Wet weather has led to an uptick in shot hole disease, caused by the bacterium Xanthomonas arboricola pv. pruni (XAP). We started to see a significant uptick in shot hole on peaches, cherry and plum already. Leaves and fruit susceptibility to XAP infection decreases after pit hardening. Keep in mind that any change to warm,[Read More…]
Fire blight, caused by the bacterium Erwinia amylovora, is a devastating disease of apples and pears. Epidemics of the disease develop quickly, particularly in a climate of warm, wet weather like this weekend! The type of management program developed by each orchard will vary considerably based upon a variety of orchard factors, including apple variety,[Read More…]
Many people, including me, were surprised to look out the window Monday morning and see the ground and trees white with snow. A heck of a way to start the week! Although it looked frightening to see trees, buds and flowers covered in snow, luckily temperatures did not drop too low. In general, lows were[Read More…]
Adapted from IDNR Press release and Purdue Landscape Report The Spotted Lanternfly (SLF) has been found in Indiana A homeowner in Vevay, IN contacted DNR’s Division of Entomology & Plant Pathology (DEPP) last week with a picture of a red immature stage near their home. DEPP staff surveyed the site and discovered an infestation[Read More…]
The periodical cicada (Figure 1) emergence is expected to begin shortly. Female cicadas lay eggs in 200+ woody tree species (Figure 2), and they have a strong preference for grapevines, apples, cherries, peaches, & plums. Egg laying can weaken and damage branches, causing them to turn brown, die, and break off. The loss of branches[Read More…]