Blueberry Fruit fly and other reminders

I've been getting some reports of large numbers of fruit flies on traps in Cumberland county, with it being more sporadic in central and eastern parts of the province.  Things are behind normal but we should be checking traps now!!

Also, now is the time to be putting leaf rust sprays on your sprout fields, to protect against leaf rust infection and allow your leaves to stay on the plant longer into the fall.

Check the production guide for available control options https://www.perennia.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/wild-blueberry2019.pdf

(Remember always check with your buyer to see what is allowable for their markets)

It has been a strange year and harvest looks like it might be starting later than normal.  Monitoring for SWD is something to not forget about, as we get closer to harvest.  SWD hasn't been a huge issue in Nova Scotia over the last several years, but one lesson we can learn from the last two years, is to not count on mother nature, we need to keep an eye on what is happening in our fields.  https://www.perennia.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/monitoring-for-spotted-wing-drosophila.pdf

End of July Reminders

It looks like many sprout fields are starting to get a little height.  Tip die back has started so we aren't going to get a whole lot more height.  Consideration should be given to keeping the leaves on the plant as long as you can into the fall.  A leaf rust spray applied soon will help do that, and allow for better fruit bud formation.

We are seeing blueberry maggot adults appear in fields.   Controls should be applied if you are catching adults and plan to harvest that field.  Go to the pest management guide for allowable products http://www.perennia.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Wild-Blueberry-Pest-Guide-2018.pdf.

Remember - check with your buyer to see which products are allowable for their markets.

Trapping for Blueberry Fruit Fly and Leaf Rust protection in Sprout fields

All growers should be putting out their fly traps.  I haven't seen any yet, but fully expect to see some this week.  Remember to wait 3-4 days after first capture before making an application, this allows time for more of the adults to emerge.

You can get traps from the WBPANS office.  Some will be available this weekend at the Maritime Wild Blueberry Field Day at Doug Bragg Enterprises in Collingwood. Saturday 9-3.

Refer to pest guide for products available for Blueberry Fruit Fly http://www.perennia.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Wild-Blueberry-Pest-Guide-2017.pdf

Remember check with your buyer to see what is allowable for their markets!

Also we are getting close to Leaf Rust control season in Sprout fields.  Leaf Rust typically starts to blow into fields around the 3rd week of July.  An application in Late July should provide protection for almost 2 weeks.  This will reduce leaf drop in September and October and will allow for better sizing of your fruit buds.

Sprout fields and leaf rust

Crop development is moving along rapidly as we approach the end of the first week of July.  There is a lot of blue showing up in the crop fields, which is early for this time of year.  There's a good chance harvest will be earlier than normal.

With the early projected harvest it will be improtant to get leaf rust controls on within the next two to three weeks so farmers can get the tractor cleaned up and the harvesters mounted before harvest.

Typically, Bravo and/or Proline applications are made in late July but with the early season this should be moved ahead a bit. 

These controls are particularly important if you have fields with a history of early leaf drop in the fall.  This is often due to leaf rust infestations.  The Bravo and/or Proline application will cause some reduction in other diseases, but it's major target is controlling leaf rust which will help keep leaves on the plant later into the fall.

Refer to the the link below for the Insect and Disease Management Guide for application rates.

Wild Blueberry Insect and Disease Guide

Remember the WBPANS field day is on Saturday July 21st, in Debert