I saw my first (and only) scab lesion of the season yesterday, May 11 – it was barely a lesion and not worth taking a picture. The lesion is probably from the apple scab infection period of April 25^th. I expect more lesions to appear soon in orchards that were not protected with a fungicide during that infection period and the infection periods that followed. We are still in primary scab season so keep your trees protected with fungicides.

Insect activity has been very slow, except for winter moth caterpillars. Most orchards and blueberry plantings don’t have a winter moth problem, but I have seen a few blueberry plantings with too many winter moth caterpillars. It’s not too late to check your apple, pear, and blueberry plants for winter moth caterpillars. Caterpillars may be in flowers, or inside curled leaves, or tied between two leaves. You will probably need to pry apart leaves or flower parts to find caterpillars.

There will be (hopefully, still waiting approval) an in-person twilight meeting at Belchertown, MA on May 19^th! Information is below and preregistration is required. There is also an online New Hampshire twilight meeting on May 19^th. Information below the UMass info. There are also other pre-recorded webinars on pesticide safety produced by UNH, where you can get pesticide credits. This information is at the bottom.

You should all sign up for the UMass Healthy Fruit Newsletter! It’s a bargain at $65!

UMass Twilight Meeting:

Hello all,

PENDING FINAL UMASS APPROVAL…
The UMass Extension Fruit Team will be holding its first-in-a-while IN PERSON Twilight Meeting, May 19, 2021 at the UMass Cold Spring Research Orchard from 4:00pm to 5:30pm. Since this is our first in post-COVID in-person meeting, please bear in mind there will be some new protocols in place. For example, food will not be provided, the University will require masks and social distancing, and we will be requiring symptom screening*. We are looking forward to seeing you all!

Pre registration is required.

Please use the following link to pre-register for this meeting:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/15a-U_seC5nnsSvPeeJjorDSLdeR9Gg-youYHctwdeKc/edit

Agenda (walking times may vary):

4:00 Fruit Team introductions.

4:10 The walking tour will begin at the parking lot and make its way down to “X-block”. We will stop in X-block to discuss: camera imaging, apple scab and various insect attract and kill methods. Along the way we will pass other research projects and invite you to pause to look at these and ask questions of the lead researchers who will be on hand to answer questions.

4:45 We will begin making our way back up to the main orchard building. On the way back, we will stop by a pear block to discuss psylla research being conducted. We will also pass the blackberry planting where new SWD trapping methods are being tested.

If you wish to request accessibility accommodations for this event, please use the form found here: https://www.umass.edu/disability/events

5:00 Arrive back at the main orchard building. Question and Answer session.

5:30 Adjourn.

*Provided the University approves the request for this meeting, you will receive an email with another google form containing COVID symptom self check questions. By filling this form out in advance, we can streamline the check in process and spend more of the meeting time on fruit production related issues.

UNH Twilight Meeting:

Please consider joining us for our next Tree Fruit (Virtual) Twilight meeting on May 19^th from 6-8 pm. All of the details and registration link can be found here:

https://extension.unh.edu/events/new-hampshire-tree-fruit-twilight-meeting-webinar

UNH Pre-recorded webinars on pesticide safety:

My name is Rachel Maccini, I am the Pesticide Safety Education Program, Coordinator with UNH Extension. We have created and have received approval for recertification credits on 11 online Pesticide Safety courses. The courses are focused on important pesticide related topics. The courses are available to all certified pesticide applicators throughout New England and have been approved by Pennsylvania’s State Lead Agency as well. Because New England has reciprocity with each NE state, if a state lead agency has approved an event, workshop, course and/or meeting it will be accepted in other NE states, we are hopeful you will offer these opportunities to your clientele. The courses are located on the eXtension website and can be accessed 24 hours a day. Each course is designed to be interactive, keeping the student engaged while involving them in the learning. The courses cost between $20-$40 per course (depending on the topic). Once the course is complete the student will take an assessment in which they will need to pass before a certificate of completion is awarded.

https://extension.unh.edu/blog/recertification-credits-online

Topics available to pesticide applicators:
Calculations for Mixing the Right amount of Pesticides Category Right of Way
Calculations for Mixing the Right amount of Pesticides Category Structural Pest Control
Calculations for Mixing the Right amount of Pesticides Category Turf
Welcome to Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Recertification Course
New Hampshire’s Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Recertification Course
New Hampshire’s Pesticide Hazards and First Aid first aid route of entry Recertification Course
New Hampshire’s Label and Labeling Recertification Course
New Hampshire’s Storage and Disposal Recertification Course
New Hampshire’s Backpack Sprayer – Part One Recertification Course
New Hampshire’s Backpack Sprayer – Part Two Recertification Course
Worker Protection Standard (WPS)

Heather