Blueberry Update for Fruit Set
Blueberry fruit set is occurring over a week earlier than normal in the Salisbury area, with most highbush cultivars already at fruit set or early fruit development. Now is a critical time to apply fertilizer, either as the first of two split applications or through drip irrigation to boost yield and aid leaf development. Growers should be scouting for key insect pests, including plum curculio, blueberry aphids, oriental beetle, cranberry fruitworm, leafhoppers, leafminers, and leafrollers. Spotted wing drosophila (SWD) will also become a concern as fruit begins to ripen. On the disease front, watch for signs of Alternaria, Phomopsis twig blight (also known as stem blight), and Botryosphaeria dieback. Anthracnose will also become more of a threat as the season progresses, especially under warm, wet conditions. Early and regular monitoring can help inform timely and effective control measures.
This article is featured in the Vegetable and Fruit News, Vol. 16, Issue 2.
Vegetable and Fruit News is a statewide publication for the commercial vegetable and fruit industries and is published monthly during the growing season (April through October). Subscribers will receive an email with the latest edition.
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