2005 MSUE Blueberry Meetings
MSUE Blueberry Meetings
Demonstration and Update of Blueberry Insect IPM Research Project
Michigan blueberry growers are faced with the challenge of protecting their fruit from multiple insect pests and meeting the quality standards demanded by the public and the food industry. At the same time, the threat of losing some of the organophosphate and carbamate insecticides creates a potentially uncertain future for maintaining insect pest control. New insecticides are being registered for use by blueberry growers, but the strategies for using these compounds are different than when using broad-spectrum insecticides. An ongoing research project at commercial blueberry farms aims to identify the opportunities and challenges of transition to these new insecticides.
The research project compares the effectiveness of IPM programs based on selective insecticides programs to the standard grower practices. Results from the first two years of this project will be highlighted at two meetings at grower-cooperator farms on June 15, 2005. A morning meeting from 10-noon will be hosted by Larry Bodtke of Cornerstone Ag Enterprises at his farm on 57th St near CR 388 (Phoenix Road) west of Grand Junction. An afternoon meeting from 2-4 pm will be hosted by Al Ochoa of A&L Blueberries at his farm on 144th Ave about 1 mile north of M 45 in Grand Haven. The meetings are open to anyone interested in blueberry insect management.
Topics for both meetings include: Updates on new pesticide registrations, fruitworm management with new insecticides, potential natural enemies for control of blueberry pests, update on blueberry maggot and Japanese beetle management. Discussions and tours of the research sites will be led by MSU Extension team members Rufus Isaacs, Carlos Garcia Salazar, John Wise, Mark Longstroth and Keith Mason. One RUP credit is available for attending growers. Contact Rufus Isaacs (517-355-6619) isaacsr@msu.edu for more information.
Field Tour and Meeting on Blueberry Cover Crops
Cover crops can affect blueberry productivity, soil health, fertilizer and water requirements, and even insect pest pressure. A meeting and farm tour is scheduled for Wednesday, June 22, 2005, from 1-3 pm, to observe and discuss test plots of various cover crops at a blueberry farm. Judy and RJ Rant will host the meeting on their West Olive farm on Buchanan Street, about 2 miles east of US31 (1 mile north of M45). The Rants have experimented with cover crop options between the rows of their blueberries. Test plots of several clover species, rye, oriental mustard and oil seed radish were also established by Michigan State University Extension for evaluation. MSU Extension cover crop expert Dale Mutch will lead the discussion, along with other MSU Extension experts Rufus Isaacs, Carlos Garcia, Mark Longstroth, and Eric Hanson. The meeting is open to everyone with interest in this important topic. Contact Eric Hanson (517-355-5191, hansone@msu.edu) with questions.
