Check list: ~Indiana Disease management program for apples for 2018 is available at: https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/BP/BP-201-W.pdf This information is identical to the Midwest fruit pest management guide, but provided in a table format and includes Fungicide Resistance Action Committee (FRAC) Codes, REI, PHI and efficacy information for each product (Fig. 1). ~Reducing overwintering inoculum for apple scab:[Read More…]
Disease Management
Summer rots continue to rear their ugly heads (Fig. 1). This year, we are even seeing them on late season apples like Evercrisp (Fig 2) and GoldRush. On the plus side, we are seeing some level of control with all fungicides in our trials (data will be presented at the Indiana Hort Congress); unfortunately,[Read More…]
Powdery and downy mildew can develop on grapes in the late season, post harvest. It is important to keep vines as healthy as possible going into winter. With the long fall we are experiencing, downy and powdery mildew are both becoming prevalent in many vineyards. Growers should consider a late season application of fungicides to[Read More…]
Crown gall is a common disease of many perennial plants. It causes fleshy tumors to develop on the plant and usually results in plant death. Grapes are among the most sensitive fruit crop to crown gall. The disease is caused by the bacterium Agrobacterium tumefaciens. This is the same bacterium that is used to genetically[Read More…]
There are a number of common grape pathogens that can cause fruit rots each year in the region. Black rot and Phomopsis cane and leaf spot are by far the most common fruit pathogens. We also see Botrytis gray mold on some cultivars in cooler regions and years. Another common rot is Sour rot, but[Read More…]
Fruit rots continue to pose a problem for those of us in the wetter parts of the state. Frequent rains and warm temperatures really set the stage for bitter rot, black rot, white rot, and even brown rot. Any rain event that produced more than 2” of rain would remove the majority of fungicide, meaning[Read More…]
In 1907, Thomas Burrill wrote that regarding bitter rot, “There was nothing to do but to helplessly submit to the inevitable.” However, he continued and stated “that what formerly seemed incomprehensible is easily understandable.” Some key points he touches on regarding the management of bitter rot are weather conditions and sanitation. Obviously, there is little[Read More…]
ReTain (AVG) is a plant growth regulator that blocks the production of ethylene. When ReTain is applied to apple, several ripening processes are slowed, including preharvest drop, fruit flesh softening, starch disappearance, and red color formation. In order for ReTain to be effective it must be applied well in advance of the climacteric rise in[Read More…]
Preharvest drop refers to the process where fruit fall from the tree prior to harvest. Not all apple varieties are affected, but with some, such as McIntosh and Pristine, pre-harvest drop can be extreme. Several growth regulator materials are available to growers to help reduce pre-harvest drop. These materials are often referred to as “stop-drop”[Read More…]