Crop Protection

Consider presence of apple maggots when selecting an insecticide

High levels of apple maggot adult emergence have been detected at the Michigan State University Trevor Nichols Research Center in Fennville, Michigan, following rainfall events over the last week. Controlling apple maggots has been traditionally... more »

Scientists gather, share updates on spread of stink bugs

The Brown Marmorated Stink Bug Working Group Meeting was organized as a conference with presentations—however, as a working group, scientists frequently conversed and discussed topics during and after updates. Below, we give highlights and summaries... more »

SWD egg laying affected by extreme drought, heat

The earliest ever arrival in New York State of this fast-reproducing insect rang alarm bells in anticipation of heavy infestations in early or mid-season berry crops that often escape damage. However, larval infestations have been... more »

Michigan RidgeFest set for July 28

The Michigan Pomesters will host the fifth annual RidgeFest Grower Tour in Belding, Michigan, on July 28. The tour will start with a luncheon at BelleHarvest Sales and visit four farms afterward. Speakers will discuss... more »

Vestaron uses peptide technology to enter biocontrol market

Bolstered by recent EPA approval to delete the bee toxicity warning statement from its Spear biopesticide label, Kalamazoo, Michigan-based Vestaron continues to develop peptide-based insecticides that are expected to hit the commercial market this year.... more »

Plant IP protection program to host first US workshop

The CIOPORA Academy, a specialized training and certificate program for Intellectual Property (IP) protection in the field of horticulture, will host its first U.S.-based workshop Sept. 8-9 in Watsonville, California, at Driscoll’s Cassin Conference Center. The... more »

Considerations for hail-damaged cherries after storms

Cherry orchards were impacted by hail on July 8, 2016, and growers should carefully weigh options to determine future management strategies. First, growers should assess the level of damage as the outcome of this assessment... more »

How to respond to hail and severe storms

Strong storms are not uncommon in Michigan. These storms often have high winds, heavy rains and in some cases hail. Severe storms, especially accompanied by hail, have the potential to promote and spread serious diseases... more »