In this bulletin:
- Ontario Crop Protection Hub
- Crop & Pest Update
- Strawberry and Raspberry IPM videos
Ontario Crop Protection Hub: The Ontario Crop Protection Hub is now available and ready for growers to access the latest crop protection information: Ontario.ca/cropprotection. There are short training videos available on YouTube on how to find rate, PHI, REI, and max app information: Ontario Crop Protection Hub- How to find rate and comment information for specific crops and pests.
Crop Update:
Strawberries: After a week of high temperatures berry crops are finally moving along. June-bearing strawberry row-covers are coming off as bloom begins, and we’re seeing more buds in fields that aren’t row-covered. Day-neutrals are blooming and there’s some green fruit in early areas.
Planting is ongoing with both day-neutral strawberries and June-bearing strawberries.
Disease: There’s still time to apply Bravo or Echo on June-bearing strawberries before bloom. Reminder that there are limited anthracnose management options later in the season so reducing disease inoculum with broad-spectrum fungicides now can help.
On day-neutral strawberries in bloom apply group M products now while you can. Captan products have a 6 day REI for hand harvest, so use these products during bloom and green fruit for resistance management and broad-spectrum disease control.
Insects: Insect activity has increased with the heat last week. Watch for tarnished plant bud, aphids, clipper weevil, and cyclamen mite.
- Aphids: aphids can be found where an insecticide hasn’t been applied yet. Stay vigilant with aphid control through the season to manage strawberry viruses. Cygon, Lagon, Exirel, Beleaf and group 4s can be applied before bloom, or Sivanto Prime or Beleaf during bloom. Assail and Beleaf will also control TPB. Malathion, group 3s (Mako, Decis, Matador) and Rimon do not control aphids in strawberries. Do not use Admire at this timing; Admire cannot be used pre-bloom or during bloom.
- Tarnished plant bug: we are starting to see TPB nymphs. Check your fields that were row-covered for TPB and clipper weevil. Beleaf applied at the high rate during bloom will suppress TPB and control aphids.
- Clipper weevil: With this warm weather watch for clipped buds on the border of your fields until all buds are open. Group 3s or Cormoran can be used for clipper weevil control before bloom if needed.
- Cyclamen mite: Mites can now be found in strawberry fields. Look for damage in all fields, especially the oldest fields, where row covers have recently come off, or fields with a history of damage. Damage will look like stunted plants and crinkled, crispy, tough leaves. Agri-mek and Vegol Crop Oil can be applied to control these mites. If Agri-mek is needed:
- Apply Agri-mek at 225 mL/ha in 750-1000L water /ha, with a non-ionic surfactant at .1-.5%
- Watch the pH of your spray tank.
- Slow down and get thorough coverage of the plants and crowns.
- Apply Agri-mek under slow-drying conditions to improve uptake into the leaves.
- Do not apply Agri-mek within 10-14 days of chlorothalonil (Bravo or Echo) or captan applications.
- Agri-mek can only be used twice a year.
Blueberries: are at early pink bud and leaves are starting to emerge.
Disease: Use fungicides from different groups to control cane diseases such as phomopsis and anthracnose twig blight. Once bloom arrives, use fungicides that control both anthracnose and botrytis.
Spongy moth: we have been seeing a lot of spongy moth activity over the last couple of years in Ontario. Spongy moth was formerly referred to as ‘gypsy moth’. In an effort to use inclusive language, the entomology community is transitioning away from the use of ‘gypsy moth’, so moving forward the term ‘spongy moth’ will be used.
Fortunately, spongy moth pressure is expected to be less this year than 2021, although some areas of Ontario are forecasting for severe defoliation- see the red dots on this map from the Ministry of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry (below). Keep an eye on your fields surrounded by woods and young fields, especially if you are in areas where severe or moderate defoliation is forecasted. Spongy moth feed on foliage, and young blueberry fields can tolerate less damage that established fields. Bt products (Dipel, Bioprotec) applied for cranberry and cherry fruitworm will also have some activity on gypsy moth larvae.
Nutrition: Apply nitrogen in a split-application. For newly-planted blueberries apply a total of 12 g per plant. For established blueberries apply a total of 36-48 g per bush in a split application.
Raspberries: raspberries are leafing out and we are starting to see fruit buds. Begin to monitor for raspberry fruitworm and strawberry clipper weevil once fruit buds are present. Scout for these insects with a tapping tray or dish.
For raspberry crown borer control Diazinon can be used when new growth is 10cm above the ground. Only 1 application per year is permitted. Alternatively you can use Altacor in late August- early September.
Protect growing primocanes and developing laterals with fungicides before and during bloom. Tanos is registered for cane diseases, but Pristine and Switch also do a great job on cane diseases when they are used to control Botrytis grey mould. Good coverage is important.
Strawberry and Raspberry IPM workshop webinar. Was held on May 10th. The recording of the training along with other berry IPM videos are available on youtube: Strawberry and Raspberry IPM workshop.
We also have 2-3 minutes videos on scouting for:
- Tarnished Plant Buds in Strawberries,
- Monitoring for SWD Using Salt Water Float Tests, and
- Scouting for Strawberry Aphids.
Follow our ONfruit blog for regular updates and berry information.
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