Early Warm Temps Mean Early Pest Pressure

This year’s unseasonably warm temperatures have growers across the eastern U.S. on alert for more than just a late freeze. There is also the risk of early pest pressure.

Thankfully, researchers from Michigan State University, Penn State University, and elesewhere have stepped their efforts to assist growers by providing them with helpful information on pest monitoring.

Penn State has begun posting weekly scab detection and management tips, some provided by researchers at Cornell University, and others from the university’s own team of plant pathologists. For more information, go to http://extension.psu.edu/fruit-times/news.

In Michigan, pathologists George Sundin and Nikki Rothwell say the sustained heat in Michigan this past week was unprecedented, and caught many by surprise in terms of how rapidly apples are developing. With rains and cooler temperatures on the horizon, it is critical that scab-susceptible cultivars are protected from this anticipated early scab infection event. For their most recent report, go to http://news.msue.msu.edu/news/article/use_fungicides_for_apple_scab_protection_prior_to_anticipated_early_infecti.