A new Monsanto-backed company is on the verge of producing the first fruit made with a blockbuster gene-editing tool that could revolutionize agriculture In a move aimed at securing its future, Monsanto has invested $125 million in a gene-editing startup called Pairwise. The alliance could tee up Monsanto, long known for its controversial dealings with[Read More…]
The New York Times reports China has proposed countermeasures to a proposed $60 billion in tariffs from the U.S. on Chinese-made products. The Chinese Ministry of Commerce issued the threat in an online statement. American goods including nuts, wine, and fresh fruit would be subject to 15% tariffs. The Times reports these proposed tariffs in[Read More…]
It has been a cool spring so far and most fruit crops are still relatively dormant in the Lafayette area. Early grapes are just at bud swell, red raspberries are also showing signs of growth, sweet cherry buds are swelling, and early apples are at silver tip. Fruit trees in Lafayette remain dormant, however are[Read More…]
May 7, 2018 Purdue Wine Grape Team “From Grape to Glass” Byler Lane Winery 5858 County Road 35, Auburn, IN 46706 Contact Jill Blume blume@purdue.edu June 26, 2018 Indiana Hort Society Summer Field Day Garwood Orchard, LaPorte, IN Contact Lori Jolly-Brown ljollybr@ purdue.edu October 17, 2018 Indiana Flower Growers Conference Daniel Turf Center Contact Lori Jolly-Brown[Read More…]
One of the first and most important parts of a good insect and mite management program is the application of an early season oil spray to control European red mites, San Jose scale, and several species of aphids. Scales overwinter on the tree as nymphs and European red mites and aphids overwinter as eggs. Because[Read More…]
This winter was significantly colder than normal in the northern half of Indiana. Many areas north of “I-70” experienced temperatures between -15 and -20˚F in early January. That is cold enough to cause considerable cold injury to grapes, peaches, and blackberries. Ten below zero is a commonly accepted threshold for seeing damage to cold sensitive[Read More…]
One way insects communicate with individuals of the same species is with pheromones. Pheromones are volatile chemicals released by an insect that usually can be detected only by individuals of the same species. There are a number of different types of pheromones, but the most common type is the sex pheromone. Usually the females will[Read More…]
The Midwest Fruit Pest Management Guide is updated each year by the Midwest Fruit Workers group to provide the most complete information and recommendations for controlling weeds, diseases and insect pests of all major fruit crops grown in the Midwest. For the past three years, the guide has combined information on tree fruit, small fruit[Read More…]