SWD update July 14, 2017

Our monitoring program continues. We have seen an increase in numbers this week. Traps in Wellington, Essex, Brant and Niagara had traps with 10 or more SWD catches.

Ripening fruit in these areas is at risk for SWD damage. Use these results in addition to your own monitoring program to determine when SWD is present. Conduct a salt water test or a plastic baggie test regularly to detect SWD in your crops.

The monitoring program is coordinated by the OBGA.

SWD has been identified in traps in Ontario, in Essex, Kent, Wellington, Brant, Niagara, Norfolk, and Haldimand , Stormont, Dundas & Glengary, and Ottawa/Carleton.

• Check the SWD product registrations on our website, or the attached pdf: Registration for SWD July 2017. The Exirel label has been expanded to include SWD control on caneberries, and Mako and Malathion have received emergency use registration for this year again. The PHI for Entrust on bushberries is 1 day.
• When SWD is present in your crop use regular sprays, thorough, clean harvest, and immediate post-harvest cooling to less than 5C or cooler.
• Raspberries and strawberries will be attractive to SWD at this time. Summer fruiting raspberries have typically been managed by picking fruit early and often, however a spray program may be required this year. A postharvest spray on raspberries is also a good idea if there is fruit left over as you move on to later varieties.
• If you are still harvesting strawberries make sure you are not picking soft fruit, and renovate as early as possible. Late varieties such as  Malwina may be at risk for SWD. Protect nearby raspberries with regular sprays.