predictions for insecticides timings are too far out at this time. More on this in later reports.

Diseases: Apple Scab, Powdery Mildew, Cedar Apple Rust, are diseases of concern at this time. The NEWA scab models are predicting about 100% ascospore maturity during this period in southern NJ. Primary apple scab spores are released during any substantial wetting and infection period, and since all ascospores are predicted to be mature primary scab season is nearing the end in southern counties. Growers should continue to manage for primary scab through May since microclimates may affect spore maturity and because it has been dry the next significant wetting may still result in a primary scab infection. Ascopore maturity will be slightly less in northern counties. Cedar apple rust infections can occur anytime between pink and 3rd cover.

Fire Blight: Continue rotations of Streptomycin, Mycoshield or Firewall through 1st cover for shoot blight. If using apogee or Kudos for shoot blight suppression follow label instructions.

Grapes:

Diseases: Grape diseases active at this growth stage are phomopsis, powdery mildew and black rot. Disease infection periods can be monitored using the NEWA models. Choose the weather station closest to your vineyard.

Insects: At this growth stage monitor for climbing cutworms and grape flea beetle. Both of these are considered minor pests.

Scouting Calendar Tree Fruit Southern Counties

The following table is intended as an aid for orchard scouting. I t 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.

 

Pest Event or Growth Stage

 Approximate Date 2019 Observed Date
Bud Swell (Redhaven) March 23 +/- 15 Days March 29

1/4″ Green Tip Red Delicious

 March 31 +/- 13 Days March 27

Pink Peach (Redhaven)

 April 4 +/- 15 Days April 4

Tight Cluster Red Delicious

 April 9 +/- 13 Days April 6

Oriental Fruit Moth Biofix

 April 9 +/- 13 Days April 8

Full Bloom Peach (Redhaven)

 April 9 +/- 14 Days April 10

Pink Apple (Red Delicious)

 April 14 +/- 12 Days April 11

Codling Moth Biofix

 April 27 +/- 13 Days May 2

Green Peach Aphid Observed

 April 16 +/- 16 Days April 26

Full Bloom Apple (Red Delicious)

 April 22 +/- 11 Days April 20

Petal Fall (Redhaven)

 April 22 +/- 10 Days April 24

Petal Fall (Red Delicious)

 April 27 +/- 14 Days Not yet observed

Shuck Split (Redhaven)

 April 30+/- 11 Days April 29

First PC Oviposition Scars Observed

 May 3 +/- 18 Days Not yet observed

Tufted Apple Bud Moth Biofix

 May 4 +/- 10 Days May 3

San Jose Scale Crawlers

 June 2 +/- 8 Days Not yet observed

Pit Hardening Peach

 June 16 +/- 8 Days Not yet observed

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tree  Fruit Trap Counts – Southern Counties

 

Weekending STLM TABM-A CM AM OFM-A DWB OFM-P TABM-P LPTB PTB
4/17/21 7 0 8 1
4/24/21 12 0 34 2
5/1/21 7 0 11 1 0 0

 

Filed Under: Fruit, Tree Fruit, Wine Grape Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,
April 26, 2021

Tree Fruit IPM Report for 4/27/21

Peach:

Oriental Fruit Moth: First generation timings are updated below: Growers that have utilized mating disruption for OFM can focus on PC; GPA; and catfacing insect pests as described below. If you have not placed mating disruption dispensers yet they can still be deployed for later generations, but this generation must be treated with insecticides at the first generation timings. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Fruit, Tree Fruit Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,