Crop Protection

Protect grape clusters from diseases during early fruit development

Young fruit clusters are highly susceptible to all major diseases, including downy mildew, powdery mildew, black rot, Phomopsisand anthracnose. If prolonged cool, wet weather prevails during bloom, Botrytis can also gain a foothold in clusters... more »

Michigan still adjusting to crop losses of 2012

2012 was a bad year for many fruit-producing states, but none were hit harder than Michigan. An early warm-up followed by devastating freeze events killed roughly 85 percent of the state’s apples and nearly 90... more »

Assistance in raspberry virus diagnosis offered

In recent years, an increasing number of raspberry growers have reported seeing berries that are smaller than usual, misshapen and crumbly when harvested, particularly in older fields. They may have been of such poor quality... more »

Revitalize blueberries with renovation

Blueberries have a distinct growth habit. Each spring new shoots emerge from the crown at the base of the plant. These shoots grow quickly the first couple years when they are young. They then start... more »

Codling moth back to normal in 2015

The catastrophic freeze of 2012 resulted in a near collapse of codling moth populations in most regions of Michigan. Codling moth (CM) populations remained suppressed through much of the 2013 growing season. Based on 2014... more »

Finalized Clean Water Rule released

Agriculture groups were busy analyzing the impact of new government rules issued May 27 by EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.“We are undertaking a thorough analysis of the final WOTUS (Waters of the... more »

Washington state experiencing ‘historic’ apple dump

You can smell rotten fruit from a mile away; folks in Washington state know that firsthand.Multiple news organizations have reported that the state is experiencing the largest apple dump in its history. Millions of pounds... more »

Produce Safety Alliance schedules first two Train-the-Trainer Courses

The Produce Safety Alliance (PSA) has scheduled its first two Train-the-Trainer Courses for June 2015.The PSA Train-the-Trainer Courses are for those interested in becoming PSA Certified Trainers or PSA Certified Lead Trainers and who use... more »

USDA funding available for food safety training, outreach, technical assistance

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) announced the availability of $2.3 million for the establishment of regional centers to support comprehensive food safety training and education, pursuant to... more »

The challenges of disease control during rainy spells

While relatively dry, cool conditions in early spring may have delayed pathogen development, recent warm, wet conditions mean that fungal and bacterial diseases are getting a jump start. This even applies to powdery mildews, which... more »