Crop Protection

Disease activity picking up in Michigan grapes

Symptoms of grape diseases such as Phomopsis cane, leaf spot, black rot and anthracnose have been noticed in Michigan vineyards on susceptible cultivars. Frequent rainy spells in early spring 2016 have helped the grape pathogens to... more »

Angular leaf spot causing leaf necrosis in strawberries

Angular leaf spot, also called bacterial blight, is the only reported strawberry disease caused by a bacterium, namely Xanthomonas fragariae. Economic damage is mainly due to blackening of berry stem caps, which mars the appearance... more »

Yellow spots on Michigan grape leaves not downy mildew

In late May, small, yellow spots on grape leaves were noticed by growers and vineyard scouts in multiple vineyards in southwest Michigan. Usually a single spot per leaf was seen on a range of grape... more »

How to prevent, manage SWD infestation

Our recent mild winter raised concerns about the potential for early season spotted wing drosophila (SWD) damage to berries, which were further increased when South Carolina strawberry growers observed infestation last month. We have now... more »

MSU Diagnostic Services cracks pest, disease cases

Michigan State University (MSU) Diagnostic Services deals with all sorts of plant diseases and pest issues, but a car hood? Shipped from an assembly plant in Michigan, the auto part had serpentine streaks on it... more »

Marrone Bio agrees to settle shareholder suits for $12 million

Marrone Bio Innovations has reached an agreement to settle private securities class action suits. Shareholder suits were consolidated in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California on February 13, 2015 as Special Situations... more »

Field trials confirm efficacy of Delegate WG insecticide

Field trials conducted by Cornell University in 2015 reinforce the effective control of Delegate WG insecticide in combating troublesome pome fruit pests. Whether sprayed alone or tank-mixed, the study shows that Delegate provides consistent control... more »

Pruning key in managing blueberry stem gall wasp

Blueberry stem gall wasp is native to eastern North America, where it can infest new and actively-growing blueberry stems during bloom. It can be found in lowbush and highbush blueberries, and in managed and unmanaged... more »