- Author: Mark Bolda
A summary of the last year's soil health symposium sponsored by the California Department of Pesticide Regulation was recently posted:
http://www.cdpr.ca.gov/docs/pestmgt/strawberry/work_group/action_plan.pdf
This symposium is a result of one of the recommendations made in the "Nonfumigant Strawberry Production Working Group Action" plan which was about developing alternative strategies as the industry transitions away from traditional pre-plant fumigation.
http://www.cdpr.ca.gov/docs/pestmgt/white_paper_final.pdf
Key takeaway from the summary:
There is a sense of frustration expressed in the paper that our understanding of soil biology has not kept pace with fumigant research. The hope is that from here on out smart policy and well directed research funding that increases scientific knowledge of soil health can lead to the development of IPM solutions for soils and result of less fumigant use.
To wit, a total of 9 recommendations are given as research priorities, including the development of diagnostic tools to monitor soil health, establishment of economic thresholds for soil pests and pathogens, identification of components of crop plant root exudates which shape microbial communities and consequently develop strategies to enhance the growth of these beneficial microbes. Facilitation of dialog, perhaps through some sort of online format, between growers, researchers and regulatory agencies is also given as a priority.
- Author: Mark Bolda
Great reminder from UCCE colleague David Doll on thinking about changing your sprayer nozzles this winter. Great point made here on the loss of money from using worn nozzles that spray more than what you are expecting. Looks like they use about $200 of pesticides per acre in almonds, so the 5% extra going through the worn nozzles comes out to be $10 per acre. If he thinks that's a lot for almonds, David should look at how much is potentially being lost here in strawberries!
The average spray bill per acre for strawberries is over $1000, so a 5% loss per acre from worn nozzles comes out to be $50 per acre x 30 acres for the average farm = $1500. That's way too much money to be losing for something as small as worn out nozzles.
I can't agree with David more - check your spray nozzles!
- Author: Mark Bolda
For those of you of who haven't received the notification for this meeting, it is really one to consider going.
Presentations and posters by top University and industry scientists on a wide variety of topics, yours truly has like four. Well worth the time and money for anybody involved in strawberry production and research.
Announcement included in the pdf below, if you register before December 31 there is an early bird discount.
2015 North American Strawberry Symposium
- Author: Mark Bolda
In case you didn't know this already, but Americans have really been eating a lot more berries than they used to. According the article linked below, raspberry consumption has increased 475% from 2000 to 2012, and consumption of strawberries is up 60% in the same timeframe.
Interestingly, since volume of fresh fruit consumed per person in the USA is basically flat in this 12 year period at 48 lbs per year, this means that berries are making up a increasing share of the total, with apples (down 9%), oranges (down 9%) and bananas (down 11%) taking the hit.
The best part of the article is the explanation of why this is happening. It says it's because berry farmers have figured out how to grow more berries and better berries.
Read the article, it's good:
- Author: Mark Bolda
- Author: Chris Matthews
As readers of this space already know, the utility of fall applied lime sulfur for controlling redberry mites in blackberries has been questioned. Previous collaborative work has shown that 3-4 applications of Golden Pest Spray oil at a dilution of 1.2 – 2% volume to volume applied at the 50% green fruit stage in the spring is the most effective way to control this pest in blackberry.
This past year, the authors partnered to test the thesis that fall applied lime sulfur, with and without flowable sulfur, would not have an effect on total redberry mite infestation later on in the season. The trial consisted of each treatment (no winter application, 15 gal/A lime sulfur applied twice, and 15 gal/A lime sulfur + 10 lb/A flowable sulfur applied twice) being replicated four times. In turn, each treatment replicate plot was composed of three side by side 250 foot long tunnels, with each tunnel covering three rows of blackberries (meaning each treatment replicate had nine rows of blackberries).
First application of 15 gal of lime sulfur and 15 gal of lime sulfur + 10 lbs wettable sulfur was made November 18, 2013 and the second application of the same was made January 17, 2014. In the spring, two applications each were made of of wettable sulfur (12 lbs per acre) and Golden Pest Spray oil (1.5% to 2%). All other crop and pest management procedures were made as necessary to the maintenance of the crop.
Starting June 29 and continuing weekly through the end of July for a total of six evaluations, total number of marketable fruit and redberry mite fruit were counted in a four foot long section of each three tunnel replicate plot. Statistical evaluation was done as a percentage redberry mite infested fruit compared to total amount of fruit.
As the reader can see from the data presentation below, lime sulfur used either alone or lime sulfur applied with sulfur had no effect on redberry mite incidence in the field in this study. While it is to be noted that this is a single trial run in a drought year, it nevertheless adds a good data set to the consideration of the question of the utility of fall sulfur applications for redberry mite.
Evaluation date |
%RBM affected fruit 6-29-2014 |
%RBM affected fruit 7-3-2014 |
%RBM affected fruit 7-10-2014 |
%RBM affected fruit 7-17-2014 |
%RBM affected fruit 7-24-2014 |
%RBM affected fruit 7-31-2014 |
No Winter Treatment |
2.66 |
2.66 |
3.32 |
5.01 |
12.50 |
11.99 |
15 gal/acre lime sulfur |
1.70 |
2.81 |
3.25 |
7.23 |
9.44 |
16.93 |
15 gal/acre lime sulfur + 10 lb/acre flowable sulfur |
1.94 |
3.20 |
3.73 |
7.69 |
11.82 |
13.06 |
None of the means of the percentages of redberry mite infested fruit differ significantly at the 5% level.