June 19, 2010
Hi Fruit Growers,
Sorry this is late again. I don’t have much to say. I was hoping to set up apple maggot fly traps this past week but I didn’t even get close to that goal. I have not heard of any apple maggot flies being found in the Northeast yet this season. I will be away next week. I’ll try to set up traps when I return. Everything else is early so far this year so I anticipate apple maggot flies will be early as well. Usually we start being concerned with apple maggot in the middle of July. This year we may have trouble with apple maggot fly in the beginning of July. Whenever they arrive, remember that apple maggot flies are pretty easy to control with half rates of Imidan. Avaunt, Calypso and Assail also control apple maggot, but the rates should not be reduced as we do with Imidan. Also, last year a grower in Ct had poor apple maggot control with Avaunt. Last year it rained most of the summer and that could have been the reason for the apple maggot control failure using Avaunt.
We have entered the time of the year when we need to be concerned with fly speck and sooty blotch. I’ve also seen apple scab in some more orchards. Keep your trees protected with a fungicide. I like the idea of mixing Captan with one of the phosphate fungicides (such as Aliette). This combination is supposed to be as effective as Captan plus Topsin M and also extends protection from summer diseases to three weeks, similar to Captan plus Topsin M. Captan is supposed to protect for two weeks.
Wes Autio, at Thursday night’s twilight meeting, talked about this early season and harvest times. He said that this early season is similar to 1991. In 1991 he did a lot of reading to learn about an early season and harvest times. What he learned from reading and the 1991 season is that early maturing varieties will probably be ready about 10 days early. McIntosh and similar time maturing varieties will probably be about 4-5 days early; late season varieties such as Red & Golden Delicious will be right on schedule. This does seem like a season where growers may want to use Retain to delay ripening.
As I said earlier, I will be away next week so there will be no message next week. I’ll write a new message the week of June 28th. Have a good week.

Heather