Rutgers Cooperative Extension
The 2019 Wine Grape Twilight Meetings are being held in South Jersey on Wednesday, May 22 and North Jersey on Thursday, May 23.
See flyer for details.
NEW PEST ALERT
Spotted lanternfly in grape – photo credit E. Smyers
Spotted lanternfly (Lycorma deliculata, SLF) has been found in NJ. SLF is an invasive plant hopper species that could be very devastating to some NJ crops. Since its discovery in Pennsylvania in 2014, SLF has been placed under a state quarantine encompassing 13 Pennsylvania counties. Populations are also present in Virginia.
SLF adults and nymphs are phloem feeders that feed in large aggregations on woody tissue. Over 65 host plants were reported in Asia, many of which grow in the mid-Atlantic area. These host plants include hardwood trees such as Tree of Heaven, black walnut, and red maple and agricultural crops such as grape, apple, and hops. Feeding occurs on the trunk and limbs of plants, not on the fruit or leaf tissues. However, because they feed in aggregations and produce large amounts of honey dew (or sugar water), sooty mold can grow on plant surface and fruit, leading to reduced photosynthesis and plant vigor. In Pennsylvania, adults and nymphs have been observed feeding in commercial vineyards on cultivated grape. Economic estimates of injury are not available but growers report direct yield losses due to sooty mold and reductions in plant health and canopy coverage. Insecticides are effective but due to the high mobility of this pest, in highly infested areas, vines should be monitored closely for new bugs. Populations and injury are higher along vineyard edges, especially near Tree of Heaven. Interestingly, SLF tends to aggregate on a few trees or vines. Survey for SLF along the perimeters of fields and on Tree of Heaven, Black Walnut, Red Maple, and wild grapevines at the edges of wood lines. Aggregations of adults were found on commercial apple trees in PA near apples harvest in 2017, so apple growers need to be diligent as well.
The adults are large (~1” long) and quite colorful with a black head, grayish black spotted forewings and reddish black spotted hind wings. Adults may start to appear mid-late July (now) and will feed through the first hard freeze in the fall. Young nymphs hatch from eggs in late Spring/early summer and are black with white spots and as they get older they become red and black with white spots. While 4th instars have been reported in NJ, adults are present in VA, so be on the lookout for all life stages.
Spotted lanternfly on Tree of Heaven – photo by A.L. Nielsen
If you think you seen or collected a spotted lanternfly please report it the New Jersey Department of Agriculture and the Department of Entomology at the Rutgers University School of Environmental and Biological Sciences by emailing slanternfly@njaes.rutgers.edu
Peach:
Brown Rot: Blossom infections from the brown rot fungus can occur whenever pistils are exposed and a favorable climate exists. Infections can occur during any wetting period when temperatures are between 41 and 86 ° F. However optimum conditions for infection occur with wetting and temperatures in the mid 70’s. During long wetting periods (several days or more) blossoms can be infected regardless of temperature. Generally infections that occur when conditions are sub optimal are less severe. Blossoms and fruitlets will remain susceptible until the pistil dessicates (sometime between petal fall and shuck split). [Read more…]
When: February 22 (Thu), 1:00 – 3:00 PM
Where: Rutgers Agriculture Research and Extension Center
121 Northville Road, Bridgeton, NJ 08312
Topics: – Assessing Cold Injuries in the Grapevine Buds.
Balanced Pruning and Ravaz Index.
How to Prune First and Second Year Grapevines on High Cordon and Low Cordon Training Systems.
Speakers: Hemant Gohil, Agriculture Agent, REC Gloucester County
Daniel Ward, Extension Fruit Specialist, Rutgers NJAES
Gary Pavlis, Agriculture Agent, REC Atlantic County
No registration fees, however Pre-registration is required. Register by call Joan Medany 856-307-6450 Ext.1 or email jmedany@co.gloucester.nj.us
Organizer: Hemant Gohil, Gloucester County Agriculture Agent and New Jersey Center for Wine Research and Education
North Jersey: May 23, 5:30 PM @ Terhune Orchard Winery, 330 Cold Soil Rd, Princeton, NJ 08540
South Jersey: May 24, 5:30 PM @ White Horse Winery, 106 Hall St, Hammonton, NJ 08037 [Read more…]
Peach:
Oriental Fruit Moth (OFM): Trap counts still show captures above the treatment threshold of 6/trap. Treatments are needed anywhere trap counts exceed 6 males per trap, even at this late stage of the season on any variety that is at least 7-10 days away from harvest. [Read more…]
