What's HOT in Apple Production and Research

(Updated 17 July 2008)


2008 Fruit Schools - The annual Virginia fruit schools for 2008 will be held on the following dates.  Hold your calendar, and watch for programs to be posted!
Patrick-Carroll: Monday, February 18
Botetourt-Roanoke: Tuesday, February 19
Nelson-Albemarle: Wednesday, February 20
Madison-Rappahannock: Thursday, February 21
Winchester-Frederick: Friday, February 22

New!  A new active ingredient has been labeled on fruit crops.  See rynaxypyr, or Altacor, listed below under pesticide registrations

New!  The College of Agriculture and Life Science at Virginia Tech has established a new on-line Master's in Agriculture and Life Sciences.   This curriculum has been approved by the State Council of Higher Education and is now accepting applications for Fall semester 2007.  In this program, you can earn a master's degree in agriculture while working in your current job - emphasis is on education for place-bound learners, and all courses are taken on-line.  In addition to a core area, there are courses offered in five areas of concentration: (1) Biosecurity, Bioregulations and Public Health, (2) Education, (3) Environmental Science, (4) Food Safety, and (5) Plant Science and Pest Management.  In addition to course work, the student completes a project decided upon in consultation with your major advisor.  Lists of courses within each concentration may be found in the web site linked above.  This program was recently the subject of an interview by Jeff Ishee with Virginia Public Televsion's Virginia Farming.  For more information, contact Doug Pfeiffer (dgpfeiff at vt.edu) or Sharon Proffitt (sproffit at vt.edu) (see 2008-2009 Extended Campus tuition rates).

2008 Orchard Meetings
Madison-Rappahannock:      March 19 Madison. Apple tree grafting workshop. War Memorial Bldg. 10 AM til noon.  April 9 Fauquier. Stribling Orchard, Robert Stribling, Markham VA.   From Flint Hill: 522 N, turn right on 635, turn N/left on 688, located near the intersection of Rt. 688 and Rt.55 in Markham VA .   April 23  Rappahannock. Lee's Orchard, Bryant Lee. Located near the intersection of Rt. 522 and Rt. 211 at Massie's Corner, new packing shed on west bound lane at Rt. 211/522.  May 7 Rappahannock. Michael Cline, Mgr., Sunnyside Orchard, Sunnyside Farms is located in "Harris Hollow," From Washington VA, west on Rt. 622 for ~ 1.5 miles, then turn right onto Rt. 624 for 1.12 mile.  May 21 Williams Orchard, Tommy and Eddie Williams, Flint Hill. Rt. 211 E. to Ben Venue.  At the crossroads, turn N on to Rt. 729 and go approximately 2 ½ miles.  Orchard is on the left.  June 4 Rappahannock. Jenkins Orchard, James Jenkins, Woodville VA From Rt. 231, turn right on to Rt. 621, go about 2 miles.  The orchard is on the left by the packing shed.  June 25  Madison.  TBA.  Aug 20  Madison. Graves Mountain Farm, Jimmy Graves, Syria.  Rt. 231 to Rt. 670, meet at picnic shelter on left just past Syria.

 Nelson-Albemarle Apr 1 (Albemarle) Crown Orchard, Covesville.  11:00 AM.  Highway Highway 29 towards Covesville, One mile south of the Crown Orchard packing facility, turn onto Old Faber Road (ROUTE 632), Look for sign immediately on your left and cross over wooden N&S Railroad bridge into orchard. Apr 15 (Nelson) Seaman Orchard - Roseland.  Apr 29 (Nelson) Turpin Orchard, Lovingston. May 13 Drumheller Orchard (Nelson), Lovingston.  May 27 Bruguiere Orchard (Massies Mill).

Mating disruption and Organic certification:
The National Organic Standards Board has recently amended organic guidelines so that many pheromone dispensers for mating disruption will now be allowed in organically certified orchards.  Most hand-placed dispensers are now considered to emit negligible amounts of inerts, and will be allowed.  Sprayables and puffers will not be allowed.  More information will be posted when available.

Updates on FQPA and Pesticide Registrations:

azinphosmethyl: Bayer agrees to Guthion phase-outs: Bayer has agreed to reducing fruit crops listed on the Guthion label.  There are 3 categories of label changes: (1) phased-out registrations (cancelled 8/31/05, not to be used after 12/31/05): nectarine, peach, and caneberries. (2) time-limited registrations (cancelled 12/31/05 unless new data justify continuation): apple, blueberry, cherry, and pear; (3) cancelled registrations: grape, plum, quince, and strawberry (not to be sold after 1 September 2002; existing stocks may be used).  EPA has announced the new label for Guthion, effective August 21, 2003.  Grapes and stawberries are now deleted from the label.  Guthion remains available for caneberries, nectarines and peaches until 2005.  Guthion remains apples and crabapples, blueberries, cherries, and pears.  Guthion Solupak will be the only formulation available.  Guthion timeline update:  Group 3 uses on track for renewal (almonds, apples, blueberries, Brussels sprouts, cherries, nursery stock, parsley, pears, pistachios, and walnuts).  As I said in the last update, the Group 2 uses have been requested to be terminated by Bayer (cotton, cranberries, nectarines, peaches, potatoes, southern pine seed orchards, and caneberries).  The following is a more detailed timeline for these crops, as provided by Bayer: “COMMERCIAL PIPELINE PROVISIONS: GUTHION manufactured after March 31, 2005 cannot have Group 2 uses on the label unless EPA-approved prior to that date. GUTHION with Group 2 uses on the label can be sold within commercial channels through August 31, 2005. GUTHION must not to be used on the Group 2 crops after December 31, 2005, unless the use has been extended. On 7 Dec 2005, EPA announced the availability of its azinphosmethyl ecological risk assessment and grower impact assessment (posted at http://www.regulations.gov; search on the docket ID number EPA-HQ-OPP-2005-0061).  Comments must be received on or before 6 Feb 2006.  Further information will be posted here when available.
On 9 June 06, EPA announced its intention to cancel azinphosmethyl use on apple, cherry, pear and blueberry after a four-year time-limited registration  This cancellation will take effect in 2010.  EPA has solicited public comment on these proposed cancellations.   In the Regulations.gov page, search on ID no. EPA-HQ-OPP-2005-0061.  Comments must be received by 8 August 2006.  Also on 9 June 2006, EPA proposed changes in phosmet labeling, extending the REI for several fruit crops: apple (3 days to 7 days), apricots (3 days to 14 days), blueberries (24 hours to 3 days), grapes (remains at 14 days), peaches/nectarines (3 days to 7 days), pears (3 days to 7 days) and plums (3 days to 7 days).  Public comment was requested by EPA.  In the  Regulations.gov page, search on ID no. EPA-HQ-OPP-2002-0354.  Comments must be received by 8 August 2006.

carbaryl status on apple: On June 30, 2003, I received the following from Jim Cranney of U.S. Apple: "The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is finalizing its review of carbaryl (Sevin®), and has concluded that no reentry interval changes are necessary at this time.  Previously, EPA considered increasing the hand thinning reentry interval to 7 days.  EPA reached its decision not to extend the hand thinning reentry interval using information provided by the U.S. Apple Association (USApple) and the Northwest Horticultural Council.

rynaxypyr - This novel chemical has been registered under the name Altacor on fruit crops.  It is highly effective on a variety of lepidopteran pests.

spinetoram - A new active ingredient in the same class as spinosad (SpinTor, Entrust) has been registered for fruit crops. Delegate WG is registered on pome and stone fruits, bushberries, caneberries and grape.  Radiant SC is the formulation registered on strawberries.

2,4-D - risk assessment made available 6/23/04. Revised Risk Assessment and Preliminary Risk Reduction option announced 12 Jan 2005 (Phase 4 of 6).

For some industry discussion on FQPA changes and issues, see Issues section of the CropLife America web site.

Special Pesticide Registrations:

Supplemental label for Lorsban on Apple:

EPA has approved a supplemental labels for Lorsban 4E and Lorsban 50W for the control of dogwood borer in apple. Sprays should be applied by handgun from a distance of no more than 4 ft, at the rate of 1.5 qt  (4E) or 3 lb (50W)/100 gal of spray. Spray must not be allowed to contact foliage or fruit. Up to 2 applications may be made, with a minimum interval of 14 days between applications. This will be of help in fighting dogwood borer infestations that occur near the graft union.

Mating disruption tools:

For several years, researchers at Virginia Tech have been involved in developing mating disruption as a control tactic for codling moth and the leafroller complex, including tufted apple bud moth, variegated leafroller, and redbanded leafrollers. Control of codling moth has been very good, even in processing blocks (where CM control is more critical). Several commercial sources of codling moth mating disruption are now available. Several sources of products for oriental fruit moth are also available, including a sprayable product. Mating disruption for leafrollers is available as a sprayable formulation, but check the label carefully. At present it is only available for leafrollers using (Z) -11-14:Ac as the primary component. Such species include obliquebanded lefroller and redbanded leafroller. The main species in the mid-Atlantic region, tufted apple bud moth and variegated leafroller will not be affected.

2008 Revisions to Tree Fruit Spray Guide:

An abridged electronic version of the Virginia-West Virginia-Maryland Spray Bulletin for Commercial Tree Fruit Growers is now available in the Virginia Fruit Web Page. The paper version is also available at the Extension Distribution Center (540-231-1322), or your county office ($12.00). Tables on apple pest efficacy and toxicity to orchard predators are also updated in the recomendations for 2008.

2008 Revisions to Home Fruit Spray Guide:

The revised Pest Management Guide for Home Apples is now available.  (The Pest Management Guide is available on-line for free. Hard copies are also available at no cost, but must be requested and picked through your county extension office (no funds are available for mailing these publications). Recommendations for home apple trees are also available in the web page.

Pesticides in the news:

Response to Consumers Union Study, "Do You Know What You're Eating?"
A recent issue (March 1999) of Consumer Reports contains a brief account of the recent study performed by Consumers Union. Although this article ("How Safe is our Produce?") probably will be much more visible to the public than the full accounts, it is really impossible to assess much about it because of its brevity. The claims of the short version are that current laws do not protect children from consuming dangerous amounts of pesticides, that such consumption is fairly common, and that one pesticide in particular, methyl parathion, is a major contributor to the problem of residues danger. The shortcomings are not readily apparent until the full account, entitled "Do You Know What You're Eating?" is examined. For a fuller account of this article, and a response, click here.
 
Other stories deal recently from the Consumer Reports issue: (Fruit Growers News link). On Thursday, Feb. 25, the U.S. Apple Assoc. held a press conference to address this issue. This release followed a statement by the Environmental Working Group that maintained that children are at risk from eating apples and peaches, and recommended parental choices away from these fruits. The Apple Association response provides a more balanced treatment of this emotional issue.

This is the latest is a series of developments relating to pesticides, starting with FQPA (see below). There have been two documents recently from Consumers Union, Worst First ( html and PDF) and Do You Know What You're Eating? (html and PDF) (PDF files require Adobe Acrobat to download). A basic premise of Worst First is that the most hazardous uses are already declining and alternatives to these materials are already available or nearly so (therefore there should be no opposition to loss of these materials through FQPA). The report contains many oversimplifications however, and alternatives are actually not as ready as portrayed.

One area of risk that has been attributed to certain pesticides is estrogen disruption. This has been one cateogry to have been addressed by FQPA. However, an early report of this effect, published in the journal Science, has been retracted. How this retraction affects the public debate is yet to be seen. The "risk" is still claimed in discussions on the web and elsewhere.

A series of pesticide profiles are currently under development for Virginia apples.

The fire blight/insect connection:

White apple leafhopper has been accused in recent years of facilitating infection by fire blight bacteria, Erwinia amylovora. Researchers at Virginia Tech ( Dept. of Entomology and Winchester Fruit Lab) and Mary Washington College recently completed a cooperative research project to determine the actual threat posed by WALH. None of the trials showed any evidence for involvement by white apple leafhopper. This mesophyll feeder feeds on different tissue than that normally most vulnerable to infection by Erwinia amylovora. On the other hand, potato leafhopper sometimes caused a significant increase in fire blight infection as it fed on vascular tissue in succulent shoot tips.

Apple Maggot and Exports to Brazil:

A protocol to manage apple maggot that will allow Virginia growers to export apples to Brazil was recently approved. As modified from earlier versions, it seems to be a usable protocol. Several options are available, at the grower's discretion. One involves the use of regional trapping. This approach uses traps in an apple region; sprays in the whole region start when the first fly is captured. The second approach uses site-specific trapping (traps at a specific orchard). Both of these approaches call for traps to be in place before first fly activity. The third option uses degree day accumulation. If growers can provide daily max and min temperatures, the expected fly emergence can be determined, and correlated with spray records. First adult emergence is expected 900 degree-days above 50 F. Contact Doug Pfeiffer at (540) 231-4183 for help.

Other states:

  • West Virginia Orchard Newsletter, discussing events in West Virginia and northern Virginia

    • Archived Fruit Schools:
    The 2008 fruit schools will be held on: Patrick-Carroll Feb 18; Botetourt-Roanoke Feb 19; Central Virginia (Nelson-Albemarle) Feb 20; Madison-Rappahannock Feb 21, and Winchester  on Feb 22.


    Fruit Times newsletter from Penn State.