Fruit, Vegetable & Farm Market EXPO Michigan Greenhouse Growers EXPO December 7-9, 2010 DeVos Place Convention Center, Grand Rapids, MI

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1 Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable & Farm Market EXPO Michigan Greenhouse Growers EXPO December 7-9, 2 DeVos Place Convention Center, Grand Rapids, MI Blueberry I Where: Grand Gallery (main level) Room E & F Recertification credits: 2 (C, PRIV OR COMM CORE) CCA Credits: PM(.) CM(.) Moderator: Larry Bodtke, MSHS Board, South Haven, MI 9: a.m. Harvest Time and Handling for Optimum Quality of Late-Season Varieties Jim Hancock, Horticulture Dept., MSU 9:3 a.m. Recognizing and Managing Scale Insects in Blueberries Noel Hahn, Entomology Dept., MSU 9:45 a.m. Update on the Blueberry Industry in the Pacific Northwest Wei Yang, Regional Berry Crops Educator, Oregon State University Extension :25 a.m. Managing Blueberry Maggot Using Spatially-Based Tools Cesar Rodriguez-Saona, Blueberry and Cranberry Center, Rutgers University

2 /22/2 Overview Recognizing and Managing Blueberry Gall Midge and Scale in Blueberries Noel Hahn M.S. Student Michigan State University Blueberry gall midge A small fly that infests and damages the new green shoots of blueberry bushes Induces branching in shoots Widespread Multiple generations per season Short generation time Scale insects Insects that feed on the sap of plants Can cause shoot death Localized to very specific areas Blueberry gall midge (Dasineura oxycoccana) Larvae Adult Shoot damage Branching effect Surveyed at blueberry farms in counties. Detected at all sampled counties Geographic distribution Emergence traps Shoot collection Monitoring Dissection Flushing in plastic bags These are larvae that have been flushed from infested shoot tips

3 /22/2 Avg# of larvae per shoot tip Total # of BGM Blueberry gall midge phenology Shoot dissections 4/5 4/29 5/3 5/27 6/ 6/24 7/8 7/22 8/5 8/9 9/2 9/6 Emergence traps There is consistent emergence and ovipositionof BGM throughout the growing and harvesting seasons Insecticide trials Bioassay Replicated treatments of insecticides on infested shoots BGM allowed to emerge and counted Field trial SWMREC blueberry planting First application at first detection Four biweekly treatments 4/5 4/29 5/3 5/27 6/ 6/24 7/8 7/22 8/5 8/9 9/2 9/6 # BGM per Petri dish Percent of vulnerable shoots that are infested After the data was transformed, we found significant difference between the control treatment and the other treatments. There was no significant difference between Cyazypyrand the other treatments Water Imidan LannateMustang Max Assail Delegate Movento Cyazypyr No significant differences between treatments were found 6//2 6/22/2 Control Imidan Cyazypyr Assail Movento5 Movento8 * * * * * * -Not registered in blueberries Uninfestedshoot # of fruit buds Economic impact of blueberry gall midge Shoot with branching Count of fruit buds on primary shoot and branches Uninfested shoot n.s. # of fruit buds Branched infested shoot Count of fruit buds on solitary shoots a Individual uninfested shoot b Individual lateral shoot Scale insects Primarily feed on the sap of plants Crawlers are the immature, mobile life stage of the insect. Adults are immobile. Adults are present in the early spring. Crawlers hatch and move in the summer, then overwinter on the bark. Lecanium scale Cottony maple scale Putnam Scale 2

4 /22/2 Lecanium scale life cycle Monitoring Tape around branches Wrapping double-sided tape around branches catches crawlers Monitoring Bioassay of insecticides for Lecanium scale 25 Average # of crawlers per tape Percent mortality of scale /2 6/6 6/3 7/4 7/28 Control Asana Assail Esteem Movento Provado Sulforix Conclusions Blueberry gall midge Widespread Continuous emergence throughout the season Affects only the vegetative shoots, but causes branching which may lead to lower fruit bud yield While pesticides are active in the lab, they do not seem to be as effective in the field Scale insects One peak of crawler movement in late June/early July Spray trials indicate activity in the lab 3

5 Update on the Blueberry Industry in the Pacific Northwest Wei Qiang Yang Oregon State University North Willamette Research and Extension Center Aurora, OR 972 Production trends Areas of blueberry production in the Pacific Northwest (PNW) include Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia (B.C.), Canada. The growing conditions and cultural practices are similar in these areas. The growth of the blueberry industry is fast. Total combined acreage has tripled in the past ten years. Currently, British Columbia, Washington, and Oregon have more than 7,, 4,5, and 6, acres of blueberries with 8, 36, and 46 million lbs of fruits produced in 29 respectively. Still, more than 3% of the acreage in the PNW is young and non-bearing. The PNW is the largest blueberry producing region in North America. Oregon leads the world in highbush blueberry production with an average yield of over, lbs per acre. Washington State and B.C. have the most increase in acreage in the past few years. Production has expanded to non-traditional berry growing areas in Eastern Washington and Oregon to capture the early fresh market. However, over wintering could be a potential problem in Eastern Washington and Eastern Oregon. Climate The high yield per acre of blueberries in the PNW is attributed to its Mediterranean climate where summer has little precipitation. Winters are mild and rainy with average temperatures above 32 o F. Summer temperature is mostly in the 7 o s to 8 o s F, but it can reach triple digits. In recent years, there are more cultivars appear to flower a second time in autumn, albeit to limited number of flowers at the tip of current year wood. These flowers need to be pruned off during pruning so they won t provide entry points for Pseudomonas spp. This of course will add to pruning costs. Cost of pruning is from $6 to $ per acre. Another climate related cost is summer cooling when temperatures reach above 9F, especially in Oregon. Varieties Duke, Bluecrop, and Elliott are the main early, middle, and late season varieties in the early 2s. New Michigan cultivars like Draper, Liberty, and Aurora have been planted widely in recent years as the new early, middle, and late season standards. Rabbiteye cultivars such as Powderblue and Ochlocknee have performed well in Oregon, capturing the very late fresh market in October. Other cultivars such as Legacy and Reka are seen in newer plantings as well. Draper s fruit quality has been outstanding and yield is extremely high (, lbs in a four year old planting). It is becoming an excellent cultivar for the fresh export market. Aurora so far performed well although it needs extra work such as trellising in planting year to help it growing upright. Liberty performed very well in Oregon but it has a few problems in B.C., mainly due to stem canker and too many green berries dropping on the ground during harvest. Planting Soils used for highbush blueberry production in the northwest are mostly upland mineral soils. The ph is generally below 6., acidic. During planting, soils are amended with sawdust in a raised bed system. With the additional sawdust as mulch, more than 3 units sawdust per acre can be used with a cost as high as $2,7/acre. Although some growers do not use sawdust, sawdust amendment is a must for plantings in heavier soils. Some growers use weed mat in the first few years to control weeds on the beds. At planting, two drip lines and/or overhead sprinkler irrigation are installed. Drip lines sometimes

6 are suspended above the beds to avoid rodent damage. If only drip irrigation is used, fertigation unit is used to deliver fertilizer nitrogen during the growing season. In-row plant spacing has decreased from 4 in older plantings to 2-3 in new plantings with or centers. Fields planted for machine harvest are trellised and pruned to a narrow base to reduce harvesting loss. Culture Irrigation and nitrogen management are two of the most important management practices under PNW conditions. Dry summer requires most commercial blueberry growers irrigate regularly. Most large growers have soil moisture probes and weather stations in the field to help schedule irrigation based on soil moisture readings and crop evapotranspiration. Fertilizer nitrogen is applied as a triple split at bud break, upon fruit set, and during fruit development. About 25 lbs more fertilizer nitrogen is applied when fresh surface sawdust mulch is present. Some growers tend to use a high amount of nitrogen up to 3 lbs per acre, which has caused some concern in newly established plantings. Slow release nitrogen fertilizer has increasingly been used in some fields with good results. In general, flower buds or berries are removed second summer after planting, but in plants with vigorous growth and good fresh market price, some fruits are left on the bush and harvested for the fresh market in second summer. After harvest, almost all growers will conduct tissue and soil testing to determine fertilization needs for the next season. Tissue and soil testing have been widely adopted by growers. A typical blueberry field is hand picked until fresh price drops; then the rest of fruits are harvested by machine. Machine harvest lose can be up to 3%. Ways to minimize such lose include narrow base pruning, raised bed, and wire trellising. Insect and disease The northwest is generally having low insect disease pressure until spotted wing drosophila (SWD) arrived in late 29. Before then, aphids are probably the most serious insect in British Columbia and Northwest Washington because they are a vector for blueberry scorch virus. SWD has so far posted the greatest challenge in management of insect pest. Like many other places, mummy berry is the most serious fungal diseases, in particular for small acreage and organic growers. The normal wet spring often makes spray applications difficult. For example, green fruit rot caused by botrytis was observed for the first time in 2 in many fields due to prolonged wet spring weather. The Blueberry scorch virus (BlSV), also known as Sheep Pen Hill Disease is the most serious viral disease in B.C. and Northwest Washington. Discovered in year 2 in B.C., this viral disease has spread quickly and makes an aphid control program essential to curb its spread. Oregon so far is free of BlSV. The pollen transmitted shock virus is wide spread, but plants recover from the shock after a few growing seasons. One problem is that the initial symptom of shock virus is similar to BlSV, which makes growers nervous when shock infection occurs. B.C. and USDA maintain an active testing program for shock and BlSV. Birds are a real problem. Although a combination of high-flying scarecrow balloons, bird distress, and predator calls or other noise devices such as propane-fired cannons is widely used, the most effective bird control is falconry--flying trained falcons during harvest time to protect large fields. Harvesting July and August are peak harvesting months. Picking labors often are managed by large packers, which have increased in numbers in the PNW. Competition to sign growers has happened to make pricing aggressive. More fields are picked for fresh market with some growers using machine picking for fresh market. Cost of picking labor is a concern to many growers, but the available of picking labor is ample with the slowing down of the economy. A few large packers have started firmness testing in their packing facility to control the quality of shipment. Food Safety and Marketing In the last few years, food safety has become an important issue at farm level. Many growers have gone through various food safety inspections such as GAP. Irrigation water treatment is becoming a part of cultural management for blueberry growing. Most used irrigation water

7 treatment method is chlorination by using commercial chlorinators; this is particularly important for fields with overhead irrigation system using non-well water. Most blueberries harvested are sold to fresh packers that grade, pack, and sell the berries. Many small growers also sell blueberries to consumers at many farmer s markets, roadside stands, or U-pick operations. There are many U-pick operations around the Portland Metro area. Pacific Rim countries such as Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and mainland China have become major markets for the PNW with the demand for fresh blueberries rising rapidly. The PNW blueberry industry is positioned to take advantage of this huge export market in the future. References: Bristow, P.R., Martin, R.R. and Windom, G.E. 2. Transmission, field spread, cultivar response, and impact on yield in highbush blueberry infected with blueberry scorch virus. Phytopathology. 9: Strik, B. and W.Q. Yang. 24. Proceedings of Blueberry Production Course For new and experienced growers and other industry members. Oregon State University Extension Service. March 2, 24. Yang, W.Q. Blueberries in the Northwest. 25. In: Blueberries For growers, Gardeners, and Promoters. Editors: Norman F. Childers and Paul M. Lyrene. Dr. Norman F. Childers Horticultural Publications. Gainesville, FL. Pp Yang, W.Q Oregon blueberry industry survey cultural practices. Proceedings of the Oregon Horticultural Society. Portland, OR. January :3-5.

8 Managing Blueberry Maggot Using Spatially-Based Tools Abstract Cesar Rodriguez-Saona, Faruque Uz Zaman, Dean Polk, and Peter Oudemans Department of Entomology, Rutgers University PE Marucci Center for Blueberry and Cranberry Research and Extension, Chatsworth, NJ Ph: x 442 Highbush blueberries are grown mainly in ecologically and environmentally sensitive areas of the US, with porous soils and high water tables. Due to the high number of insects that attack blueberries, insect management programs often require the use of several insecticide applications in order to maintain high fruit quality and requirements for exporting fruit. A key pest across many blueberry-producing US regions is the blueberry maggot (BBM). To reduce the amount of insecticides used to control BBM, we developed an Intensive Crop Monitoring (ICM) program that uses Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in four commercial blueberry farms in New Jersey. ICM programs allowed us to provide site-specific information to growers on where, when, and what to apply. We then compared the amount of insecticide use and costs between ICM and grower standard programs. After one year of implementation, we found a significant reduction in the number of insecticide applications and costs in the ICM farms compared with standard farms. Background In New Jersey, highbush blueberries are grown in the ecologically important Pinelands National Reserve, which serves as a fresh water source for 2.6 million people. A complex of native and exotic insect species feed on blueberries in this region. Due to its high value, zero tolerance of insect infestation for fresh fruit market, and a strict Canadian export quarantine program, insect contamination of harvested fruit can result in rejected loads and lower market prices. To protect the fruit from insect pests, prevent plant injury, and minimize the risk of crop rejection, organophosphate (OP) insecticides have served as important management tools to control this diverse insect pest complex. However, elimination or phase out of OP insecticides by EPA limits the options for pest management. Previous studies revealed that insect abundance can vary greatly among fields in blueberry farms. Yet, we have limited understanding of where and when to apply insecticides. Our main objective was to develop an ecologically-sound Integrated Pest Management program for blueberries that incorporates spatial variability of pest abundance and applications of low-risk insecticides. These studies were conducted to manage the blueberry maggot (BBM), a key insect pest among several blueberry-growing US states including Michigan and New Jersey. Methods Eight blueberry farms were selected based on three landscape categories i.e. farms surrounded by forest, open fields or other crops, and other blueberry farms. Four farms were intensively monitored for BBM and thus designated as Intensive Crop Monitoring or ICM farms, while the other four farms were under a grower standard monitoring program designated as STD. In the ICM farms, growers applied insecticides based on spatial information (GIS) and applied low-risk insecticides based on our recommendations. In the STD farms, growers made their own decisions on where, when, and what to

9 apply. Baited yellow sticky traps were used to monitor BBM and data on the number of BBM flies on traps were collected twice per week. Farms were digitally mapped by a Trimble hand held GIS device. Trap layout within farms was mapped as point source data (Fig. ). At the end of the season, grower pesticide records were collected. Geo-spatial data were analyzed by ArcGIS 9. software. Amounts of insecticide use, active ingredient (a.i.)/acre, and costs/acre were compared between ICM and STD farms. Fig.. Example of a geo-referenced trap layout in an Intensive Crop Monitoring (ICM) farm (A), and in a Standard farm (not geo-referenced) (B). Each dot represents spatial location of a trap in the ICM farm. Results Farms surrounded by forest had higher BBM fly populations near field borders (Fig. 2A). Farms with no forest had low fly populations (Fig. 2B-C). Farms with a late cultivar had higher fly populations later in the season (Fig. 2A). In general, traps near field edges captured higher number of flies, indicating possible invasion from outside areas. In a few cases, flies were captured in the interior of fields, indicating the presence of resident populations. Growers used almost half the number of insecticide applications in ICM farms compared with STD farms (Table ). Amount of a.i./acre and cost of insecticides/acre were also reduced by 39% and 57%, respectively, in ICM farms compared with STD farms.

10 Fig. 2. Geospatial locations and seasonal BBM distribution in farms surrounded by variable landscape and cultivars. Circle in A indicates location of a late cultivar. A B C Table. Number of insecticide applications, amount of a.i./acre, and cost of insecticides/acre in the Intensive Crop Monitoring (ICM) and STD farms (29). Grower ICM Apps STD Apps ICM Lb/ac STD Lb/ac ICM Cost STD Cost HAR $32.46 $.39 WH $48.2 $48.2 DR $24.84 $67.8 MC $7.96 $94.66 Grower Mean $44.7 $2.56