What's HOT in Peach Production and Research

(Updated 13 February 2012)

2012 Virginia Tree Fruit School:

The 2012 fruit schools will be held on: Patrick-Carroll Feb 13; Botetourt-Roanoke Feb 14; Central Virginia (Nelson-Albemarle) Feb 15; Madison-Rappahannock Feb 16, and Winchester  on Feb 17.

2012 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 PDF version will also be available soon at from VCE Publications site (http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/456/456-419/456-419.html) and the paper version from the Extension Distribution Center (540-231-1322) ($14.00 plus shipping). Tables on apple pest efficacy and toxicity to orchard predators are also updated in the recommendations for 2012.

2012 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 for $5.00 plus $5.27 shipping).  Call 540-231-1322. Recommendations for home apple trees are also available in the web page.
Newly approved materials for BMSB on pome and stone fruits:  A section 18 request for dinotefuran to combat brown marmorated stink bug on apple and peach trees was announced by EPA on 30 June 2011.  VDACS released an announcement regarding this approval on June 29.  This Section 18 use is active through 15 October 2011.  Venom (label, MSDS) and Scorpion (label, MSDS) are the two approved commercial products of dinotefuran.  Dinotefuran has a 3-day PHI on tree fruits.  See the Section 18 labels for Venom and Scorpion.  You should be in possession of these if the products are used.  At the same time, an organicially-approved product containing azadiracthin and pyrethrins was approved for BMSB by EPA.  The label for Azera may be found here.  Label rates of Azera range from 1 to 3.5 pts/acre.  While a specific rate is not provided for BMSB, the label recommends 3-3.5 oz/A for high pest populations and difficult to control pests.  Residual life of Azera is expected to be short.  Azera may be used up to the day of harvest.  All of these products have very low mammalian toxicity; however, all are highly toxic to honey bees, and care is needed around bees.

2011 Orchard Meetings


 Winchester In-Depth meetings for 2011, to be held at AHS AREC - March 31, April 28 and June 2 from 7:00-8:30 p.m.  Breakfast meetings 7:00-8:00 am at AHS AREC for entomology, pathology and horticulture updates.

Madison-Rappahannock:  All meetings start at 11:00 unless otherwise noted.    March 16 Madison. Apple tree grafting workshop. War Memorial Bldg. 10 AM til noon.  April 6 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.   April 27  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.     
May 25 Rappahannock. Emily Cook, 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 about 1 mile.   June 8  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.   Jul 20  Madison. Graves Mountain Farm, Jimmy Graves, Syria.  Rt. 231 to Rt. 670, meet at picnic shelter on left just past Syria.

Nelson-Albemarle:  All meetings start at 11:00 unless otherwise noted.    April 4 Albemarle. Chiles Orchard.  To be held at Johnson Purvis Orchard block.  Please call the Extension office at (434) 263-4035 or email lmacrae@vt.edu to RSVP attendance to this meeting.  From Charlottesville: Travel on Route 29 south for 15 miles (about 20 minutes). Approximately one mile south of Covesville turn left on Route 632 (Faber Road).  From Lynchburg: Travel on Route 29 north. Approximately 1 mile north of the Nelson County line, at the top of the hill, turn right on Route 632 (Faber Road).  April 19  Nelson.  Fitzgerals Orchard, Lowesville.  May 3 Nelson.  Silver Creek Orchard, Tyro.  May 17 Nelson.  Saunders Bros., Piney River.  Proceed on Hwy 56 West from Route #29 to Hwy 151, turning right onto the Roseland Road (#655) and continue to Intersection with Hwy 151. Turn left, cross the Tye River Bridge, and turn right to rejoin Hwy 56 West.  Go 5.2 miles and turn right onto Carter Hill Road. Travel 1 mile.  The orchard will be on the left.  June 7 Albemarle.  Vintage Virginia Apples, the Sheltons. Vintage Virginia Apples is located I mile north of the intersection of Plank Road and Hwy #29, where the Crossroads Store is located.  The orchard is visible on the west side of Hwy #29.

Brown marmorated stink bug and Virginia fruit:  A new addition to the stink bug complex is brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys (Stål).  Brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) has recently been introduced from Asia into the northeastern U.S.  It was first detected in 1998 in Allentown, Pennsylvania (see NAPIS map; this map underrepresents the situation in Virginia).  It was later found in New Jersey, Maryland and Delaware, and in October 2004 it was found in Montgomery County, Virginia, and in Tennessee in 2008.  Injury in tree fruits can be severe, exceeding 25% (individual blocks have been estimated to have much higher levels of fruit injury).  Externally, fruit may have multiple reddish dents at feeding sites, resembling hail strikes.  Upon cutting into fruit, corky areas are seen in the flesh of the fruit.  In vineyards, a unique problem is posed.  Stink bugs may be harvested along with clusters and be transported to the winery in lugs or bins, where the wine can be imparted with a "stink bug taint".  Research is underway to test short-residual insecticides to knock down BMSB from clusters at harvest.  For further information and images, see the Brown marmorated stink bug page.  A working group on organic management of BMSB has been established, with their own web site.  There is opportunity to participate in grower forums.

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).

Endosulfan Phaseout:
EPA has announced plans to phase out existing uses of endosulfan.  Crop Group A uses end 31 July 2012:  Nectarine (CA only), Strawberry (annual), Tart Cherry, Plum and Prune.  Other uses not listed in other categories (presumably grape).  Crop Group B uses end 31 July 2012:  Stone fruits not listed in Group A, including Nectarine (non-CA), Peaches, and Sweet cherry.  Crop Group C uses end 31 July 2013: Pear.  Crop Group D uses end 31 July 2014: Florida uses.  Crop Group E uses end 31 July 2015: Apple, blueberry.  Crop Group F uses end 31 July 2016: Strawberry (perennial).  See the complete list here.

Plum pox virus found in Michigan and New York:
Aug. 14 and 25, 2006 - The USDA has found plum pox virus in samples collected from a routine survey at the Michigan State University Southwest Michigan Research and Extension Center. See Fruit Grower's News for more information.  On August 25, it was announced that PPV was found in New York.  Fruit Growers' News: "Discoveries of plum pox virus outside of Pennsylvania now total three, one confirmed in Michigan on Aug. 11 and two confirmed in New York’s Niagara County. The New York findings were on July 17 on two plum trees five miles from the Canadian quarantine area and one Aug. 21 on a peach tree 11 miles further east."

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: New Guthion label: 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 Aug 17, 2005, EPA announced receipt of the request from the manufacturer to cancel azinphosmethyl uses on caneberries and peaches.  Public comments must be received by Sept 16, 2005. The distribution or sale of these products is permitted until March 31, 2006. The use of existing stocks of these products in the United States is permitted until September 30, 2006.   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.
carbaryl - EPA announces Interim Reregistration Eligibility Decision (IRED - this pdf exceeds 300p. See also 6-page fact sheet) for carbaryl on 10/27/04.  On 30 March 2005, National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) requested that EPA revoke all tolerances for carbaryl.  NRDC's letter to EPA is posted (html).  EPA's assessment of human health and environmental risks of carbaryl, and finding on whether the tolerances for carbaryl comply with the safety standard in FFDCA section 408, as amended by the FQPA, are contained in the IRED document for carbaryl, which is available on EPA's website at http://www.epa.gov/edocket, under docket number OPP-2003-0376. (More information on risk assessment is available).  The e-docket for this issue has several items listed.  On 13 Oct 06, EPA announced a petition from Washington Toxics has been received to cancel all tolerances of carbaryl.   In the Regulations.gov page, search on ID no. EPA-HQ-OPP-2006-0801.  Following that link, one can also find a link to the carbaryl IRED (Interim Reregistration Eligibility Decision).  Public comments are requested and must be received by 13 Nov 06.

Diazinon uses cancelled by Syngenta, but...: IRED of July 31, 2002, proposed that on most crops where use would be continued, applications would be limited to one per growing season. A single dormant use is also proposed for cherry and pear, limited to every other year (unless pest pressure required annual application).  Use on apple would be limited to woolly apple aphid, once a year.  Grape uses would be cancelled.  REI in apple, apricot, cherry, nectarine, peach, pear, plums would be 4 days; caneberries, blueberries and strawberries would be 5 days.  Diazinion is highly toxic to birds.  Granular formulations, the source of most bird mortality, would be cancelled. These proposed changes have not been adopted into label changes; current labeling will remain in effect at least until July 31, 2004. May 30, 2003 Syngenta requests cancellations of all uses, effective June 30, 2003. Syngenta may not distribute after August 31.  Retail supplies may be sold until supplies exhausted.  However, Makhteshim-Agan intends to maintain all allowable uses.

endosulfan - On 29 Apr 09, EPA announced that it had received a petition to cancel all used of endosulfan. Comments must be received on or before 29 Jun 09.  Submit your comments throught the Federal eRulemaking Portal, identified by docket identification (ID) number EPA-HQ-OPP-2008-0615.

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.

See Fruit Growers News for more information.

More will follow.

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

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. Mating disruption is now registered for borers in peach as well.

Plum Pox: A New Disease of Stone Fruits for Mid-Atlantic Region:

A multi-disciplinary task force was established at the recent Cumberland-Shenandoah Fruit Workers Conference, to facilitate educational efforts in response to the recent detection of plum pox virus in Pennsylvania. This disease was recently announced that plum pox has been confirmed in Pennsylvania. I have received further information from USDA-APHIS-PPQ in Richmond on October 27. The following update contains information from these sources, as well information presented in the West Virginia and Virtual Orchard web sites.

The presence of the disease was confirmed on October 13, in a block of Encore peaches in Adams County. A survey was carried out in orchards within one mile of the infected block; 10 blocks with plum pox were found, belonging to three different growers, including cases in peach, nectarine and plum. The search was expanded on October 21-22 to an additional one-mile radius. No symptoms were detected, though leaf analyses are pending. A map of the quarantined area is available on the web. This is the first case of plum pox in North America, although it was introduced into Chile in 1995, and caused concern for North American specialists at that time.

To date in 2000, the disease has also been found in Cumberland County PA, and in Canada. As of November 2000, the disease had not been found in Michigan. More information regarding this important development can be found in the plum pox page in the Virginia Fruit Web Page.


Other Sites
  • West Virginia Orchard Newsletter
  • Fruit Times newsletter from Penn State

    • 2011 Fruit Schools:
    The 2011 fruit schools were held on: Patrick-Carroll Feb 7; Botetourt-Roanoke Feb 8; Central Virginia (Nelson-Albemarle) Feb 9; Madison-Rappahannock Feb 10, and Winchester  on Feb 11.

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