Dealing With Crop Loss From A Freeze

The spring of 2010 is one for the record books. Early high temperatures moved growth and development along at alarming rates. Then, several freeze events have led to a reduced fruit set for the 2010 apple crop. With reduced or no crop on the tree, several insects and diseases may be ruled out of your spray programs. It is difficult to justify costly applications to trees with little or no crop, but there are some pests that you need to be aware of to prevent problems for the 2011 season. Here are just a few, courtesy of Michigan State University Cooperative Extension:

Fire Blight

Trauma blight situations should be managed with applications of streptomycin or copper.

Apple Scab

If you have scab in blocks with little crop, it would be best to get the lesions under control before you reduce or eliminate fungicide application. Once primary scab season is over, you can reduce further control measures if you had primary scab under control.

Plum Curculio

Under light fruit load conditions plum curculio will compete heavily for the fruit that is present. Unprotected, this can result in a much higher percent damage level than normal.

In Conclusion

Be sure of your crop situation before you decide to eliminate cover sprays entirely from an apple block. For more tips, information and updates throughout the season, visit ipmnews.msu.edu.