March 2005

 

 

Here’s the latest update on the status of Guthion registration as of the end of February 2005 (in greatly simplified terms).  This will be the last season that use will be allowed on peaches and nectarines (until December 31, 05).  Re-registration and continued use will be allowed on apples, cherries and pears.  Be sure and read the label prior to use.  REI and PHI are different depending on crop and amount applied!

 

If you missed the WPS training and would like a packet to assist your efforts at compliance, let me know.  These packets contain a safety poster, the same checklist the inspector uses, and a compliance manual.  

 

One of the areas of WPS compliance deals with posting a treated block or providing an oral warning.  If the pesticide you’re using is in the “DANGER POISON” category (skull & crossbones), then you may be required to do BOTH!  To be sure, check the label in the box titled “Agricultural Use Requirements”.  The notification requirement will be the last few lines in the box.  Lannate is an example of one that requires both oral and a posted sign. 

 

We’ve had a few calls from growers requesting MSDS sheets.  Having them on file is another one of the WPS requirements.  Here’s a website where you can access both label and msds info.  www.nwhort.org    Click on the link “chemicals”, then “pesticide label info”.  It will take you to a page where you can download all the labels you need.  If you have problems, give me a call.

 

We may have a new material on the scene to give Agri-Mek a break in the control of Pear psylla.  FujiMite 5EC  is a miticide/insecticide  that is labeled on Apples, Pears and Grapes for the control of  rust mites, Grape mealybug, Pear psylla, Two-spotted mite, European red mite, Variegated leafhopper and White apple leaf hopper.   FujiMite is excellent on all the spider mite species and stops mite feeding and egg laying within hours of an application. For psylla control the recommendation is to use it just past petal fall.  Don’t wait to use FujiMite as a rescue material! Research reports out of the Northwest show FujiMite equal or better than Agri-Mek for control of psylla. Comparing notes with consultants in WA & OR, we deal with far lower populations than they do.  I’m looking forward to testing this in a few local blocks.  I’ve set up a few trials, I’ll keep you posted on the results.

 

If you have a block of apples that is suffering from Wooly Apple Aphid (WAA) early in the season is the time to go to work on it.  WAA over-winters on the roots of apple.  Prior to bloom it starts the trek up the trunk to its’ summer home in the top of the tree.  The information I came across states that an application at ½” green gave better results than one applied at full pink.  By putting a chemical barrier around the trunk you can prevent migration.  This is a very cost effective, non-disruptive program.  Contact me about materials and rates.

 

It’s a good idea to change your programs every once in a while to keep your enemies (pests) off balance.  Here’s a suggestion.  In your early stone fruit program, instead of Ziram this year, switch to Pristine.  It will cost you a few bucks more per acre, but it provides a new chemistry for coryneum blight.  A big plus for this change is that it adds powdery mildew control to the list (Ziram has no coverage towards mildew).