SW Michigan Fruit Update
September 6, 2005
Weather
Last two week’s weather was warm and dry with highs near 80 and lows near 60. There was rain in the northern and eastern counties of the region on August 27, but most areas received less than a tenth of an inch Allegan and Kalamazoo counties received less than 0.25 to almost an inch. This week’s forecast is for cooler weather with little chance for rain.
Southwest Michigan Growing Degree Day Totals March 1 through September 4, 2005 |
Grapes
|
|||
Location |
GDD 42 |
GDD 45 |
GDD 50 |
GDD 50 |
3724 |
3280 |
2583 |
2582 |
|
3815 |
3363 |
2632 |
2609 |
|
3506 |
3065 |
2355 |
2336 |
|
3763 |
3319 |
2621 |
2598 |
|
3552 |
3090 |
2409 |
2390 |
|
Tree fruit
Trap catches are variable from site to site. Generally, Oriental fruit moth numbers are up. Codling moth numbers are low at some sites and up in others. Redbanded leafroller trap catches are falling from last weeks high. Obliquebanded leafroller trap catches are low. Apple maggot and blueberry maggot numbers are low. Japanese Beetles are scarce.
Peach harvest continues with Autumn Star and Harcrest. Oriental fruit moth trap catches are high. I think the fourth generation is flying. Brown rot is showing up here and there. San Jose scale has been reported on a lot of peaches. Growers should consider dormant oil treatments to reduce this pest during the winter season.
In Apples, we are harvesting Zestar, Gala, Macintosh and Jonathan. Golden Delicous harvest for processing will begin this week in some orchards. Apple Maturity Updates will begin this week. See the article in this weeks fruit CAT Alert. Trap catches for codling moth are varied and not as high as I expected with a third generation of codling moth. Oriental fruit moth trap catches are high indicating the flight of a fourth generation. Growers need to protect against Oriental fruit moth and codling moth for several more weeks. White apple leafhopper nymphs are easy to find. Examine 50 leaves from 10 different trees and treat if the average is more than one nymph per leaf. Trap catch for Obliquebanded leafroller is low. Redbanded Leafroller flight is heavy. We caught few apple maggots last week.
Small fruit
Blueberry harvest is finished.
In Grapes: Niagara grape harvest has begun. Grape berry moth trap catches increased again last week as the third generation flight continues. Insecticide sprays to control egg hatch should be applied to late harvesting vineyards.
Fall Raspberry harvest is continues. With heavy dews every morning, growers need to protect against fruit rots especially gray mold and botrytis. Neem Oil materials would be good insect repellent materials to use to prevent or reduce Asian Multicolored Lady Beetles and late Japanese Beetles from feeding on the fruit.
