Update on Emergency Registrations for SWD

A little over a week ago I posted a list of 5 products that have been registered by the PMRA for emergency use for the control of Spotted Wing Drosophila in soft fruit in Canada.

These products include:
- Ripcord
- Malathion
- Delegate
- Entrust
- Pyganic

Here is the link the list  Emergency Registrations for control of SWD

Important Point for Wild Blueberry Growers:

All wild blueberry growers should contact their receiving station or processor to see which of these products and use patterns are allowable for their markets.  Some of the products registered may not fit with foreign market thresholds or marketing strategies.

Because we are talking about applications very near to harvest, IF you need to apply a control, it is important that it aligns with your processor's marketing strategy.

Emergency Registrations for Spotted Wing Drosophila Approved

The PMRA has approved 5 products for emergency use on Spotted Wing Drosophila.

These registrations are on several crops for the 2013 season (including Wild Blueberry)

Ripcord
Malathion
Delegate
Entrust (organic allowable product)
Pyganic (organic allowable product)

These products are approved for use on Bushberry crops (including wild blueberry and highbush blueberry), caneberry (including raspberry), stone fruits, grapes and strawberry.

Click on the link below, it highlights the product rates, re-entry intervals (REIs), use patterns and pre-harvest intervals (PHIs) for each product in each crop.

Emergency Registrations for SWD

For Wild Blueberry it is important to talk with your processor to see which products work for their markets.

Click below for the SWD monitoring factsheet.

SWD Monitoring Factsheet

I will be doing some monitoring in wild blueberry fields starting in July and will be posting any captures on this blog.

Monitoring for Spotted Wing Drosophila "SWD" in wild blueberry

SWD is a new invasive soft fruit pest that could affect wild blueberries this year. The key for controlling this pest, is to determine when it begins to enter a field and target controls around that first capture.  Monitoring is very important. "SWD" won't be in a blueberry field at any significant levels until the field begins to ripen.  It does not over winter in the field and it is attracted to ripening fruit (any ripening fruit).

Here is a homemade trap that you can build.

There are a lot of unknowns with this new pest, but we have a decent idea on how to trap for it. You can place the traps in the fields around mid July.

Here is a new factsheet that shows you how to monitor for this pest. (click on the link)

http://www.perennia.ca/Fact%20Sheets/IPM/General/SWD%20factsheet_May2013.pdf

Also Click the link below to go to the OMAFRA SWD website. This site has tons of information on this pest.

http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/crops/facts/swd-management.htm

The PMRA is currently reviewing Emergency Insecticide Registrations for control of SWD in all soft fruit for 2013 in Canada.  Their decisions are expected to come soon.  I will pass around a management guide when the insecticides are approved for usage.

Feel free to contact me with any questions.

Peter Burgess
Horticulture Specialist, Perennia
(902) 896-0277

Monilinia Symptoms and Frost

I was out looking at some fields yesterday and noticed that monilinia symptoms are starting to appear. (seen at very low levels).  There is nothing that can be done now to control these infections. 

I've attached a photo of what leaf infections look like

Also I did see some low level damage from a frost event on Monday.  I have heard of several fields that did have some damage as well.  The damage was seen in early fields and in low lying areas.  The appearance can range from partially brown flower petals to a completely darkened flower.

If you have crop insurance, it is a good idea to check your fields and let crop insurance know if you are seeing any damage.

12th Wild Blueberry Blight-line Update

The Wild Blueberry Blight-line is brought to you by WBPANS, Perennia and Delbridge Disease Management.

The 12^th update for Tuesday, May 21st is as follows:

All monitored sites in the province are showing cups that have dried up.  At most sites the cups have been dry for over a week. This means the Monilinia disease risk is over for most fields in NS.

Very late fields (ie. high elevation fields and Cape Breton) may have a small risk of infection particularly if wet conditions persist.  

This will be the last Monilinia update for 2013

Growers should begin considering Botrytis management programs. Traditionally fields in coastal areas are more prone to Botrytis infections during bloom.  However, in recent years we have been seeing more Botrytis in inland fields.

Controls should be applied to open flowers before an infection occurs. Historically this has been mid-bloom.  However, as more growers become concerned with pollinator safety many are making an application just prior to placing pollinators in the field.  For growers that have fields with a history of heavy Botrytis infection, they should consider mid bloom applications if weather conditions warrant it.  

Click on the link below for more information on Botrytis and control strategies.

http://nsac.ca/wildblue/facts/disease/botrybli.asp

For information on available products, click on the following link.

http://www.perennia.ca/Pest%20Management%20Guides/Fruits/2013/wild%20blueberry%20I&D%202013.pdf

11th Wild Blueberry Blight-Line Update

The Wild Blueberry Blight-line is brought to you by WBPANS, Perennia and Delbridge Disease Management.

The 11^th update for Thursday May 16^th is as follows:

Note: This post is based on information from Thursday May 16th.

Most monitored sites in the province are showing cups that have dried up.  This means disease risk is rapidly decreasing but there is still some disease risk, particularly in later developing fields.

If a fungicide application was made this week, it will provide protection for 7-10 days which will give protection through the end Monilinia season. 

For those that made an application more than 10 days ago, and you are in a traditionally later developing field, you may have a small risk of further infection. However, there is just a small chance of rain Friday and it is calling for sunny but cool temperatures through the weekend, so infection risk should be reduced.

For most of mainland Nova Scotia the risk of further Monilinia infections is almost gone.

Growers should begin considering Botrytis management programs.

Click on the link below for more information on Botrytis

http://nsac.ca/wildblue/facts/disease/botrybli.asp

For information on available products, click on the following link.

http://www.perennia.ca/Pest%20Management%20Guides/Fruits/2013/wild%20blueberry%20I&D%202013.pdf

The Next update will be Tuesday May 20^th, in the late afternoon.

10th Wild Blueberry Blight-line update

The Wild Blueberry Blight-line is brought to you by WBPANS, Perennia and Delbridge Disease Management.

The 10^th update for Tuesday May 14^th is as follows:

We had multiple infection periods through most of the province from last Thursday through Monday. 

All monitored sites in Nova Scotia are well beyond the 40% F2 stage.  As well, most monitored sites in the province are showing cups that have dried up or are in the process of drying up.  This means disease risk is rapidly decreasing but there is still some disease risk, particularly in later developing fields. The disease risk has passed in the western end of the province.

Many growers made an application last Wednesday or Thursday.  If those fields had a high proportion of fruit buds open at the time of application, those fields should still be protected until this Friday at least.

If the first application was made last week, and fruit buds were only at 40% open, a second application should be considered.

Later developing fields (ie. Guysborough County and Cape Breton) should consider an application if they have not already done so.  This application would cover the infection period that occurred on Sunday evening.

Note: Sprout fields are starting to pop through.  It is also a good time to begin checking for leaf feeding insects (ie. spanworm and fleabeetle) . 

Numbers for Cape Breton

Keppoch – 48% F2

Foote Cape – 84.4% F2

The Next update will be Friday May 17^th, in the late afternoon.