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sterol inhibitors to get good control
n . .• « n •. n . yx • and put on protectant control to
Potential Fruit Rot Diseases buildup- 0 f fungus,
according to the pathologist.
Used in combination with selec
tive use (pink through petal fall)
and with some form of integrated
pest management (IPM) program
may prove effective for growers.
For inhibitors, it is important to use
in mixtures with protectants and
rotate them.
(Continued from Page Al)
The diseases can be difficult to
identify because symptoms mimic
or resemble others. The clue is to
seal the infected fruit in a clear
plastic bag for one day to tell the
difference.
With brown rot (Monilinia fruc
ticola), immature green fruit is not
affected by the fungus. It is the
ripening fruit that is targeted,
which includes a brown, rotted,
powdery mass on the fruit caused
by spores. Spores are spread by
rain onto other parts of the plant
and other fruit. Twifcs can also get
infected with the fungus.
To identify, brown rot will
cause fruit decay extremely fast in
a bag. Other infections, such as
anthracnose and Rhizopus fruit
rot, will take a lot longer to decay
the fruit.
To treat, growers must get rid of
the dead mass and the fruit “mum
mies” that accumulate near the
tree. It is important to remove the
dead fruit, prune the infected
twigs, control the insects that can
also spread the fungus, and
increase fungicide controls. There
are effective fungicides available.
Another fungus, peach anthrac
nose, has been around for years.
The technical name is Glomerella
cingulata, also called “bitter rot”
on apples. It affects peach and
apple trees and can spread from
one to another. The symptoms
resemble brown rot but include a
brown and sunken lesion “with
orange to yellow spores in con
centric rings” said Travis.
The anthracnose, unlike brown
rot, will take a lot longer to com
pletely decay the fruit when sealed
in a bag.
To reduce disease pressure,
remove brush piles away from
orchards, said Travis. Also,
anthracnose. unlike brown rot, will
infect green fruit.
In the third disease challenge.
Rhizopus fruit rot (if placed in a
plastic bag) will turn “black or
very gray,” said Travis. Symp
toms include a dark mold on die
surface of the fruit, unlike brown
rot, with tan-colored spores. The
disease can overwinter, so it is
important to “maintain sanitary
conditions for best controls.” he
said.
To control disease, Travis indi-
cated that growers need to clean
the packaging, feed basins, crates,
hydtocoolers, and packinghouse.
Store fruit under cold tempera
tures. Use a post-harvest chemical
treatment to destroy any potential
ly overwintering microorganisms.
Also, apply a fungicide near the
harvest but within the parameters
of the label.
“I am concerned about this
peach anthracnose.” said Travis,
who urged growers to send sam
ples to the Fruit Research Center in
Biglerville for analysis. Proper
identification of the disease threat
is necessary, because improper use
of fungicides that have no effect
could be costly.
Using Fungicides
At the Lancaster fruit meeting,
Travis also told the growers that it
is important to think about “con
trolling diseases earlier in the sea
son than you did before,” during
the portion devoted to effective use
of fungicides.
The Penn State plant pathologist
told the growers to beware of
potential fungicide resistance.
Travis spoke about two groups
of fungicides: protectants and ster
ol inhibitors. Simply put, the pro
tectants actually seal the plant
away from fungicide infestation.
The sterol inhibitors are growth
regulators that actually affect the
fungus growth and kill it
The sterol inhibitors eradicate
fungus infections and protect
plants. They are absorbed by the
plant surfaces and move inside
plants. They are made for specific
site action and have a limited spec
trum of control. Importantly, noted
Travis, they also mean a high risk
of resistance development if used
frequently.
Sterol inhibitors won’t work on
summer fruit rots such as sooty
blotch and fly speck on apples,
according to the pathologist. If dry.
hot conditions prevail late in the
growing season, growers should
not be as concerned with the sooty
blotch and fly speck challenges.
In the end, it’s important to
know exactly how to use the fungi
cides in what combinations to get
effective control.
“Use sterol inhibitors and pro
tectants in combination. Refrain
from using sterol inhibitors by
themselves,” he said. “Put on
Mite Management
Dr. Carl Felland, entomologist
at the Penn State Fruit Research
and Extension Center in Biglervil
le, spoke about the challenges of
mite management in apples.
For growers using an IPM prog
ram using predator insects, it is
important to do the counts and
watch the population of the host
material after miticides are used.
Felland mentioned the research
under way on a new chemical miti
cide treatment that had nearly
complete control of mites from a
1995 trial lasting from July 5 to
Aug. 7.
The experimental midcide will
take years to be registered and
available commercially.
New Apple
Rootstock
Dr. Rob Crassweller, Penn State
pomologist, spoke about the excit
ing potentials with the new apple
rootstock lineup.
Crassweller spoke about the
new Cornell Geneva rootstock that
has produced more than twice the
output of fruit per tree (using a Lib
erty culdvar), with the same space
as an M. 7, and produces flowers
earlier.
Crassweller spoke about a lot of
other new rootstock selections that
hold promise for growers.
Increase Pollination
Crassweller also said there are a
variety of ways to increase pollina
tion of fruits other than bee
management
To get better pollination, it is
important to provide a lot mote cell
division earlier on, to create a grea
ter cell expansion that will give
improved fruit size.
There are a variety of nutrients
that can boost pollination in fruit
including the use of boron and
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zinc. Growers can also make more
effective use of “pollinizers” but
must set the material properly in
the rows.
The use of crabapples can act as
pollinizers but also must be placed
properly in the orchard.
When using bees, hive place
ment is critical. Also, dandelions
should be removed, because bees
show a preference for them over
the fruit flowers. Also, if using a
rapeseed cover, the rapeseed flow
ers must be removed.
Apple Marketing
Brenda Belesld Briggs, director
of the 1995-1996 Pennsylvania
Apple Marketing Board, indicated
that export markets are increasing,
particulary to the number one
export location, Brazil.
As of November 1995, 43,000
cartons of apples were sold to Bra
zil, up to 60.000 at the end of
December 1995. The figures were
supplied by the U.S. Apple Export
Council.
On the agenda for members is
the referendum to raise the current
checkoff from 7 cents a bushel for
fresh apples to IS cents. Also,
there will be a vote to raise the cur
rent checkoff of 7 cents per hun
dredweight for processing apples
to 8 cents by the year 2000, accord
ing to Briggs.
Growers could see domestic
Time To Celebrate
Poultry At Banquet
HERSHBY (Dauphin Co.)
More than 1,500 people involved
in Pennsylvania’s poultry industry
will attend the annual Pennsylva-
nia Poultry Federation banquet,
scheduled Wednesday, April 24 at
the Hershey Convention Center.
The social hour starts with cock
tails and hors d'oeuvres at 5:30
p.m. Dinner is 7 p.m.
Entertainment at the annual
fund raising banquet will feature
country music star Ricky Skaggs.
Tickets are available for $125
each. Reserved tables of 10 or 12
are available.
For reservations, contact the
Pennsylvania Poultry Federation,
500 N. Progress Avenue, Harris
burg. PA 17109, (717) 652-7530.
AVI
BINS AND
iscounts
: % •
markets threatened by other states,
particularly New York, which
went to a checkoff of 16 cents a
bushel for fresh apples last year.
Michigan assesses 19 cents a
bushel for fresh apples and 21
cents a hundredweight for process
ing. Michigan’s apple marketing
board has a budget of $2.1 million
per year.
Growers need to consider
“looking around the state and
around the country” to continue to
realize profits in apple production,
according to Briggs. The assess
ment would help the board in their
marketing efforts to the tune of
$400,000 per year in 1996 and to
ss2o,oooper year in the year 2000.
The board is accenting apples as
a new snack food, to compete
against the better profit margins of
potato chips and other products.
Phil Pitzer, Pennsylvania
Department of Agriculture, Reg
ion VI agronomic products inspec
tor, provided an overview of com
pliance with the new Worker Pro
tection Standard.
Pitzer also reviewed new PDA
pesticide regulations at the
meeting.
The meeting was coordinated by
the Penn State Cooperative Exten
sion Service and the York and Lan
caster County Fruit Growers’
Association. Meetings continue in
the weeks ahead with other grow
ers in other parts of the state.
Ricky Skaggs