Pollinator Health: Neonicotinoids and Bees

-Cesar Rodriguez-Saona
-Dean Polk

Controversy has emerged from recent publications pointing out at possible linkages between neonicotinoid insecticides and honey bee die-offs. Here we would like to comment on our current position on the use of neonicotinoids in blueberries in New Jersey.

Early-Season Temperatures Affect Peach Fruit Size

From Fruit Times
Rich Marini, Penn State Plant Science

We have known for more than 80 years that post-bloom temperatures can influence harvest date, but not until recently have we realized that post-bloom temperatures can also affect fruit size at harvest.

What might we expect in 2012? 

Cherry Planting Systems and High Tunnel Production Demonstration Workshop

-Win Cowgill, Professor and Area Fruit Agent

Cornell University and Cornell Cooperative Extension will host a hands-on workshop on the afternoon of April 24, 2012 to demonstrate dwarf cherry production in a high tunnel system.
Attendees will have the opportunity to learn about and see the installation of a Haygrove high tunnel over Cornell’s sweet cherry planting system trial at the Crist Home Farm, in Walden, Orange County, NY.
The meeting agenda includes:

Tree Fruit Fungicide Update: Inspire Super

-Norman Lalancette, Ph.D., Specialist in Tree Fruit Pathology

The new Inspire Super label has much broader fruit crop coverage than the original MP product. In addition to disease control on pome fruit (apple, crabapple, loquat, mayhaw, European and Asian pear, and quince), Inspire Super is also labeled for use on stone fruit (apricots, tart cherry, nectarine, peach, plum, plumcot, prunes) as well as grapes and strawberries. Note that Inspire Super should not be applied to sweet cherries.

Tree Fruit To Do List for NJ Growers

-Win Cowgill, Professor and Area Fruit Agent

The up and down weather of the last two months has made this spring a challenge to get things done on time. There are some key chores and activities that need to get done before the potential rain events forecast to begin Saturday and continue through Tuesday the 24th.

The following bulleted list are a few I can think of....

As I See It- Apple Thinning, Apogee, Fireblight

-Win Cowgill, Professor and Area Fruit Agent

Apples are in full Bloom in Hunterdon County, NJ. First bloom occurred on Krimps Pink on April 11 at Rutgers Snyder Farm. Bloom is three weeks early for us on apple and was four weeks early on peach.

With full bloom on apple for us and our NEWA fireblight disease forecasting system calling for sever fireblight risk Monday through this Thursday, we covered up all apples and pears in bloom Sunday night and Monday at the Rutgers Snyder Farm.

Frost Risk Continues Until May 5th for North Jersey

This video from NJ Today, featuring grower Adam Costello and Ag Agent Win Cowgill, concerns the freeze that occurred in the last week of March and the importance of staying alert for frost warnings until the risk is over. Based on the National Weather Service prediction of a major freeze, the DEP granted an emergency exemption allowing commercial farmers to use open burning in orchards, protecting the buds from freeze injury.

Apple IPM Report - April 17

• Coddling Moth
• Apple Scab, Powdery Mildew, Cedar Apple Rust
• Fire Blight
• Plum Curculio

Dean Polk, Fruit IPM Agent and
David Schmitt, Eugene Rizio and Atanas Atanassov,
Program Associates, Tree Fruit IPM

Peach IPM Report - April 17

• Oriental Fruit Moth
• Green Peach Aphid
• Thrips
• Plum Curculio
• Stink Bug & Other Catfacing Insects
• Peach Diseases

Dean Polk, Fruit IPM Agent and

David Schmitt, Eugene Rizio and Atanas Atanassov,

Program Associates, Tree Fruit IPM

Mark Chien's Wine Grape Information for the Region

Notes from the newsletter follow.
To subscribe to full newsletter, go to http://pawinegrape.com/
Contents:

• Pennsylvania Research Symposium on May 23 at Penn State
• Grape IPM guides and information
• BIG research at work: solving grape growing and wine making challenges
• Do you know eViticulture?