Scaffolds 2024 Digest: Week 20
This post is a text digest of the Scaffolds Podcast. To listen to the original episode, visit the following link: Scaffolds Podcast on Spotify
On this week’s episode of Scaffolds, I give a brief update on some thoughts on late season insect management. Kerik talks fruit rots and late season diseases, and Anna gives us our state of the state update on degree day accumulation and trap captures.
Monique Discusses Late Season Insect Management
I have a very quick update this week. I did want to mention that we do have two decently large size grants that I can’t actually talk about that were accepted and funded, and I will be mentioning them maybe at the IFTA tour, if that ends up working out time wise for us to be able to announce, and the other one probably sometime next spring. I did want to remind everyone in western New York that at this time, on Tuesday of next week will be the second annual Western New York Fruit Growers tour. And then also if you’re in western New York on the 14th, which is next Wednesday, is the Reality Research tour. So I will be speaking at both and I look forward to seeing you there.
I wanted to mention this week the importance of this late season pre-harvest scouting to make some critical decisions about insect treatments in the late season. So one of the biggest concerns for everyone, I think, at least in the insect world, is the internal leps, or oriental fruit moth and codling moth and obliquebanded leafroller. It’s really important to get out there and take a look at fruit pre-harvest to see what damage you’re seeing, especially if you don’t have traps. If you have traps, our traps, we’re still capturing, not at super high levels, but it’s time to start thinking about what treatments you might put on pre-harvest and timing them with your planned harvest. And another important thing is understanding which treatments for the internal lepidopterans you’ve used earlier this season.
So, one thing that we can be very proud of in New York is a lot of our AI’s still work quite well, where in Pennsylvania I know there has been some resistance issues. So, it’s important to use a different class of insecticide for each generation of the internal lep. So, because this is trailing off and some areas do experience a third generation, even if it’s smaller or more mild, it’s important to consider what AI’s you’ve previously used. I do want to mention that I think the most flexible treatment for the internal leps when it comes to pre-harvest interval, because it is 0 days PHI is using a BT product. Most of the other products seem to vary amongst their classes. So, for example, Altacor can be five days pre harvest. Another option would be sprayable pheromone, but I wouldn’t recommend that this late in the season. That’s something that you want to start the season off with strong. Of course we could do more research to figure out if this is an effective treatment, maybe combined with BT.
The other pest to consider is apple maggots. If you are trapping, they can still be emerging sporadically in the late season. And the control options? Well, I think favorably, maybe Assail would be a good choice for late season apple maggots.
Not super sure about eastern New York, but in western New York we are not having a ton of flight of the black stem borer, but we are having continued flight of Anisandrus maiche. I would recommend talking to your local IPM specialist or regional IPM specialist with Cornell Cooperative extension to talk about what flight activity might look like in your region. But if you do have any active fire blight infections from the year, this could be something that could be attractive to them in this late season flight.
The other pest to consider, which I mentioned a couple weeks ago is the brown marmorated stink bug, and continued scouting for that until the very last apple is harvested is critical because late season management may be necessary. I do think a lot of the late season recommendations include pyrethroids and recently we have found that pyrethroids and woolly apple aphids, depending on which AI, can be not a match, meaning that you could be killing off your beneficials and making the woolly apple aphids worse. So careful consideration of using pyrethroids I think is warranted in the late season. And if you are still having persistent populations of woolly apple aphid and you have not used up your two applications of the 7oz per acre of Sefina, that is a good consideration. It is soft on the beneficials as we have seen in some of our own research work.
So that’s my update for this week, hoping to have Dr. Kevin Rice on next week from Virginia Tech to talk a little bit more about late season lep management and also some of his work with mating disruption. So hopefully that works out and you will hear from me again next week. And then on our final episode in two weeks, we are hoping to have Vaughn Gingrich on like we did last season for a season finale to discuss what worked and what didn’t for the season.
State of the State with Dr. Anna Wallis
And now for the state of the state, your weekly roundup of phenology and degree day accumulations from the major fruit production regions of the state. As always, I’m Anna Wallis with the New York state IPM program at Cornell, and I’ll be sharing information aggregated from the regional specialists as well as my own observations.
Starting with a quick recap of the month of July, now that we’re moving into August. July was a month of extreme conditions across the northeast. This July was one of the all-time hottest months on record for a number of different sites across the northeast region. According to the Northeast Regional Climate Center, it was the hottest on record for some cities, including Albany, New York and Hartford, Connecticut, and it was the second hottest for Syracuse, New York; Baltimore, Maryland; Concord, New Hampshire; and Portland, Maine. Most of New York was two to four degrees Fahrenheit warmer than average.
There was also excessive rainfall in many places. Over 200% rainfall compared to average was reported in parts of northern New York, with up to seven to eight inches recorded in a single day. Binghamton, New York was the 6th wettest July on record. In stark contrast, other parts of the Northeast were in excessive drought for most of July. Fortunately, this was not in most of New York, but in other states, including southern parts of New Hampshire and Vermont, and western or southwestern parts of Pennsylvania and West Virginia and Maryland.
And as we know, there were many extreme storms, including tornadoes reported across New York throughout the month of July, mostly in the second and third weeks of July. Over twelve tornadoes were reported in parts of Western and Central New York. Governor Hochul announced a state of emergency and made $11 million of funding available for homeowners and municipalities. So, if you experienced any kind of extreme damage from these extreme weather events, we recommend that you reach out to your local townships for more information.
Last week, the last week of July and the first of August, we had slightly less extreme conditions, a little bit more moderate temperatures and more consistent gentle rainfall. Although it was still hot and humid, it was slightly more moderate than the worst part of July, with highs in the eighties across the state and lows remaining in the upper sixties to low seventies. There were a few rainfall events which were nice to replenish soil moisture with precipitation mostly on Tuesday to Wednesday last week, some more again on Friday in several parts of the state and again on Monday night this week. Between one to two inches of precipitation were recorded in most places across the state, which is great moving into harvest as we’ll need that soil moisture for fruit sizing.
Now, looking at the forecast for this week, next week, and the coming month, forecasts are continuing to expect hot, humid conditions with plenty of precipitation. This week rainfall could be as much as two to three inches with several precipitation events in the forecast, although it is expected to be a little bit cooler or more moderate than it has been the worst part of July. In the six-to-ten-day outlook from the NOAA Climate Prediction Center, this is the first time in the season that cooler than average temperatures are expected. Near normal precipitation or slightly above average precipitation is expected. However, over the course of August, the entire month is expected to return to heat with above average temperatures and precipitation.
Looking at phenology across the state now we are approaching harvest and fruit is coloring and sizing well. Last minute hand thinning is taking place. Soil moisture is good which will contribute to fruit size. Summer pruning and reflective fabric as well as other options for fruit color are being deployed in some places. Also, sunburn treatments are also being considered in some locations. We are expecting an early harvest with the heat and the early season. Degree day accumulation, compared to averages, indicates that we are about seven to ten days ahead of normal across most of the state, so be sure to be out looking at fruit earlier than you would anticipate so you can get an idea of how early your harvest is going to be. The first harvest maturity reports are being produced by Cornell Cooperative Extension teams across the state, so we encourage you to be looking at those reports and comparing the numbers reported there to fruit on your farm. In the Hudson Valley, stone fruit harvest is continuing with lots of peaches and plums. Apples are coloring and sizing well with the very earliest varieties being picked in the lower part of the Hudson Valley now, including Pristine, Jersey Mac, and other early varieties in the rest of the state. It’s about a week or so behind sites right near the lake. Lake sites in the Lake Ontario region have similar degree day accumulations to the Champlain Valley this year, which is something that we often see, and so things are moving rapidly toward harvest again, about seven to ten days earlier than average.
Now moving into some upcoming pest events, Monique gave a great summary of end of season considerations for scouting and cover sprays. It’s consistent with what I’m seeing and what regional extension specialists are reporting around the state. Apple maggot continues to be one of the insects at the forefront of spray programs at this time. We’re continuing to have trap captures around the state, although it’s been somewhat low in some locations ,in other places, we’ve been above threshold for several weeks now, and management is important, but it’s a very site-specific insect, so we encourage you to be scouting and monitoring at your location. Just a reminder that we are monitoring at this point in the season with red spheres coated with sticky tanglefoot, and those are capturing the ovipositing females. If you’re using baited traps, the threshold is five flies per baited trap and unbaited traps, the threshold is one to two per trap.
Codling moth is another insect that we’re paying close attention to. In the Hudson Valley, the second generation larval emergence was about a week or two ago. So timing for an insecticide that was targeting larval emergence would have been around that time. The follow up application 10 to 14 days later, which would be about this week or the end of last week, so hopefully you’re covered, especially for all the rain that’s coming. In the Lake Ontario and Capital Region, the appropriate timing for the emergence of that insect looks to be about the end of last week or the beginning of this week, and the Champlain Valley is right behind that, maybe at the end of this week. We’re getting more reports of internal feeding this year from lepidopteran insects. So just remember when you’re cutting fruit open and looking at damage to try to identify which insects are active and present. Codling moth prefer to feed on the seeds, so they’ll tunnel straight into the center of the fruit toward those locules, either from the calyx end or from the side of the fruit and feed directly on the seed, that is sort of characteristic of codling moth. OFM and lesser apple worm may do similar tunneling directly toward the center of the fruit, but they don’t often feed on the seeds. So that’s one way to differentiate those insects for the second generation in a given season. It’s really important to remember to rotate chemistries because this insect can be endemic in the orchard, and we need to be very careful about managing resistance to insecticides. So whatever you chose for the first generation management, make sure to be choosing a different chemistry for this second generation.
Obliquebanded leafroller trap captures were very low this week, or none in some locations. In the Hudson Valley, the second generation moth flight is declining, and it’s not an appropriate timing for insecticide applications at this time. In other parts of the state, Western New York, Capital Region, and the Champlain Valley, there was a sort of an uptick in the second generation last week, or a little bit before that, indicating that that second generation is still active. But it’s not the appropriate time for an insecticide at this time. In this warmer year and earlier season, it’s more likely that we might see damage later into the season for this insect. So it’s important to continue scouting, looking for terminals that might be webbed or feeding on the surface of the fruit, just on the skin or slightly under the skin, which would be obliquebanded leafroller or other leafroller damage.
We are continuing to see mites in many locations across the state, both two spotted spider mites and European red mites. We’re also seeing lots of natural enemies, predatory mites and lacewings, which can help manage these insects. So, as you’re scouting for mites, be sure to be scouting for those natural enemies as well.
Woolly apple aphid continues to be active. It’s been managed very effectively in many places, but in other locations, colonies continue to increase with more wool and more movement to leaf axils. And so be sure to be looking at those insects and thinking about management, especially as we approach harvest.
Japanese beetles continue to be active. We’re also seeing brown marmorated stink bug and other stink bugs active. They’re around the second generation nymphs and some early adults. Now in the Hudson Valley, we’re seeing a little bit of damage on peaches in the form of cat facing, and then on a few apples and a few high pressure blocks, typically, we see this around the edge of plantings. You can effectively manage them with a border spray. So you might want to consider a border spray if you have pressure from this insect. You can be monitoring for them with either tedders traps (which are the black pyramid traps) the threshold for those traps is ten insects per trap per week, or, you can be using clear sticky panels where the threshold is around three to four insects per week. In either case, there is a pheromone lure that is associated with those traps. These insects typically move into apple orchards from hedgerows, or after a soy or cornfield or some other crop is harvested nearby. So, if that’s taking place in your region, just be paying attention as those insects can move in pretty quickly.
Now, looking at some diseases, we are seeing more fruit rots and getting more reports of fruit rots from places across the state. This week, bitter rot is showing up in a lot of places. This looks like a brown soft rot lesion on the fruit, which can grow quite large and often has concentric circles. You can also be looking for orange fruiting bodies from the fungus emerging from those lesions. If you cut the lesion in half toward the center of the fruit, you’ll see a v shape, and that’s also characteristic of bitter rot.
We’re also seeing some frog eye leaf spot on leaf lesions, and that’s Botryosphaeria, which can also cause a fruit rot, larger circular lesions on the fruit. We’re seeing a little bit of rust in susceptible cultivars in high pressure areas on the leaves. This is quite easy to identify, bright orange lesions with spores, but also it can cause lesions on fruit where there’s really high pressure and susceptible cultivars. Sooty blotch and fly speck is another summer disease with high risk due to all of the rain and wetness and humidity we’ve had this season, so be looking for that disease at this time.
We’re starting to see more leaf yellow spotting showing up in many places across the state this week and last. This can be several different things, so if you’re looking for help diagnosing it, we recommend that you send a picture or an email to one of the extension specialists so that we can help you diagnose it. There are different diseases, Marssonnina and Glomerella, which can be causing yellow leaf spotting. There’s also a physiological disorder called necrotic leaf blotch, which is actually related to a zinc deficiency, which does show up this time in Golden Delicious and Golden-related cultivars, so you can be looking for that at this time of year as well.
We are also seeing declining trees in a lot of places across the state at this time. We typically see decline at this time of year as we get close to harvest and the trees collapse under any kind of stress that they’re experiencing, and supporting the crop. If you are experiencing collapse in your orchard, we encourage you to reach out to us. Jason Lando is conducting some research with his graduate student Kenneth, and we are collecting information via a survey with them. A link to that survey is in the show notes if you would like to contribute.
And now here are the current degree days in the major fruit producing regions of the state. Throughout the season, we’ve been aligning this information with some previous work that was done by Art Agnello related to McIntosh phenology and degree days with a base 43 F temperature degree day accumulations. For NEWA stations across New York from January 1 through August 5: in Geneva, 2872; Highland at the Hudson Valley Research lab, 3093; Clifton Park, 2929; Peru, 2552; Medina, an inland site, 2776; Appleton North, a lake site, 2628; Fairville, an inland site, 2742; and Williamson, a lake site, 2786. As always, this table of phenology and degree day accumulations, as well as upcoming pest events is included in the show notes.
That’s all for now, and good luck until next week.
| Phenology & DDs for NY NEWA Stations from 1/1 – 8/3 | ||
| Station | DD Accumulation | Rainfall (in) |
| Geneva | 2872 | 0.13 |
| Highland (HVRL) | 3093 | 0.32 |
| Clifton Park | 2929 | 0.15 |
| Peru (Forrence) | 2552 | 0.26 |
| Medina – Inland | 2776 | 0.71 |
| Appleton North – Lakeside | 2628 | 0.36 |
| Fairville (The Apple Shed) – Inland | 2742 | 0.20 |
| Williamson (DeMarree) – Lakeside | 2786 | 0.12 |
Phenology & DDs for NY NEWA Stations from 1/1 – 8/5
Station || Stage || DD 43F || Rainfall (in)
Geneva || fruit sizing || 2872 || 1.49
Highland (HVRL) || fruit sizing || 3093 || 1.59
Clifton Park || fruit sizing || 2929 || 1.14
Peru (Forrence) || fruit sizing || 2552 || 0.99
Medina – Inland || fruit sizing || 2776 || 1.73
Appleton North – Lake || fruit sizing || 2628 || 1.33
Fairville (The Apple Shed) – Inland || fruit sizing || 2742 || 1.25
Williamson (DeMarree) – Lake || fruit sizing || 2786 || 0.94
*all DDs Baskerville-Emin, B.E
Upcoming Pest Events
Pest/Phenology Event || DD Base 43˚F || Approx. Date
Apple Maggot Traps Set Out (in orchard) || 1-Jul”
ERM Sample – 5.0 mites/leaf || 1-Jul
Comstock mealybug tape traps set out || July 1 (ENY), July 15 (WNY)
OFM – 2nd flight starting || 1180* ± 136* || 29-Jun ± 5 days
OBLR Summer Gen. 1st Sample || 10-Jul ± 5 days
STLM Summer Gen. 1st Sample || 9-Jul ± 7 days
RBLR – 2nd flight starting || 1367 ± 105 || 29-Jun ± 6 days
AM – 1st catch || 1509 ± 285 || 4-Jul ± 12 days
Lesser peachtree borer – peak catch || 1234 ± 470 || 25-Jun ± 19 days
STLM – 2nd flight peak || 1563 ± 207 || 6-Jul ± 8 days
Codling moth – 1st flight ending || 1557 ± 262 || 6-Jul ± 12 days
Peachtree borer – peak catch || 1579 ± 465 || 7-Jul ± 19 days
Lesser appleworm – 2nd flight starting || 1768 ± 339 || 14-Jul ± 12 days
OFM – 2nd flight peak || 1450* ± 147* || 11-Jul ± 9 days
American plum borer – 2nd flight starting || 1850 ± 290 || 16-Jul ± 11 days
RBLR – 2nd flight peak || 1721 ± 232 || 13-Jul ± 7 days
San Jose scale – 2nd flight starting || 1804 ± 170 || 15-Jul ± 8 days
Codling moth – 2nd flight starting || 1887 ± 313 || 20-Jul ± 13 days
Dogwood borer – peak catch || 1611 ± 226 || 8-Jul ± 10 days
STLM – 2nd flight ending || 2167 ± 177 || 28 Jul ± 8 days
American plum borer – 2nd flight peak || 2290 ± 285 || 1-Aug ± 8 days
OFM – 2nd flight ending || 2044* ± 233* || 31-Jul ± 7 days
ERM Sample – 7.5 mites/leaf || 1-Aug”
Cherry fruit fly traps in || 1-Aug
San Jose scale – 2nd flight peak || 2312 ± 174 || 3-Aug ± 9 days
Apple maggot – peak flight || 2394 ± 247 || 6-Aug ± 10 days
Codling moth – 2nd flight peak || 2327 ± 349 || 6-Aug ± 13 days
RBLR – 2nd flight ending || 2419 ± 273 || 7-Aug ± 10 days
STLM – 3rd flight starting || 2420 ± 196 || 6-Aug ± 7 days
Comstock mealybug – 2nd gen. crawlers emerging || 2429 ± 195 || 8-Aug ± 12 days
OBLR –2nd flight starting || 2413 ± 201 || 7-Aug ± 9 days
OFM – 3rd flight starting || 2275* ± 290* || 9-Aug ± 9 days
Lesser appleworm – 2nd flight peak || 2607 ± 463 || 15-Aug ± 23 days
RBLR – 3rd flight starting || 2715 ± 214 || 19-Aug ± 10 days
STLM – 3rd flight peak || 2755 ± 222 || 19-Aug ± 9 days
OFM – 3rd flight peak || 2625* ± 137* || 27-Aug ± 12 days
*Base temperature for OFM 45F
Apple Tree Decline Survey
Apple decline research is hindered by an incomplete understanding of where it is occurring and what its symptoms look like on different rootstock/scion combinations. Please consider taking this survey, even if you haven’t observed apple decline in your orchard blocks! Your participation will help drive research focus in the right direction and aid in the creation of informative extension documents. https://forms.gle/NpRkDEZmTB6EPUh98
Virtual Orchard Scout Training #1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtyOWCL1Q2A
Virtual Orchard Scout Training #2
https://www.youtube.com/user/NYSIPM
Berry Pest Monitoring Network – NEW Blog!
https://blogs.cornell.edu/berrypests/
Quick Guides for SWD Management
https://fruit.cornell.edu/spottedwing/management/
https://fruit.cornell.edu/spottedwing/
NOAA NWS Storm Prediction Center
https://www.spc.noaa.gov/
U.S. Drought Monitor
https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?Northeast