Summer disease control is coming to an end for early-season apple varieties. Mid- to late-season varieties will need further applications on a two-week schedule, or every 2 inches of rain, using single-site materials from FRAC groups 11, 7, or 3 to manage summer rots, sooty blotch, and fly speck. See the NJ Tree Fruit Production guide for effective materials. 

Fire blight strikes that are apparent should be pruned out during dry weather, cutting 8 to 12 inches below diseased wood. Pruning tools are sanitized after each cut by dipping them into a 10 percent bleach solution. Young trees with fire blight cankers that have spread to the main leader should be removed. 

Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs (BMSB) are increasing at some farms and injury to fruit has been observed (Figure 1). If stinkbugs are a concern for your orchard, see the NJ Tree Fruit Production guide for effective materials. 

Figure 1. Injury from stink bug feeding on fruit looks like bruising and corking of flesh just under the skin.

Codling Moth (CM) pressure remains low in orchards statewide; however, we are seeing damage to fruit where populations have been high. Additional treatments should be applied if trap captures exceed 5 moths/trap.  

Woolly apple aphids (WAA) are increasing in some orchards and spreading to shoots, particularly in older orchards with dense canopies. Sefina has a 7-day PHI and is a good option to manage WAA.  Assail will also help to suppress WAA.  

Scale crawler emergence is past peak and declining. Options at this point include Group 4A products labeled for scale, including Assail, and the bioinsecticide Venerate. Venerate has a 0-day PHI, making it useful for blocks near or at harvest. 

Dogwood borer (DWB) continues to be captured in pheromone traps in orchards statewide. If this pest has been a problem in your blocks in the past, you may consider adding mating disruption next year. 

Average Trap Captures in Apple – Southern Counties

Average Trap Captures in Apple – Northern Counties