Notes for the early part of the 2011 season.
What to do? Following last season high levels of Brown Rot?
Orchard Hygiene, clearing away, mulching, burying the dried mummified fruit and
pruning’s is a good place to start with Brown Rot control.
Pre bud break copper sprays will help and wettable sulphur can be used, with
slightly better activity than copper on the blossom blight.
NOTE Sulphur has fungicidal activity on blossom blight and brown rot, NONE on
canker or shot hole. Copper has broad fungicidal activity on shot hole, canker
and blossom blight.
Copper and Sulphur can be applied just before green tip of the buds.
Sulphur can also be applied at shuck fall, not over flowering.
NOTE there can be some fruit marking with this later application.
Thorough coverage with good quality copper hydroxide, ie Champ, Blue Shield,
Kocide. OR wettable sulphurs, e.i .Sulphur Star .
Apply early blossom fungicides such as Sumisclex or Tilt use Captan as a
protectant cover spray. Continue with cover sprays after blossom if conditions
are conducive for infection, i.e. wet and warm..
Following up….
Keep an eye out for early aphid infestation on new shoots, use Pirimor or
Aphidex to control these if necessary.
Prune out obvious bacterial canker infected limbs and remove them from the
orchard, this will reduce the potential spread of the bacteria.
Copper sprays will help with both canker and Shot Hole, if Shot hole is a
persistent problem use Barrack/Bravo as an early season protectant after bud
burst.
Blossom Blight caused by monilinia laxa, a problem most seasons in most
cherry orchards if NOT controlled early. The disease causes Brown Rot later in
the season.
Fungicides applied over the blossom period will give good control; Use
Sumisclex over the bloom period up to shuck fall as a curative / protectant, NOT
to be used past shuck fall. Use follow up protectant products as required through
to colour break on the fruit, when Tilt or similar can be used.
Thrip will be a problem in some years when the conditions are dry and warm
over the blossom period, these tiny insects’ damage flower parts, often aborting
developing fruit or deforming and marking fruit.
Avoid spraying during peak bee foraging times.
LIGHT BROWN APPLE MOTH:
PUT PHEROMONE MOTH TRAPS OUT
An increasing problem in cherries, the grub will burrow into the fruit from colour
break onwards, once inside the fruit it cannot be controlled and may not be
detected during grading.
Monitor for small, green, very active caterpillars and a fine web, often over the
stem end of fruit. Cover sprays are advisable if there was a problem in the past.
Controls for LBAM include Success2 (may be superseded 2011 with
Delegate.) Avatar will control both LBAM and Earwigs.
EARWIGS: and WEEVILS: They are out there. Monitor for these bugs from bud
development onwards, rolled cardboard or some other material placed in the tree
can act as a trap for monitoring, a good time to search is through blossom and
particularly when there is plenty of shuck piles in the tree, look also in cracks and
old pruning scars.
As Earwigs control many pests, spray only if they damage fruit or stems above
an acceptable level, Earwigs consume a lots of aphids and LBAM larvae, so do
not nuke them with out considering the benefits.
Bait can be applied to the orchard floor to reduce numbers.
AVATAR insecticide may be sprayed onto the trees and around the base to
control Earwig. There is a Permit for Avatar..
FERTILISER Consider an early, green tip application of nitrogen and potassium
to improve mid season soil nutrients, particularly important on young trees and
high density plantings If you missed out applying fertilizer, post harvest consider
an application of trace elements and nitrogen straight after petal fall,.
Foliar fertilizers can supplement your fertilizer programme during the season.
i.e. Nitrogen and potassium during early growth will improve fruit quality.
Always check the label for application rates and WHP.
Before applying the products.
BE AWARE OF CHEMICALS ALLOWED FOR USE IN DIFFERENT MARKETS
AND VARIATIONS IN WITHHOLDING PERIODS ESPECIALLY ON EXPORT
FRUIT.
*Consult with the market agent if selling fruit outside of SA.
.
A NEW formulation of Bordeaux copper is available.
MELPAT sponsors of the Cherry Growers conference
Further information is available from
LENSWOOD RURAL
COLD STORE RD
LENSWOOD
Tel.8389 8233 email ian@lenswoodrural.com