Fruit:
Overall apples look good. Scouts are noting some fire blight symptoms in susceptible varieties and also noted some low levels of scab present on a few trees. Most growers are following the spray recommendations for control of codling moth in apples and oriental fruit moth in peaches based on growing degree days (GDD) from biofix or making a second follow up application based on 10-14 days after the first spray application. Scouts did note some low levels of green apple aphids and red mites present on some apple trees.
Strawberry harvest has started. Some common pests noted by scouts included slugs, spittle bugs, and tarnished plant bugs, all below economic treatment levels. The cooler, wet weather we had the past week was favorable to the development of botrytis gray mold, especially on any berries in direct contact with the soil. On some varieties, leaf spot is a moderate to high levels.
Other small fruit including grapes, brambles and blueberries all look good and did not have any insect or disease problems at this time.
Vegetables:
Tomatoes are starting to be harvested from some high tunnels. Probably the most frequently observed issue is botrytis gray mold. Scouts did note the presence of early blight symptoms on some plants in some high tunnels this week. Field tomatoes are in bloom and beginning to set fruit in some fields. In other fields plants still have some symptoms of transplant shock and are leggy. No disease or insect problems were observed in field grown tomatoes.
Thrips have remained at low levels in onions and garlic. Botrytis gray mold symptoms were observed on some onion leaves. (See photo below) Cole crops generally look good. Slugs and flea beetles are present and doing some leaf damage but a low, non-economic threshold levels. A few imported cabbage worm larvae were found, nothing at economic treatment levels.
Cucumber beetle numbers are increasing and in some summer squash, melon and cucumber plantings numbers were at or above economic treatment levels and growers were being advised to spray.
Eggplant and pepper transplants in some fields were showing symptoms of cold stress. Low levels of flea beetle and Colorado potato beetle were observed on eggplants, while low levels of aphids and slugs were found on peppers.
Sweet corn has been staggered planted and growth development ranges from v-1 to V-7. Slugs, black cutworm, and armyworm have all been noted in sweet corn plantings, but none of the pests were at an economic treatment level.
Colorado potato beetles have increased to economic treatment levels on several potato fields this past week and flea beetles are also present.
Beets, peas and lettuce were all noted as doing well with no pest problems observed.
Agronomic Field Crops:
Corn ranges from emerging to V-6 stage of development, with a lot of corn in the V-4 to V-5 stage. Slugs, black cutworm and armyworm pests were all noted this past week but none at an economic treatment threshold. Deer damage is being noted in some fields.
Most soybeans are at the V-C to V-1 stage of development. Bean leaf beetle feeding damage is being noted in some feeds, generally very light and under 10% damage. Slugs are also present at low levels.
Alfalfa is regrowing following first harvest and regrowth ranges in size from a couple of inches to 10 inches. Aphids are showing up in low numbers. Some fields have light to moderate levels of leaf spot disease symptoms.
