Mar 22, 2017

Kick off Michigan 2017 tree fruit season on April 18

Michigan State University (MSU) Extension will host the annual Tree Fruit Integrated Pest Management Kickoff Meeting on April 18. The meeting will be held at the Northwest Michigan Horticulture Research Center, 6686 S Center Hwy, Traverse City, MI 49684.

This year MSU Extension will host Ontario Ministry of Agriculture’s application technology specialist Jason Deveau using Zoom teleconferencing. Deveau will discuss spray strategy techniques including application rates, calibration, coverage and canopy management – the foundations of optimizing spray economy and effectiveness. Following last year’s challenging fire blight scenario, MSU’s George Sundin will present considerations for fire blight management this season. Sundin will also discuss the implications of new data on SDHI efficacy for cherry leaf spot management.

Eric McCumber of Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development will provide a summary of the key Worker Protection Standard changes for 2017 and preparations for future changes. We will also cover the annual pesticide label changes and updates and have a brief discussion on the future of borer pest management.

An agenda is provided below.

• 4:45 p.m. – Welcome and Refreshments
• 5 p.m. – 5:15 p.m. – Pesticide Label Changes and Updates, Emily Pochubay, MSU Extension
• 5:15 p.m. – 6 p.m. – Fire Blight and Leaf Spot Considerations for 2017, George Sundin, MSU Department of Plant, Soil, and Microbial Sciences
• 6 p.m. – 6:45 p.m. – Crop-Adapted Spraying, Jason Deveau, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) via Zoom Teleconference
• 6:45 p.m. – 7 p.m. – Break
• 7 p.m. – 7:45 p.m. – Worker Protection Standard Update, Eric McCumber, MDARD
• 7:45  p.m. – 8 p.m. – Borer Management Challenges in Stone Fruit, Nikki Rothwell, MSU Extension and AgBioResearch
• 8 p.m. – Fill out pesticide recertification and certified crop advisor sheets.

This event is free, and pesticide recertification credits and certified crop advisor credits will be available. For more information, call 231-946-1510 or visit www.msue.msu.edu.