FRUIT:
- Apples: Biofix date for codling moth control was set as May 12. Growing degree day (GDD) accumulation since that date is 124 until May 23. By early next week growers should be applying an insecticide for codling moth control. Depending upon variety, apple stage of development ranged from petal fall to the beginning of fruit development.
- Peaches: Oriental fruit moth (OFM) bio-fix date of May 7 was set. GDD are being tracked and 260 have accumulated since biofix. Due to winter injury and lack of blooms and fruit set most growers do not need to spray for OFM control. There does exist a possibility that the second generation of OFM may move into nearby apple orchards and damage fruit. Beginning around 700 GDD since biofix scouts will monitor apple orchards for OFM 2nd generation flight.
- Strawberries: Scouts noted strawberries ranged from bloom to fruit set. It is important to use fungicides during the infective bloom period to prevent botrytis gray mold of strawberry fruit. Scouts also noted a few spittle bugs, some light slug feeding damage and some leaf spot on strawberry plants.
- Grapes: Scouts noting some cluster development. Scouts noted some early symptoms of grape black rot in some locations. Early season fungicide spray for control of grape black rot and phomopsis cane blight needs to continue.
- Brambles, Blackberries and Raspberries: Brambles are at the pre-bloom stage of growth. Scouts noted the presence of the lesser carpenter bee, which bores into bramble canes. Orange rust was found in some locations, but the spore stage of this disease development has not yet been reached. Control recommendations include the removal of infected plants.
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Blueberries: Most plants are in full bloom and in some locations plants are beginning fruit set. Phomopsis twig blight was found on a few plants. Control is pruning out infected branches.