Harvest
Biology and Monitoring
Insects |
Diseases |
|
|---|---|---|
Key Pests |
• Aphids • Fruit Contaminants |
• Mummyberry • Godronia Canker • Botrytis • Shock Virus • Scorch Virus • Anthracnose |
Occasional Pests |
• Gall Midge • Scale • Symphylans • Cherry Fruitworm • Root Weevils |
• Phomopsis Canker |
Biology
Aphids
Aphids continue to produce offspring until late fall, but the rate of population increase is lower at this time.
Fruit Contaminants
These are primarily egg sacs of spiders or pupae of lacewing and syrphid flies that are contained in the blossom end of the berry. They usually appear as a white furry mat in the calyx end of the fruit. Spiders, lacewings, and syrphid flies are considered beneficial, so controlling them is often not recommended; this may result in outbreaks of pests such as thrips, mites, aphids, and caterpillars. The best way to manage this problem is to remove contaminated fruit on the grading lines after harvest.
Mummyberry
Infected berries will show up in the clusters and drop to the ground to overwinter. Mummyberries first appear pink and puckered looking. The inside tissue is brown and corky. As it ages, it turns white and withered and dried.
Godronia Canker
Cankers are still growing in size through the season. The cankers will start to appear more like a bull’s eye, with gray centers and a reddish-brown outside.
Blueberry Shock Virus
Infected plants appear normal in late summer except for the lack of fruit. Plants may fully recover after the first year or may show symptoms for up to three years. Symptomless plants still carry the virus.
Blueberry Scorch Virus
Plants with scorch virus will not show recovery at this time. Fruit and shoot production are drastically reduced on infected plants. Testing and removal of plants is necessary to control the spread of this virus.
Botrytis
This fungus becomes more active on fruit as they ripen. Wet and warm weather conditions can increase the spread of the disease.
Anthracnose Ripe-Rot
Ripening infected berries will start showing symptoms of the blossom end softening and salmon colored spore masses may be seen. Warm and rainy conditions will increase the spread of this disease.
Alternaria Fruit-Rot
Alternaria infections occur from late bloom to fruit maturity but symptoms will not show until fruit is ripening or even until fruit is in storage. Infected berries will cave in at the sides and may have greenish-gray spores. If infection spreads through harvested fruit in storage, yield losses can be great.
Monitoring
General Guidelines
See general guidelines in the"introduction" section.
Aphids
• At each site, inspect 5 leaves per plant.
• Look for winged and wingless aphids as well as aphid mummies that have been parasitized by aphid parasitic wasps. Also, look for beneficial insects such as ladybug larvae, lacewing larvae, and syrphid larvae.
• The presence of honeydew and sooty mold on fruit and leaves indicates a high aphid population. Make a note if you find this condition.
Fruit Contaminants
• Inspect 5 fruit clusters per plant for contaminants at the blossom end.
• Record this number and train harvesting and processing crew to be aware of these contaminants.
Mummyberry
• At each plant, check 5 berry clusters for mummyberry symptoms.
• Examine the ground beneath the plants to see if any infected fruit has fallen to the ground.
Management:
• If on a small farm, clean up dropped fruit following harvest. The use of geese may also be used to clean up the dropped fruit as well as weeds.
Godronia Canker
• Inspect 20 plants per site
• Look for leaves turning color earlier than normal. These leaves will turn bright red/brown and remain attached – looking like red flags in the field.
Blueberry Shock Virus
• Visit marked plants at each site and throughout field to observe recovery from shock virus.
• If plants are not recovering, have plants tested immediately for incidence of scorch virus.
Blueberry Scorch Virus
• Plants with scorch symptoms should be sent for testing immediately.
• Symptoms include leaf dieback and blighted blossoms remaining on the plant.
Botrytis
• Inspect 5 fruit clusters per plant. Observe fruit for fuzzy gray mold during harvest.
• Fruit should be harvested frequently where gray mold is commonly seen, especially in conditions of wet and warm weather.
Anthracnose Ripe-Rot
• Inspect 5 fruit clusters per plant for signs of infection.
• Symptoms include softening at the blossom end and masses of salmon colored spores.
Management:
•To reduce the spread among harvested fruit, reduce the temperature of the fruit to 32°F as soon as possible.
Alternaria Fruit-Rot
• Inspect 5 fruit clusters per plant.
• Look for fruit with sides caving in and greenish-gray spores.
• Rate the level of infection (low, medium, high)
Management:
• Avoid over ripening by harvesting in a timely fashion.• Cool fruit immediately after harvest.
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