Berry Bulletin Sept 22, 2016

Printable version: 16-16-berry-bulletin-09-22-16

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June bearing strawberries– Leaf diseases such as powdery mildew, angular leaf spot, leaf scorch and common leaf spot often build up in August and September. A second fungicide can be applied now to susceptible varieties to keep these diseases in check. If angular leaf spot is the problem, choose Tivano or Copper 53 W.

Bravo or Echo fungicide, applied twice in September-October will help reduce overwintering inoculum of botrytis grey mould and reduce disease pressure for next year.

Continue to scout for aphids. If they are building up, another insecticide is needed. A good rule of thumb is to control aphids if there are 15 aphids on 60 leaves. Watch also for cyclamen mite and flag these areas for special attention next year. Some growers are experimenting with application of beneficial mites, introducing the using the native, winter-hardy species Amblysieus fallacis to problem spots in early fall.

If you have a big problem with slugs every spring, consider using slug bait in the fall to keep overwintering numbers low.

Weed control has been frustrating this year. A pre-emergent herbicide around Labour Day would help to reduce winter annuals and hold things until the pre-mulch herbicide is applied. Try to clip off giant annual weeds like lambs quarts before they go to seed.

Day-neutral strawberries– Both anthracnose and spotted wing drosophila are seriously affecting fruit quality. I am interested in your estimates of crop losses from these pests. SWD will continue to develop but at a slower rate when the weather cools down. Keep all ripe fruit picked, remove culls from the field every time to help reduce the mess from this pest. See note on MAKO for fall bearing raspberries – below.

For anthracnose, avoid use of Pristine or other group 11 fungicides by themselves, always mix these products with a compatible fungicide such as Captan or Maestro, for botrytis control.

Raspberries– Raspberry crown borer is a stealthy and serious pest that causes raspberry plants to weaken and die out over time. This pest has traditionally been controlled by diazinon applied as a high volume spray to larvae at the base of the plant, typically in early spring. The registration for diazinon expires in December 2016.

An alternative to diazinon is Altacor insecticide. This insecticide targets both hatching eggs on the foliage and young larvae at the base of the cane. Apply now and ensure good coverage of the entire plant, both foliage and the base of primocanes. Pruning out old canes as close as possible to the ground also helps with crown borer control.

For more information: http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/crops/pub360/notes/raspcrownbo.htm

A good factsheet on crown borer can be found here: http://www.uaex.edu/publications/pdf/FSA-7082.pdf , but note that some pesticides in this American factsheet are NOT REGISTERED in Ontario.

Fall-bearing raspberries- Although Mako insecticide has an emergency-use registration for SWD control on raspberries and strawberries, its use is restricted to 1 application per year. This is fewer than previous emergency use registrations for cypermethrin. Also, remember that use of this product is hard on beneficial mites and is associated with TSSM outbreaks.

Blueberries– A new online course on blueberry physiology, production systems & management is being offered by Dr. Bernadine Strik, Professor of Horticulture at Oregon State University. The course is designed for new and established blueberry growers, farm managers of small- to large-sized farms, conventional and organic producers, crop advisors, and consultants. Students will access 3 to 4 hours of lectures per week in this 6-week course. For more information on topics covered, instructors, cost, and to register go to: https://pace.oregonstate.edu/catalog/online-blueberry-physiology-production-systems-management. Dr. Strik is an excellent researcher and professor, so I am sure this will be a valuable course, even though the climate is quite different for our two regions.

New Compendium of Blueberry, Cranberry, and Lingonberry Diseases and Pests, Second Edition (Edited by James J. Polashock, Frank L. Caruso, Anne L. Averill, and Annemiek C. Schilder )

An excellent resource for growers and consultants. The 2^nd edition of the blueberry compendium will help you to diagnose diseases, insect pests, and common disorders. There are nearly 400 images to aid with diagnosis. Pre-order and save $10 through September 2016! Expected to ship in October 2016. Quantity Discounts available .

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