Crop Protection
Two New York counties cleared of plum pox virus
USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) recently announced that plum pox virus (PPV) has been eradicated from Orleans and Wayne counties in New York state.PPV, considered the most devastating viral disease of stone... more »
Vine size control discussed during viticulture event
Vineyard leaf removal and managing excess vine size are two pivotal operations in high-density grape production. Leaf removal in the fruiting zone is a classical vineyard management practice applied during the summer, from fruit-set to... more »
Guesstimate: Fruit crops back to normal in 2013
By late spring 2012, freeze events had done so much damage to Michigan fruit that organizers briefly considered canceling that year’s Fruit Crop Guesstimate – the annual meeting held to estimate the size of Michigan’s,... more »
Are Chinese apples the biggest threat?
For a long time, John Rice – vice president of Rice Fruit Co., an apple grower and packer based in Gardners, Pa. – was a strong proponent of keeping fresh Chinese apples out of the... more »
Farmers hope for relief from ’12 crop damage
Michael DeRuiter knew he lost his battle last year with Mother Nature to protect his cherry trees on the 19th night of springtime frost.When the temperature dropped to 19 degrees in May 2012, the co-owner... more »
Edgewood Bogs sustains success in cranberries
Taking a lean and green approach in operating Edgewood Bogs has paid dividends for cranberry growers Matt and Cindy Rhodes. The couple purchased the operation, in the heart of southeastern Massachusetts’ “Cranberry Country,” from Matt’s... more »
Report: Multiple factors for honeybee declines
USDA and EPA have released a comprehensive scientific report on honeybee health. The report states that there are multiple factors playing a role in honeybee colony declines, including parasites and disease, genetics, poor nutrition and... more »
Beekeepers blame neonicotinoids for bee deaths
Recent research has suggested that neonicotinoid insecticides – used throughout the world to protect corn, soybeans, cotton, canola and other major crops – are harming pollinators. Because of that, the use of neonicotinoids is being... more »
