29.06.2015

Canada - Drone scarecrows: future of B.C. blueberry farming?

Canada - Drone scarecrows: future of B.C. blueberry farming?A group from the University of the Fraser Valley is working on a unique and quiet solution to scare the birds off with programmable drones. Researchers at the University of the Fraser Valley believe drones may finally silence the cannons that boom throughout the summer on blueberry farms. Professor and his team are reprogramming helicopter-like UAVs — properly known as unmanned aerial vehicles — to fly preset patterns over ripening blueberries in the hope they will scare way the birds that feast on farmers’ fruit and kill their profits.A group from the University of the Fraser Valley is working on a unique and quiet solution to scare the birds off with programmable drones. Researchers at the University of the Fraser Valley believe drones may finally silence the cannons that boom throughout the summer on blueberry farms. Professor Tom Baumann and his team are reprogramming helicopter-like UAVs — properly known as unmanned aerial vehicles — to fly preset patterns over ripening blueberries in the hope they will scare way the birds that feast on farmers’ fruit and kill their profits. In a demonstration flight last week, UFV instructor Myles Andrew piloted a four-prop drone quietly over Abbotsford berry fields, though gusting winds made landings difficult. The goal is to create an affordable drone that flies in a pattern across the fields using GPS positioning and then returns to a charging base until the next flight, all without direct control or supervision from human beings, Baumann said. Growers have tried all kinds of noisemakers, reflectors, lasers, lights, bangers, flags and balloons painted with scary faces to keep birds at bay. A handful of growers use live falcons to patrol their fields, but the added cost of paying handlers means only the largest farms can afford them. The most cost-effective technology is unpopular with neighbours. Propane cannons fire a loud blast every few minutes throughout the day to frighten birds during harvest season, which can run more than three months. Source - http://www.freshplaza.com/

29.06.2015

India - Lakhs of crops, property damaged as heavy rains

India - Lakhs of crops, property damaged as heavy rainsMonsoon rains are continuing to wreak havoc across the country. Incessant rains in Kerala for over two days has caused water logging in various parts of the state and brought low-lying areas under water. South West Monsoon, which picked up momentum after a lull onset, is predicted to bring heavy downpour, exceeding seven cm, in isolated places in Kerala till June 30. Nineteen people have died in rain related incidents in the state so far. Five deaths have been reported from Thrissur, four from Kannur, three from Pathanamthitta, two each from Idukki and kasargode, one each from Malappuram, Alappuzha and Kozhikode. Monsoon rains are continuing to wreak havoc across the country. Incessant rains in Kerala for over two days has caused water logging in various parts of the state and brought low-lying areas under water. South West Monsoon, which picked up momentum after a lull onset, is predicted to bring heavy downpour, exceeding seven cm, in isolated places in Kerala till June 30. Nineteen people have died in rain related incidents in the state so far. Five deaths have been reported from Thrissur, four from Kannur, three from Pathanamthitta, two each from Idukki and kasargode, one each from Malappuram, Alappuzha and Kozhikode. The total crop loss due to heavy rains has reached approximately Rs 1425.06 lakh. While 87 houses have been fully damaged, 2292 houses are partially damaged causing an estimated loss of Rs 865.4 lakh. The shutters of Neyyar Dam have been opened following which several areas in Thiruvananthapuram were left water-logged. Authorities have sounded an alert as landslide was reported in Kattappana and Rajakkad in the Idukki district on Friday. Fishermen in the state have also been issued an alert to not go deep see fishing. With monsoon becoming stronger with each passing day, the state government has intensified measures to check the spread of contagious diseases. The Met department has predicted heavy rains to continue across Kerala till 30 June. Meanwhile, the Southwest monsoon has weakened over Rajasthan causing the mercury to climb up by one to five degrees Celsius at most places in the state. Churu was the hottest and recorded a maximum temperature of 43 degrees Celsius. The MET Department has said that chances of revival of monsoon in the next 24 hours are very remote. Temperatures have also dipped in Delhi as the capital experienced light showers on Monday morning providing much needed respite from the heat. The MET department has said thunderstorms with showers will hold over the next two days in the capital. Source -http://www.moneycontrol.com

29.06.2015

Europe - Forecasting crop failures from space

Europe - Forecasting crop failures from spaceEurope's multi-billion dollar earth-monitoring program could be a game changer for food production, experts say. The European Space Agency (ESA) this week launched Sentinel-2A — a satellite armed with technology that will more accurately forecast crop failures from space. As part of the European Union (EU)'s 8 billion euro ($8.9 billion) environmental monitoring scheme – called Copernicus -- all of the satellite's data will be publicly available within three to four hours, Sentinel-2 Mission Manager said. It's a service that could be useful to both private businesses and universities. Europe's multi-billion dollar earth-monitoring program could be a game changer for food production, experts say. The European Space Agency (ESA) this week launched Sentinel-2A — a satellite armed with technology that will more accurately forecast crop failures from space. As part of the European Union (EU)'s 8 billion euro ($8.9 billion) environmental monitoring scheme – called Copernicus -- all of the satellite's data will be publicly available within three to four hours, Sentinel-2 Mission Manager Bianca Hoersch told CNBC. It's a service that could be useful to both private businesses and universities. "Small-to-medium-sized enterprises will be able to take the data and compete in business," Hoersch said. "For example, there's a whole market in precision farming." The industry uses aerial imagery, GPS-guided grids and statistical information to pinpoint sections of farmland that need tending to, ultimately helping limit the nutrients used across the entire plot. Satellite imagery from Sentinel-2A could be combined with on-the-ground knowledge to not only improve harvests, but more accurately measure fertilization and irrigation needs. It will also differentiate between crop types and their growth levels and use infared tools to determine whether plants are under water-stress far earlier, Hoersch said. The satellite will orbit the earth every 90 minutes and cover every landmass every 10 days — which currently takes most satellites 15-30 days, Hoersch said. A one-hour flight of the satellite will cover a swath of 290 kilometers (180 miles) - about the length of Norway or Sweden. Furthermore, next year's new Sentinel-2B will be able to cover the whole earth in under five days. Source - http://www.freshplaza.com/

26.06.2015

USA - La. farmers brace for worst year since 2008

USA - La. farmers brace for worst year since 2008Flooded fields and fickle temperatures put Louisiana farmers and ranchers in a pensive mood as they gathered here Thursday for the Farm Bureau Federation Convention, the state's largest annual celebration of agriculture. Cold temperatures and wet weather decimated the winter wheat crop and delayed planting for corn and other crops in the northeastern Louisiana Delta and Acadiana. That was followed by ferocious flooding that began when the Red River left its banks in northwestern Louisiana and created a muddy tsunami that rolled through central Louisiana.Flooded fields and fickle temperatures put Louisiana farmers and ranchers in a pensive mood as they gathered here Thursday for the Farm Bureau Federation Convention, the state's largest annual celebration of agriculture. "I'm afraid this year is a nail-biter and a penny-pincher," said Franklin Parish row crop farmer Adam Faulk, one of as many as 2,000 producers here. Cold temperatures and wet weather decimated the winter wheat crop and delayed planting for corn and other crops in the northeastern Louisiana Delta and Acadiana. That was followed by ferocious flooding that began when the Red River left its banks in northwestern Louisiana and created a muddy tsunami that rolled through central Louisiana. Combine the weather with plummeting commodity prices and the lingering threat of bird flu facing poultry producers and Louisiana farmers and ranchers face their most uncertain year since the hurricanes of 2008. "It started in North Louisiana and rolled its way down," said Evangeline Parish's Richard Fonentot, who grows rice, soybeans and crawfish. "We could all be in a pickle before this year is over." "This is one of the scariest years we've face in a long time," said Caddo Parish beef cattle rancher Marty Wooldridge, who saw the Red flood 500 acres of his grazing pasture land and 200 acres of hay meadows. This uncertain summer follows a six-year period described by Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain as the Golden Age of Louisiana Agriculture, where producers enjoyed bumper crops, high prices or a rare combination of both. Agriculture's economic impact in Louisiana was $12.7 billion last year, the third straight record. Strain said 2015 reminds him of 2008, his first year as the state's elected agriculture commissioner. "We had Tropical Storm Faye and Hurricanes Gustav and Ike in 2008," he said. "Like we did then, we're going to put on a full court press to stand our farmers back up." Strain said he is working with the state's federal delegation to secure a disaster declaration as well as a supplemental appropriation to assist Louisiana producers. "The flooding in northwestern and central Louisiana has been very damaging to pasture land and row crops and forced some ranchers to sell their herds because they had no place to put them," Strain said. "The cold and wet winter and spring is going to affect yields in northeastern Louisiana and Acadiana, and of course we had major losses with the wheat harvest," he said. "And we're doing all we can to protect the poultry crop from the bird flu." James Wagley, who grows chickens for Pilgrim's Pride in Natchitoches Parish, called the threat of bird flu "our biggest concern by far." "If one house is infected, every bird in a six-mile circle has to be killed," Wagley said. "We have to do everything we can to ensure bio security at our houses." And Wooldridge, who also produces hay for his herds and to sell to other ranchers, still has a wary eye cast toward the Red, which is predicted to crest above flood stage again Wednesday. "We can't move our cattle back until we see what happens with the crest," he said. And the heart of hurricane season is still ahead. "Don't even mention that," Woodridge said. "Don't even mention it." Source - http://www.sacbee.com/

26.06.2015

USA - Northeast Michigan field crop regional report – June 25, 2015

USA - Northeast Michigan field crop regional report – June 25, 2015A day of rain, followed by a day of sun, followed by another day of rain – this pattern has continued in northern Michigan as we move into summer. Fortunately though, most of us missed the severe storms and heavy rains that passed through other parts of the state Monday, June 22. Our total rainfall recorded this week was 0.11 inches from Thursday, June 18, through Wednesday, June 24, at the Michigan State University Hawks Enviro-weather station.Weather and rainfall A day of rain, followed by a day of sun, followed by another day of rain – this pattern has continued in northern Michigan as we move into summer. Fortunately though, most of us missed the severe storms and heavy rains that passed through other parts of the state Monday, June 22. Our total rainfall recorded this week was 0.11 inches from Thursday, June 18, through Wednesday, June 24, at the Michigan State University Hawks Enviro-weather station. Looking ahead to the weekend, high pressure will build into the region keeping us dry with clear skies. The next significant chance for rainfall will come Monday, June 29, and linger into Tuesday with a Canadian air mass expected to drop 0.25 inches of rainfall. The six- to 10- and eight- to 14-day outlooks from NOAA suggest precipitation levels will continue to be slightly above normal in coming weeks. Growing degree days (GDD) Temperatures are still struggling to approach normal in our region. Daytime high temperatures ranged from the upper 60s to upper 70s the past seven days, averaging 4 degrees Fahrenheit below normal for this time of year according to the 30-year average. Nighttime lows have also been unseasonably cold this past week, with temperatures ranging from the low 40s to low 50s, 6 degrees below normal for this time of year. GDD accumulations since March 1 total 1,795 base 32, 1,098 base 41 and 588 base 50. High temperatures are expected to be in the low to upper 70s next week, with lows in the 50s. The NOAA six- to 10- and eight- to 14-day outlooks predict below average temperatures for our region going into July. Commodity reports Winter wheat in northern Michigan has flowered (Feekes 10.5). Fusarium head blight risk in our area remains in the medium to high range according to Pennsylvania State University’s Fusarium Head Blight Prediction Center. Now would be a good time for growers to scout for Fusarium head blight symptoms. The first noticeable symptom is bleaching of some or all of the spikelets while healthy heads are still green. Over time, the entire wheat head can be bleached while the stem remains green. Infected kernels are shriveled and lightweight, and when looking closely, pink or orange spores will be visible. Infection can spread across the field for as long as conditions are favorable. In addition to yield loss, high amounts of Fusarium head blight will result in the presence of the mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON), also known as vomitoxin. DON is toxic to humans and livestock, so elevators will dock and sometimes reject loads of grain if DON levels are too high. Alfalfa harvest is underway in the area. Dairy farmers seem to be making the most progress as many are chopping their first cutting. On and off rain has slowed down or completely restricted producers trying to make dry hay. Three days of dry weather forecasted for this weekend should help growers catch up. Some are experiencing low first cutting yields this year. There are a number of stresses we have experienced that may have contributed to yield loss, including a dry spring, cool temperatures this past month and repeated frosts throughout May and the first week of June. Pasture shortages may be another repercussion of these events for livestock producers. It is a good time to be scouting for potato leafhoppers as they can cause yield loss, lower protein content, stand longevity and open up pathways for plant diseases such as root rot. Potato leafhoppers will feed on alfalfa by piercing plant tissue and sucking up plant sugars, leaving yellow, burnt-looking leaf tips. When scouting, Michigan State University Extension recommends making 10 sweeps with a sweep net in five to 10 points across the field. The average economic threshold on second cutting regrowth (2-6 inches tall) is four to six adults per 10 sweeps, depending on value of forage, growth stage and insecticide costs. When numbers are beyond this threshold, insecticide treatment may be necessary. For more information on potato leafhopper scouting and thresholds, visit “Potato Leafhopper on Alfalfa” from Pennsylvania State University. Corn in our area continues to range widely in development, with most fields in the three-to seven-leaf range (V3 to V7). There is growing concern for slow growth in our region; overnight temperatures in the 40s are limiting GDD accumulation, which is in turn slowing vegetative growth. Some fields are continuing to show signs of stress with yellow and striped leaves. Fields that had early weed pressure have suffered the most. Growers concerned about yellowing and striping can submit a tissue sample to the MSU Soil and Plant Nutrient Laboratory to confirm and address any nutrient deficiencies. Soybean growth is variable across the region as well. Growth ranges from emergence (VE) in late planted fields to the second trifoliate stage (V2) in fields planted early. Soybean fields appear to be developing much quicker than corn in our area. Dry bean planting is has wrapped up and development ranges from emergence (VE) to the first trifoliate stage (V1). The Presque Isle County Extension office will begin to put out pheromone traps to monitor western bean cutworm movement in fields in the upcoming week. Source - http://msue.anr.msu.edu/

26.06.2015

USA - Crop losses, power outages enduring woes of storm aftermath

USA - Crop losses, power outages enduring woes of storm aftermathThere is no Swiss chard or kale anymore at Beach View Farms in Stafford Township, and nearly 40 percent of its eggplant and pepper crops were wiped out by Tuesday’s storm. And both high tunnels--similar to greenhouses--were destroyed, the plastic shredded and metal bent in half like farmer had never seen before. They lost a lot…they’ve never lost anything like that, noting replacing the tunnels would cost $5,000 apiece when the farm gets the money to fix them. He hopes to salvage the tomatoes.There is no Swiss chard or kale anymore at Beach View Farms in Stafford Township, and nearly 40 percent of its eggplant and pepper crops were wiped out by Tuesday’s storm, co-owner Chris Adams said. And both high tunnels--similar to greenhouses--were destroyed, the plastic shredded and metal bent in half like Adams had never seen before. “We lost a lot…We’ve never lost anything like that,” he said, noting replacing the tunnels would cost $5,000 apiece when the farm gets the money to fix them. He hopes to salvage the tomatoes. South Jersey’s aches from the massive thunder and windstorm continued Thursday, from trying to save crops to a major effort still underway to restore electricity to thousands of homes in the dark for the third day. Atlantic City Electric spokesman Frank Tedesco said there has been no estimate yet on the cost of the storm damage. Nearly 7,000 Atlantic City Electric customers in Atlantic County--many in the Hammonton area--remained without power Thursday afternoon, part of the 120,000 remaining in the utility’s eight-county coverage area. Outages were scattered through Cumberland (about 800) and southern Ocean counties (about 100), with Gloucester and Camden counties bearing the brunt of electric loss. The utility expects to have power restored to everybody by Sunday. A Haverfield Aviation helicopter, contracted by Atlantic City Electric, has been giving aerial vantage points of the damage, Tedesco said. Mutual assistance crews came as far away as Alliance Power Group in Massachusetts, Liberty Utilities in New Hampshire and J.W. DiDado Electric in Ohio, supplementing Atlantic City Electric, other Pepco Holdings utilities and contractors, Tedesco said. Across power lines, farms and train tracks, the storms’ impacts are still being tallied. The Atlantic City Rail Line to Philadelphia was out of service for the second straight day Thursday. NJ Transit spokeswoman Jennifer Nelson said all fallen trees and debris have been removed from the tracks. But authorities are awaiting power for signals along the tracks where electricity remains out. Then NJ Transit needs to run tests on its equipment before trains resume, she said. Other businesses escaped damage. Back on the farm, Honey & Sweets Farm Stand in Port Republic reported no damage to crops, thankfully, said co-owner Heather Miller. “All the pots and flowers were flying everywhere. But nothing crop wise,” she said. Source - http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/

26.06.2015

Canada - Dry, dry Western Canada braces for hot and hard-growing summer

Canada - Dry, dry Western Canada braces for hot and hard-growing summerThere's a crunch under farmer's shoes as he walks onto his canola fields in Irma, Alta., 175 kilometres southeast of Edmonton. You can practically hear the dry with every footstep. He stops and kicks the dirt to demonstrate how little rain has fallen this month. They're at roughly an inch of moisture when we're normally at five to six inches of moisture. He picks one of the tiniest canola plants out of the dusty earth. Thin roots and tiny leaves tell the story. There's a crunch under Kent Erickson's shoes as he walks onto his canola fields in Irma, Alta., 175 kilometres southeast of Edmonton. You can practically hear the dry with every footstep. He stops and kicks the dirt to demonstrate how little rain has fallen this month. "We're at roughly an inch of moisture when we're normally at five to six inches of moisture," he says. He picks one of the tiniest canola plants out of the dusty earth. Thin roots and tiny leaves tell the story. "We want that crop really bushy and with as much vegetation as possible," Erickson, a farmer who serves on the board of the Alberta Wheat Commission told CBC News. "You look around today, and there's not a lot of vegetation." Only a scattered few plants are leafy and beginning to flower. As far as the eye can see, there is brown between the rows of undergrown canola crops. Erickson's wheat crop across a dusty gravel road may not be faring much better. The stressed, failing crops are falling victim to the driest spring on the Prairies in the 68 years of national record-keeping. "June is typically the wet month, the month where crops are growing feverishly, and it just hasn't happened," said David Phillips, Environment Canada's senior climatologist, in Barrie, Ont. "So people are using the D-words: dryness, drought, no question about it." Compounding the problem is that the dry spring came on the heels of one of the warmest, driest winters, particularly in parts of British Columbia and Alberta. These dry conditions are a stark contrast to a wet spring last year and the heavy rains and run-off from melting snow pack in the Rocky Mountains that led to damaging floods in Alberta in 2013. The wild swings in weather have even inspired a new term in climate circles called "weather whiplash," Phillips said. "It has been one extreme to another, and it has been a tremendous challenge for farmers, ranchers and growers. They can't deal with these kind of weird, wild, and wacky kind of changes." But it's the long-term forecast that is even more worrying for the immediate future. It predicts more dry conditions coupled with heat waves through to September. Temperatures are expected to be six to 11 degrees higher than average in most of Western Canada. British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, western Manitoba and parts of Yukon and Northwest Territories can all expect areas of extreme dryness or drought if that forecast holds. Erickson knows that unless there are some timely rains, heat will slowly bake his crops, dramatically reducing the yield of some and destroying others. "It would be lovely to wake up in the morning to a nice soaking rain," he said. "That's what this area needs for our pasture, for our crops." Instead, the forecast is for more heat and more sunshine that will inevitably dry up profits for farmers across Western Canada. "I just hope the weather man is wrong," Erickson said with a knowing shrug. "There's one thing that you can't control in farming, and that's the weather." Source - http://www.cbc.ca/

26.06.2015

India - Agri-insurance coverage needs to expand

Agricultural insurance needs to expand, says the Financial Stability Report of the Reserve Bank of India. Coverage remains low, it notes. Crop insurance is inherently riskier and costlier than other segments, as incidence of failure is not randomly or independently distributed. Weather-related events affect an entire area and population at the same time. The report says only four per cent of farmers reported having crop insurance and only 19 per cent ever used any. The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India is allowing micro insurance agents to work with Agriculture Insurance Company of India. Agricultural insurance needs to expand, says the Financial Stability Report of the Reserve Bank of India. Coverage remains low, it notes. Crop insurance is inherently riskier and costlier than other segments, as incidence of failure is not randomly or independently distributed. Weather-related events affect an entire area and population at the same time. The report says only four per cent of farmers reported having crop insurance and only 19 per cent ever used any. “Coverage in terms of value of agri output is also  small. With limited coverage and a relatively high premium, insurance schemes, unless carefully designed, are prone to become unviable,” it said. The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India is allowing micro insurance agents to work with Agriculture Insurance Company of India, formed by the four government-owned general insurance companies) for distribution of schemes. And, has imposed obligations on insurers for cover to the rural and poorer sections of society. It has also been decided to use the agency network of the four government-owned general insurance companies to sell crop insurance. In this regard, IRDAI has given its approval for the co-insurance agreement between Agriculture Insurance Company (AIC) and the four public general insurers which will cover only non-loanee farmers under Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme (WBCIS) and Modified National Agricultural Insurance Scheme (MNAIS). The report said that since the threshold yield of the area (block) in the past three or five years is used as the basis for assessing the extent of crop loss for individual farmers, farmers are further discouraged from buying such an insurance product. It also said that compulsory linking crop insurance with bank credit availed by a farmer makes the insurance product a 'compulsory' add-on cost for a farmer. According to an Assocham-Skymet study, 32 million farmers have been enrolled in various crop insurance schemes across India. However, issues in design, particularly related to delays in claims settlement, have led to farmers not being covered, despite significant government subsidy. Source - http://www.business-standard.com/

26.06.2015

USA - Randolph County farmer says drought is hurting crops

USA - Randolph County farmer says drought is hurting cropsFarmer has been praying for rain for the past few weeks. He owns two 180-acre farms in Seagrove where he raises livestock and farms about half a dozen crops including corn, wheat, oats, and soybeans. But lately, farmer says those crops have been struggling due to a lack of rain and two straight weeks of near-100-degree temperatures. According to the Associated Press, the state climate office at NC State University says North Carolina is now experiencing its first drought in two years.Thomas Lawrence has been praying for rain for the past few weeks. He owns two 180-acre farms in Seagrove where he raises livestock and farms about half a dozen crops including corn, wheat, oats, and soybeans. But lately, Lawrence says those crops have been struggling due to a lack of rain and two straight weeks of near-100-degree temperatures. “This two-week heat wave that we’ve had is really taking the moisture out,” Lawrence said. According to the Associated Press, the state climate office at NC State University says North Carolina is now experiencing its first drought in two years. Many areas are an inch or more below what they normally get this time of the year. “Last week, it looked horrible before we got the thunderstorms,” he said. Lawrence fears the drought could have a huge impact on his bottom line. Corn and soybeans make up about 60 percent of his profits. “The corn crop, if it got destroyed by drought, it would be a total loss,” he said. It’s a thought that keeps the farmer up throughout the night. “It’ll cause you to lose sleep,” he said. Source - http://myfox8.com/

25.06.2015

Italy - Sensors and drones: hi-tech sentinels for crop

Italy - Sensors and drones: hi-tech sentinels for cropThe precision agriculture sector is expected to grow at a high rate over the coming years. This new way of farming is already a reality in northwest Italy, where technologies are being used to keep plants in a good state of health but also to avert the loss of quality yield. Sensors and drones can be among the farmers' best friends, helping them to use less fertilizers and water, and to control the general condition of their crops. The precision agriculture sector is expected to grow at a high rate over the coming years. This new way of farming is already a reality in northwest Italy, where technologies are being used to keep plants in a good state of health but also to avert the loss of quality yield. Sensors and drones can be among the farmers' best friends, helping them to use less fertilizers and water, and to control the general condition of their crops. Nowadays Piedmont, in north western Italy, is an open air laboratory where companies and research centres are testing these tools to improve the health and productivity of different cultivations. Such as it happens in the small town of Agliano d'Asti, where the University of Turin, the research centre CSP and four wine cooperatives are testing a decision support system (DSS) based on wireless sensor networks, which helps agronomists to verify in real time if plants are enjoying good health. 'We started about one and a half years ago,' explains Andrea Molino, in charge of the DSS research at CSP, 'installing in the vineyard five sensors that control the temperature and the humidity of air and soil, to understand the state of health of the grapevines.' Agronomists need to verify if a poor state of health is caused by disease or a lack of water anyway, but now they have an app for tablets to collect data directly from the field. 'In this way, previous data and the data gathered through apps and sensors are channelled into the same database,' says Molino, 'and it allows facts about different years to be compared.' This research has also involved a company based in Ivrea, and specialized in the use of drones for agriculture: 'They contribute to the early detection of diseases that affect grapevines, such as flavescence dorée and black wood,' declares Stefano Sgrelli, Ceo of Salt&Lemon. This is made possible by drones which carry small cameras able to take near infra-red images of crops. Healthy plants are rich in chlorophyll, a pigment that reflects infrared quite well: therefore, this technology, which is already used for scanning by plane, satellite or tractor, has become a precise, non-invasive and more affordable tool to check how crops are doing. Moreover, it improves sustainability because it detects whether a plant needs more or less watering, pesticides or plant foods. 'These sensors give us several indexes,' explains Sgrelli, 'such as the normalized difference vegetation index, also known as NDVI, which shows the health state of a plant: the nearer it is to 1, the better the health of the plant.' The camera shoots every two or three seconds: then it needs to 'adjust' the images, because drones normally swing while flying. A software program builds a 'mosaic' made up of hundreds of images, which shows in a single 3D picture the field flown over. Connecting these results with those gathered by agronomists and sensors on the ground, the farmer can have a complete overview of what is going on. Even the Piattella bean, cultivated in Cortereggio, a small town in the Canavese area, has benefited from this technology. The legume is a presidium of Slow Food, the global organisation that supports the principles of organic agriculture, reducing pesticides, using traditional techniques and sustaining endangered quality production. The bean was almost a 'lost' crop. About 25 years ago a farmer, named Mario Boggio, gave some kilos of Piattella to the University of Turin’s germplasm bank, to preserve the seed. Twenty years later the cultivation restarted, but the soil was changed. CSP, together with the Association 'Piattella Canavesana di Cortereggio' and the municipality of San Giorgio Canavese, started monitoring via sensors that control temperature and humidity at 10 and 40 centimetres underground, and also via near infrared camera. All the data are was sent by digital mobile radio, allowing agronomists and farmers to check the results in real time. Source - http://cordis.europa.eu/

25.06.2015

USA - Extended Flooding Could Wipe Out Soybean Crop

USA - Extended Flooding Could Wipe Out Soybean CropFarmers across the country are sharing photos of their fields under water, and the precipitation doesn’t seem to be letting up. While the bad luck seems to lie with those who have yet to plant their soybeans, the crops that are in the ground may be in an even worse way. Soybean plants that are at the V2-V3 growth are vulnerable to extended flooding. If flooded for three days, farmers could experience a 20% yield loss. Bump that up to six days, and they’re looking at as much as 93% loss.Farmers across the country are sharing photos of their fields under water, and the precipitation doesn’t seem to be letting up. While the bad luck seems to lie with those who have yet to plant their soybeans, the crops that are in the ground may be in an even worse way. Soybean plants that are at the V2-V3 growth are vulnerable to extended flooding. If flooded for three days, farmers could experience a 20% yield loss. Bump that up to six days, and they’re looking at as much as 93% loss, says Laura Lindsey, an Ohio State University Extension soybean and small grain specialist. Yield loss isn’t the only trouble that the continuous precipitation on saturated fields is causing. Soybean growers could also be riding the risk of poor nodulation (yellow or stunted soybeans due to lack of nitrogen) and diseases such as water molds. Until the water clears out, it’s difficult to tell what condition the soybeans are in thus far. “A wait-and-see approach is the option for growers now,” Lindsey says. “The potential for damage is also dependent on the soil type and drainage the field has, with well-drained soils lessening the potential impact of the weather.” Many farmers will be forced to decide if they should replant, but it’s getting late in the season for replanting, adds Lindsey. “With high costs associated with replanting, most growers should carefully weigh all options before deciding to replant,” she says. “Growers have to weigh if the percentage of yield loss from the flooding will be greater than the potential yield loss associated with late planting.” Source - http://www.agriculture.com/

25.06.2015

New Zealand - Crop losses of up to 30% for parts of North Island

New Zealand - Crop losses of up to 30% for parts of North IslandFlooding in parts of the Northern Island of New Zealand have caused crop losses as high as 30% for some growers affected with Horticulture New Zealand. They’ve had quite widespread flooding. Vegetable growers on the bottom half of the North Island have lost up to 30% of what was in the ground. Fruit growers on productive orchards, and in the areas around Whanganui, Palmerston North and Canterbury have been affected too. Christchurch is the largest metropolitan city near the affected area. Flooding in parts of the Northern Island of New Zealand have caused crop losses as high as 30% for some growers affected, according to Leigh Catley, with Horticulture New Zealand. “We’ve had quite widespread flooding. Vegetable growers on the bottom half of the North Island have lost up to 30% of what was in the ground,” she said. Fruit growers on productive orchards, and in the areas around Whanganui, Palmerston North and Canterbury have been affected too, she said. Christchurch is the largest metropolitan city near the affected area. The Minister for Primary Industries has declared the situation a medium scale adverse event, following the latest rain, and snow in the Canterbury area yesterday. “We’re very grateful to the Minister for that,” said Ms Catley. “He’s a farmer who was affected himself, so he understands what the guys are going through.” The cost associated with disaster mitigation is another big consideration according to her. “It’s one thing to have crop in the ground affected by these sorts of events, but it’s another thing altogether to try and clean up afterwards,” she said. Luckily the kiwi harvest, which is headed for a record-breaking volume this season, was finished, but some kiwi growers were affected by silt left after heavy rain and flooding. “The real shame is that this area was one small pocket that hadn’t been affected by Psa,” said Ms Catley. Psa is the virus which had infected large numbers of kiwi fruit crops in recent years, affecting both Green and Gold varieties. Industry-wide research work is still ongoing to mitigate further damage from the virus. “It’s a question of taking stock.” Source - http://www.freshplaza.com/

25.06.2015

USA - Bad Heat Damages Corn Crops

USA - Bad Heat Damages Corn CropsWe're seen triple digit weather recently, and corn crops already have significant damage from the heat. farmer says hasn't experienced a drought like this on his corn crops since 2008. He doesn't think He's ever seen it this dry for over this large of an area on my farm. The man has farms 65 acres in Calhoun County and says almost all of it is dried up.We're seen triple digit weather recently, and corn crops already have significant damage from the heat. "The temperatures we're having are just wiping it out completely" says Jeffrey Kaigler ,a farmer who says hasn't experienced a drought like this on his corn crops since 2008. "I don't think I've ever seen it this dry for over this large of an area on my farm." Kaigler farms 65 acres in Calhoun County and says almost all of it is dried up. "I'm 6-foot-4 this crop should be 12-foot-tall on an average year. Now as you can see it's probably 4-feet tall" he says. The color should be dark green, should not be brown. Not at this stage it will turn brown when it's ready to harvest but not this early". Kaigler is not the only farmer experiencing severe loss. In fact, Harry Ott with the USDA's Farm Service Agency says he's getting calls from farmers all over the state. "We've had reports from one county already up to 70 percent loss I've witnessed some fields myself that are probably at 100 percent loss" says Ott. Ott is still collecting reports but says we're close to requesting a disaster designation. "I regretfully believe it is particularly on corn". Orangeburg, Williamsburg and sections through the middle of the state could reach those points soon. "We just have to carry it to the end and hope for the best that's all we can do" Kaigler says he'll make it through, somehow. Source - http://www.wltx.com/

25.06.2015

Uganda - New pests destroying root vegetables

Uganda - New pests destroying root vegetablesUgandan agriculture experts have warned that new pests and diseases are destroying most of the indigenous crop varieties in the country and plans are in place to develop disease resistant crops. Head of root crop research at Namulonge crop research institute said most of the country's indigenous breeds like cassava, maize, bananas, sweet potatoes, ground-nut and rice among other staple crops are under threat. Some of the main causes of losses in the agricultural sector were caused by indigenous varieties that were not resistant to new diseases and pests. Ugandan agriculture experts have warned that new pests and diseases are destroying most of the indigenous crop varieties in the country and plans are in place to develop disease resistant crops. Titus Alicia, head of root crop research at Namulonge crop research institute said most of the country's indigenous breeds like cassava, maize, bananas, sweet potatoes, ground-nut and rice among other staple crops are under threat. Some of the main causes of losses in the agricultural sector, Alicia said were caused by indigenous varieties that were not resistant to new diseases and pests. "Viruses that attack the crops have changed over time. The indigenous varieties cannot withstand the new disease strains," Alicia said. Experts say Uganda loses over $80 million annually from crop diseases and pests. However, new studies and inventions in biotechnology targeting disease-resistant crops could help avert the huge losses registered each year in the agricultural sector. According to the crop researcher, a number of crop breed varieties that are resistant to pests and other diseases have already been developed. Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) are being developed to replace indigenous breeds. Source - http://www.freshplaza.com/

24.06.2015

USA - Texas Crop Report – June 23, 2015

USA - Texas Crop Report – June 23, 2015Central: Soil moisture, rangeland and pastures, and livestock were generally in good condition. Overall, crop conditions were rated as fair. The region generally had scattered showers, but heavy downpours caused severe flooding in isolated areas. The condition of the corn crop varied widely, with some fields drowned out while other fields looked good. Sugarcane aphid pressure on grain sorghum remained low. Lakes and stock-water tanks were full, and rivers were running strong. Many producers were still trying to get the first cutting of hay moved out of fields. Central: Soil moisture, rangeland and pastures, and livestock were generally in good condition. Overall, crop conditions were rated as fair. The region generally had scattered showers, but heavy downpours caused severe flooding in isolated areas. The condition of the corn crop varied widely, with some fields drowned out while other fields looked good. Sugarcane aphid pressure on grain sorghum remained low. Lakes and stock-water tanks were full, and rivers were running strong. Many producers were still trying to get the first cutting of hay moved out of fields. Some producers reported getting four to six rolls of Bermuda grass hay per acre. Livestock were in good condition. The wheat and oat harvests wrapped up, with yields lower than expected. Grain sorghum was still struggling, but some fields bounced back from excessive moisture and were growing. Coastal Bend: Winds brought by Tropical Storm Bill caused only minor damage and brought moderate flooding to row crops and pecans. Corn was maturing. Sorghum was flowering. Cotton development varied greatly, from full bloom to the six-leaf growth stage. There was some insect pressure in grain sorghum. The mixed maturity of sorghum caused management of the crop to be challenging. Hay harvesting was shut down by the rain. Rangeland was in excellent condition. East: Most counties in the region received substantial rainfall from Tropical Storm Bill. Jasper County received the most at 10 inches. Henderson County got 3 to 5 inches, and Shelby County reported 5 to 8 inches. Several counties changed their subsoil and topsoil moisture ratings from adequate to surplus. The Jasper County towns of Kirbyville, Buna and Evadale were flooded. The Trinity River bottom remained flooded. The continued wet conditions were causing disease and insect infestations on some crops. Pecan scab infestation was heavy, and there were some reports of powdery mildew. Many trees were stressed because of saturated soils; some were losing leaves. In Anderson County, corn and grain sorghum fields were lost. Blueberry and blackberry harvests were behind due to the rains. Vegetable harvesting was slowed, and crop quality was diminished by the muddy conditions. Forage pastures and hayfields were in mostly good to excellent condition, but producers were unable to make hay due to the rains. Rain and wet conditions prevented some producers from marketing cattle. Otherwise, cattle were in good condition, and the market continued to be strong. The horn fly population exploded. Far West: Thunderstorms in Brewster, Jeff Davis and Presidio counties brought as much as 1.5 inches of rain. The thunderstorms also produced high winds and lightning, which increased wildfire danger. Winkler and Loving counties had scattered showers. Upton County rangeland conditions improved, but broomweed took over ground that had been left bare from the previous drought. Cattle were in good condition. Cotton, corn, sunflowers and alfalfa were all doing well. Wheat producers were finishing up harvesting. Pasture and rangeland were in fair to good condition. Topsoil and subsoil moisture was adequate. North: Topsoil moisture was mostly adequate. Tropical Storm Bill brought 3 inches of rain during the middle of the week, which halted planting of soybeans, cotton and grain sorghum. Bill also stopped the hay and wheat harvests, and other fieldwork. Fields and pastures were saturated. Corn was growing quickly, but there were issues with non-uniformity in the fields that were underwater for long periods. Summer pastures were growing really well. Livestock were in good condition. The cattle market was strong. Grasshopper numbers were high in some areas. Wild hogs continued to cause damage. Panhandle: Most of the region was hot and windy for the most of the week, with near-average temperatures. Soil moisture was mostly adequate. The warm and dry conditions allowed Collingsworth County farmers to catch up on fieldwork. Cotton there appeared to be overcoming too much moisture and was emerging. Acres not able to be planted in cotton were being switched over to grain sorghum or haygrazer. Dallam Hartley corn was progressing good under irrigation. Wheat looked good, and producers were taking a second cutting of alfalfa. Isolated storms in Deaf Smith County hailed out some wheat and cornfields. However, the corn crop in general was in good shape. Even the late-planted fields were in from three-to-four leaf to eight-to-10 leaf growth stage, so there will be a wide variance in the crops maturing. The condition of wheat there was also widely variable with many fields affected with disease issues and a wide range of maturity levels — even in the same field. Some grain sorghum acres were just being planted, while others were at the five-to-six leaf stage. Due to wet, damp and cool weather very few cotton acres were planted in Deaf Smith County. In Hansford County, areas north of Spearman and Gruver received the 2 inches of rain along with strong winds and hail. Corn, sorghum and cotton were doing great. The wheat harvesting started over the weekend south of Spearman. Irrigated and some dryland wheat looked really good, but weeds were starting to become a problem. Wheeler County producers finished planting cotton. Some cotton was just emerging. The crop was expected to be late to mature. Cattle were in good shape, but horn flies were troublesome in most all herds. Rolling Plains: More rain fell across parts of the region. Montague County received 16 inches of rain, which brought the total rainfall since the beginning of May to more than 45 inches. Severe flooding displaced cattle, downed fences, and destroyed ponds and personal property. The wheat harvest was on hold because of the rain. Some cotton planting was prevented due to the rain. Hay producers were having trouble getting hay baled because of rain, but most weren't complaining after four years of drought. Where hay could be harvested, yields were excellent. Livestock remained in good to excellent condition. Area reservoirs and stock-water tanks were full. Rangeland and pastures were in good to excellent condition. Farmers were focusing on weed and insect pest issues. The peach crop was looking very good with harvesting starting. The harvesting of most peaches will begin in two weeks and continue through July. South: Tropical Storm Bill brought widespread thunderstorms and rain to much of the region, but no damaging winds. In the northern part of the region, corn and cotton were in good condition. Peanut and grain sorghum were in fair condition. Rangeland and pastures were in excellent condition. Frio County had warm days and minimal rain, which allowed producers to complete the wheat harvest and continue potato harvesting. In Live Oak County, conditions remained very wet, and many crops were damaged by too much moisture. Soil moisture conditions were generally adequate throughout the northern counties. In the eastern part of the region, Tropical Storm Bill brought 5-10 inches of rain in some areas, and many fields in those areas remain flooded. In Kleberg and Kenedy counties, cotton and sorghum fields looked great, and rangeland and pastures continued to improve. Weeds, though, continued to be a problem for many cattle producers in that area. Soil moisture was adequate in Jim Hogg and Jim Wells counties, and 100 percent surplus in Kleberg and Kenedy counties. In the western part of the region, there were reports of webworms in pecan orchards, but spraying controlled the pests. In Zavala County, timely and substantial rains resulted in big savings on irrigation costs. Cotton, corn, sorghum and pecans made excellent progress. Soil moisture conditions were generally adequate throughout the western counties. In the southern part of the region, Hidalgo sunflower harvesting was interrupted by heavy rains. Starr County grain producers were baling hay. Soil moisture was adequate in the southern counties. South Plains: Some areas received rain — from light and isolated showers to widespread storms — with certain areas receiving from 2-5 inches. The moisture benefited crops, but made field work difficult. Earlier planted sorghum and corn looked very good. The wheat harvest was underway and yields are average to slightly above. Farmers were running sand-fighters cultivators over fields to stop blowing topsoil on some fields and to break crust to help seedling emergence on others. Pastures and rangeland were in good condition, and winter wheat harvest was in various stages, from just starting to being completed. Lubbock County cotton ranged from having one to five true leaves. Corn and sorghum were progressing well with exception of a few sorghum fields that were stunted in appearance. All Garza County cotton acres were planted, with crop development ranging from just emerged to the four-true-leaf stage. Some damage has been seen in cotton due to wet weather blight. In some low-lying areas, the crop showed signs of a lack of oxygen due to excessive soil moisture. Rangeland and pastures were in excellent condition, and cattle were mostly in good to excellent condition. Mitchell County received rain at the beginning of the week, which again kept farmers out of the fields. Scurry County also received rain that prevented cotton planting. Southeast: Soil moisture throughout the region was mostly adequate to surplus, with San Jacinto, Chambers, Galveston and Hardin counties having 100 percent surplus levels. Rangeland and pasture ratings varied widely too, but were mostly good to excellent, with good ratings being the most common. San Jacinto County and Hardin County reported 100 percent excellent conditions. Brazos County got from 0.75-2.5 inches. Pastures and hayfields continued to benefit from abundant moisture. Brazoria County soybeans were blooming. In Chambers County, Tropical Storm Bill dropped from 4-11 inches of rain atop of already saturated ground. Some parts of the county had already met average rainfall totals for a full year. Some early rice that did not have to be replanted in late April was starting to head. Any more rains will make herbicide and fertilizer applications on rice difficult. In Fort Bend County, the tropical storm brought 3-6 inches of rain. Although producers got more rain than they wanted, they were spared the 12 inches of rain that fell to the south, so the extra moisture was manageable. Galveston County received heavy rains from Tropical Storm Bill, too. Southwest: Though Tropical Storm Bill brought rains, no major damage or flooding occurred. Rainfall totaled for the week ranged from 3-4 inches. Corn was in poor condition from too much water. Pasture conditions continued to improve, and rangeland was in good condition. Crops looked good as well, with above-average yields expected. Livestock were in fair condition. West Central: The region had hot and very humid days with warm nights. Scattered showers fell in some areas, while others remained dry. Subsoil moisture remained good. Field activities increased as rain-soaked fields dried out. Producers were spraying for weeds. Cotton planting and wheat harvesting was nearly completed, though some wheat fields had to be abandoned due to poor quality and weeds. All row crops were off to a fine start due to good moisture conditions. Producers were cutting and baling hay, with the first-cutting yields above average with good quality. Grain and forage sorghum, and corn were in excellent condition. Rangeland and pastures were also in great shape. Livestock remained in good to excellent condition. Horn flies required some control in most herds. Stock-water tanks and ponds were in good condition. Cattle prices remained very good. Peaches were ready to harvest. Pecans were progressing well, with a heavy nut crop in some areas and light in others. Source - http://www.bradenton.com

24.06.2015

USA - Southwest Michigan fruit regional report – June 23, 2015

USA - Southwest Michigan fruit regional report – June 23, 2015Last week was warm and humid. High temperatures were near 80 with low temperatures in the 50s, 60s and 70s. Heavy rains last Monday night, June 15, dropped 1-2 inches of rain overnight. These storms followed heavy rains earlier in the week and resulted in some flooding in fields with poor drainage and low lying areas near rivers. The rest of the week was cloudy with only a few scattered showers. The weekend was relatively dry. Violent storms crossed the region yesterday, June 22.Weather Last week was warm and humid. High temperatures were near 80 with low temperatures in the 50s, 60s and 70s. Heavy rains last Monday night, June 15, dropped 1-2 inches of rain overnight. These storms followed heavy rains earlier in the week and resulted in some flooding in fields with poor drainage and low lying areas near rivers. The rest of the week was cloudy with only a few scattered showers. The weekend was relatively dry. Violent storms crossed the region yesterday, June 22. Storms in the early afternoon crossed northwest Van Buren County and moved across Allegan County to the northwest. A second line of thunderstorms moved across northern Van Buren, Allegan, Barry and Kalamazoo counties and tracked west, north of I-94. Rainfall totals from these storms were 2 inches or more. These heavy rains resulted in some flooding in the northern counties. There was no hail reported from these storms. Most other areas received little rain. Weather for the upcoming week will be cooler with high temperatures in the 70s and lows near 60. Thunderstorms and showers are possible Wednesday night and Thursday, but heavy rain appears unlikely. Fair conditions are forecast over the weekend and early next week. Our rainfall totals since April 1 are generally just above 11 inches. Soils are wet, especially heavier soils with poor drainage or wet spots in fields. We are close to normal in terms of crop development and Growing Degree Day (GDD) accumulations. With the pleasant weather last week, we picked up about 23.5 GDD base 45 and 18.5 base 50 per day. We expect similar heat accumulations this week. Tree fruit Drier weather has helped reduce problems due to soggy soils. Obliquebanded leafroller egg hatch is underway in the region. San Jose crawler emergence is predicted to begin in southwest Michigan about June 13. Crawlers were detected last week in southeastern Michigan. Summer materials for San Jose control are often timed to control crawlers. See the “2015 Michigan Fruit Management Guide” from Michigan State University Extension for more information. Apricot harvest of early varieties will start later this week. Peaches are growing rapidly with harvest of early varieties such as Harbinger and PF1 expected to begin the first week of July in Berrien County. Redhaven harvest is predicted for Aug. 3 in central Berrien County. Some peach orchards under reduced input programs due to poor crop are showing pale green leaves, a symptom of nitrogen deficiency. Fungicide treatments for rusty spot should continue until pit hardening for varieties such as Loring, Bellaire and other peaches with showy bloom that tend to be more susceptible to this disease. Bacterial spot symptoms are slowly building up on leaves of susceptible varieties. Mycoshield, with 21-day pre-harvest interval (PHI) restriction, is the best tool now to keep bacterial spot from building up on foliage. Oriental fruit moth adult catch from first generation flight is declining. Shoot tip flagging caused by burrowing oriental fruit moth larvae has been reported at several sites. Tarnished plant bugs continues to be a concern. Sweet cherry harvest of the early season variety Cavalier has begun with Black Pearl soon to start. There is some fruit cracking due to rain, but it is not severe. Bird feeding is a problem in early ripening varieties. Cherry leaf spot lesions are just beginning to appear. Since cherry leaves always are susceptible to cherry leaf spot, growers need to maintain protectant fungicide coverage before rain events. Warm rains are good infection periods for brown rot as well, and sweet cherries are very susceptible to brown rot as the fruit ripens. Tart cherries are mostly red except where foliage on the trees is scarce. Some growers have applied ethephon sprays to facilitate harvest. Winds on Monday, June 22, caused some damage to trees in some orchards and wind-whip to the fruit. Generally, damage to trees was not severe. Wind-whip will become more apparent in the next few days as harvest approaches. The tart cherry crop looks good and a heavy crop of fruit is visible from a distance in many orchards. Cherry leaf spot symptoms and yellowing leaves are appearing. Cherry leaves are always susceptible to this disease and protection needs to be maintained throughout the season. Tart cherries are moderately tolerant to copper applications that can help reduce bacterial canker and cherry leaf spot in cherries. Growers need to avoid copper buildup on the leaves and reduce or discontinue copper use if there is no rain between sprays. Use MSU Enviro-weather’s cherry leaf spot model to help guide sprays and track infection periods. Cherry fruit flies have not been trapped at the Trevor Nichols Research Center trapline. Japanese plums are 1 inch or more in diameter, depending on the variety. European plums are up to 1 inch in diameter. Fruit and leaf russet due to chemical phytotoxicity are common, including Captan-induced russet. Plum fruit and leaves are susceptible to bacterial leaf spot, but Mycoshield is not labeled for use on plums. Growers also need to protect current season’s growth against black knot until shoot growth ceases later in the season. Apple fruits are sizing well. The largest fruits are approaching 2 inches in diameter for main season varieties. Hand-thinning is underway in many orchards to break up clusters of fruit. Secondary apple scab is common in some orchards and unsprayed trees are shedding infected leaves. Bright yellow cedar apple rust symptoms are also common in some orchards. New fire blight symptoms are showing up in young trees planted this spring, which bloomed later than mature trees. Recent humid weather is causing fire blight-infected tissue to ooze. Rainfall amounts and the duration of leaf wetness vary widely across the region. Growers need to include fungicides to control sooty blotch and flyspeck in their cover sprays. According to the sooty blotch and fly speck model on MSU Enviro-weather, symptoms can be expected after 240 to 290 hours of wetness. Hours of wetness vary from 200 to 300 hours across the region. Codling moth egglaying and hatch is still underway for first generation. According to the codling moth model on MSU Enviro-weather, we are past peak egg laying and probably two weeks away from first emergence of the second generation. Growers should be scouting for obliquebanded leafroller larvae. The obliquebanded leafroller model on MSU Enviro-weather indicates peak egg hatch is in the southern portions of the region. We expect to see oriental fruit moth larvae damage to fruit any time now. Green aphid populations are building on succulent leaf tissue. Pear crop potential is generally good. Bartlett average up to 1.125 inches in diameter and Harrow Sweet are 0.875 inches in diameter. Growers are removing water sprouts from trees in order to discourage pear psylla populations. Pear psylla numbers are increasing. Small fruit Japanese beetles have begun to emerge. Only a couple spotted wing Drosophila (SWD) were trapped in Berrien County. Grapes have buckshot-sized berries in Concord and Niagara, and bloom is ending in hybrid and vinifera wine grapes. During early fruit development, grape flower and fruit clusters are vulnerable to infection from powdery mildew, downy mildew, black rot and phomopsis, and latent infections of Botrytis. With frequent rains, many growers will still apply protectant and systemic fungicides with activity against all of these diseases. See “Protect grape clusters from all major grape diseases during early fruit development” for more information. Leaf infections of phomopsis and black rot are developing where early-season coverage was not achieved, and the first symptoms of downy mildew have appeared in unprotected clusters of vulnerable varieties. First generation grape berry moth flight is over, and larvae are webbing in clusters. This early in the season, the loss of berries is compensated by later berry growth, and sprays for these larvae are not recommended in most cases. MSU Extension recommends most growers do not need to spray for grape berry moth until second generation egglaying. Wild grape bloom was around May 26 in Berrien County and June 1 in Van Buren County, varying somewhat from farm to farm. This date is used in MSU Enviro-weather’s grape berry moth model to time insecticide applications for the second and third generation egglaying. Second generation egglaying is predicted to occur in about two weeks during the first week of July. Rose chafers are present in some vineyards in Berrien County. In wine grapes, scout during the coming weeks for potato leafhoppers, which arrive on storms and winds from the south. Look for grape leafhoppers in juice grapes. Usually, only severe outbreaks of these insects require treatment. Japanese beetles are emerging. Blueberry fruit are sizing well with all the rain. Fruit on early varieties are coloring and harvest of early varieties will start this weekend in southern Berrien County. We are still catching cherry fruitworms and cranberry fruitworms for several weeks and these moths are laying eggs on green fruit. Most growers have applied insecticides to control these insects and fungicides to protect the green fruit from anthracnose fruit rots and stem blights such as phomopsis. Growers with vigorous growth from the base of the plants should direct fungicide on these new shoots to protect them from shoot diseases. No blueberry maggot flies have been trapped. A few SWD have been trapped in the region, but there is no need to protect green fruit. Strawberry harvest is ending for many growers. Fruit quality suffered due to heavy rains. Growers should prepare to renovate their fields. Strawberry renovation should be done as quickly as possible after the end of harvest. In June bearing matted row systems, the rows are narrowed after harvest using a rototiller or by herbicide sprays. Often, the field is mowed and broad spectrum contact herbicides are applied to kill unwanted weeds in the plant. Longer acting soil residual sprays are also applied to control more weeds during strawberry renovation. After field work is done, be sure the field has adequate moisture and irrigate if necessary. Be sure to protect leaves against potato leafhoppers and strawberry foliar diseases. Raspberry fruit is developing rapidly. Black raspberries are coloring and black cap harvest will begin soon. Primocane blackberry bloom continues. Red summer raspberry harvest has begun in some farms. Japanese beetles can be a problem in raspberries. Grower need to time their controls with harvest. Raspberries are very attractive to SWD and growers should pay close attention to protecting against this pest. See “Spotted Wing Drosophila Management Recommendations for Michigan Raspberry and Blackberry Growers” for more information. Upcoming meetings Our final Monday fruit IPM meeting is June 29 at Fruit Acres Farms, 3452 Friday Rd, south of Coloma, MI 49038 at 5 p.m. Two Michigan pesticide applicator recertification credits will be given for these meetings. Miscellaneous Fruit growers who suffered plant loss due to severe winter cold the past two winters should contact the Farm Service Agency (FSA) to document the loss. See “Relief may be available for fruit, nut and ornamental growers with winter injury” for more information. Source - http://msue.anr.msu.edu/