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Week 31: Tom Peerbolt
Week 31: Tom Peerbolt
Week 31
TOM PEERBOLT
July 31, 2019 Northwest Berry Foundation
THIS ISSUE SWD continues to be the biggest threat to our berry crops as we move
into August. Take all precautions possible. These include:
Regional Field Reports
• Shortening intervals between insecticide applications.
Blueberry Development • Cutting back/eliminating Himalayan blackberries in border habitat.
• Picking more often.
Industry Calendar • Optimizing insecticide coverage—especially bush interiors where
SWD will likely hang out.
Iudustry News • Sampling fruit in the field for early detection of problems, concen-
trating on ‘hot-spots’ where SWD have been previously found.
Pests & Disease • Treating adjacent fields that are done harvesting. Especially varieties
that tend to have leftover fruit like Legacy.
Crop Management
Again—here’s some pointers for fruit sampling for SWD larvae—This is
the primary tool we use in checking fields to determine SWD status.
SUBSCRIBE • Here’s the ‘official’ method: ‘A filter Method for Improved
Monitoring of Drosophila suzukii Larvae in Fruit’
• Here are two links from B.C. demonstrating variations on the
protocol that are a little less formal:
• Testing fruit quality in the field (one minute video)
• Saltwater assessments for SWD larvae in fruit
“The red flags I see are the same ones industry sees...We can’t afford
Northwest Berry Foundation to sell below production costs. We need to innovate where it makes
is a 501c3 with the mission sense. We have to deliver products consumers are willing to purchase
to support a more sustainable and provide producers with a reasonable rate of return. The producers
Northwestern berry industry are the ones taking the big risk. There is no single solution, whether
through research, education, it is research, marketing or producing a new cultivar.” (Western
and reducing food waste. Innovator: A proponent of fruit research, 7/26 Capital Press)
The Small Fruit Update is an Yes, we’ve got plenty of ‘red flags’ and plenty of work to do. We also
industry newsletter produced produce great products and possess a solid base of expertise in research,
weekly and supported entirely marketing and production on which to expand and compete.
by the region’s growers
Have a good week,
through their regional berry
commissions. Tom
R EG I O N A L F I E L D R E P O RTS 2
Raspberries: We will wrap up at the end of this week for Meeker, Chemainus and Rudi varieties. Wakefield
will carry on for a while yet. The mild, damp July weather really saved this crop from being a bust.
WASHINGTON
Tuesday July 30th
Blueberries: "One thing I can say about our diverse blueberry industry this year is yields are heavy, berry
size is large, and the quality is excellent," Washington Blueberry Commission president Alan Schreiber. Listen
to his full interview at Fruit Bites:
Blueberries: Our temperate harvest weather continues with a little warmup into the mid 80’s this past
week. Dukes are finished, Drapers are well past peak as are Top Shelf, Bluecrop and a lot of other mid-sea-
son varieties. Liberty, Legacy are now picking consistently. Aurora’s are showing some shrivel and sunburn
on the ripening fruit. Main problem area remains the high SWD pressure. Probably moderated some by these
warmer temps but really need to stay on the management. Some great quality and quantities of blueberries
B LU E B E R RY B U D D E V E LO PM E N T 3
Willamette Valley, Oregon: Week 30
Photos are from the same fields and taken close to the same day each year.
AUGUST 7
OSU CANEBERRY FIELD DAY
1pm - 3pm. North Willamette Research and Extension Center, 15210 NE Miley Road, Aurora, Oregon. For
more information contact 503-678-1264 x110. Go here for the agenda
SEPTEMBER 4
WASHINGTON RED RASPBERRY COMMISSION MEETING
1pm - 5pm. 204 Hawley St., Lynden, WA.
SEPTEMBER 10
OREGON RASPBERRY & BLACKBERRY COMMISSION MEETING
10:30am - 2:30pm. Hayden's Lakefront Grill, 8187 SW Tualatin-Sherwood Rd, Tualatin, OR 97062
SEPTEMBER 27 - NOVEMBER 10
ONLINE BLUEBERRY PHYSIOLOGY, PRODUCTION SYSTEMS &
MANAGEMENT
6-week course taught by Bernadine Strik. For more information and to register go here.
OCTOBER 17
RASPBERRY & BLUEBERRY RESEARCH REVIEWS 10am - 4pm.at Mt Vernon
WSU. Email Alan Schrieber for more information.
DECEMBER 2-3
ANNUAL CONFERENCE
FOR THE NORTHWEST
CENTER FOR SMALL
FRUITS RESEARCH
Save the date! Details to come.
DECEMBER 4-6
SMALL FRUIT
CONFERENCE & LYNDEN
AG SHOW
Go here for more information and to
register.
DECEMBER 4-6
WASHINGTON
RED RASPBERRY
COMMISSION ANNUAL
MEETING
8:00 AM , 204 Hawley St. Lynden, WA
FEB 3
OREGON BLUEBERRY
CONFERENCE
Grand Hotel, Salem, OR Go here for
more details and to register.
I N D U ST RY N E WS 5
Highlights Technology
Blueberries in Charts: Higher market volumes lead to Delta Trak showcases next-gen mini loggers (7/25, The
price cuts (7/30, Fresh Fruit Portal) Packer)
Michigan blueberries thriving (7/30, Brownfield) 99 Precision ag tech ready for takeoff in specialty crops
million lbs. this year… (7/22, Growing Produce)
Black raspberry harvest finishing up in Oregon (7/18, Michigan spotted wing drosophila update (7/24, MSU
Fresh Plaza) Extension)
Editorial: All pain no gain? (7/26, Ellsworth UAV-IQ and Koppert team up for drone-based aerial
American) Government, global markets & wild Maine biocontrol in California (7/25, Fresh Fruit Portal)
blueberries…
Organic
Food Safety Regulations
Produce growers changing to keep up with organic
California seeks small grower information for FSMA demand (7/22, The Produce News)
compliance (7/26, The Packer)
Labor
Food Safety
Washington high court sets farmworker overtime pay
Listeria in frozen food research nets Cornell professor hearing for October (7/30, Capital Press)
food safety award (7/25, Produce Processing)
Europe
Marketing
Blueberry prices plummet in Poland (7/17, Fresh Plaza)
Well-Pict sponsored article: Marketing berries to the
next generation (7/30, The Packer)
Trade
Driscoll’s wins award at PMA Foodservice (7/29, The
Packer) Potential Impacts of the ‘new NAFTA’ on Florida and
Georgia (7/25, VSC News)
California: Strawberry commission challenges
consumers (7/25, The Packer)
Companies
SCORCH VIRUS In blueberries.vector (aphid) manage- Shock virus 5/27/19, Jason Myer
ment (From an April, 2011 B.C. Pest Alert). Blueberry
scorch virus is transmitted by aphids. An effective aphid
control program should be used by all growers. Fields
should be treated before bloom with a registered aph-
icide to control the over-wintering aphids before they
reproduce and disperse.
Early detection is
key with SWD.
Outbreaks are
extremely hard
to control.