After a wet start to the season, California growers are welcoming a more normal weather pattern. Crops that were behind are catching up. Yet, as temperatures start to rise, there are disease and insect pressures to watch for going into the summer months.
Arysta LifeScience offers some insights into what growers and PCAs should watch for — and solutions to keep their crops healthy.
GRAPES
The abundance of early spring rains could set the stage for higher-than-normal outbreaks of disease pressures. Preventative fungicide treatments are a necessity to get ahead of Botrytis bunch rot and Powdery mildew. Products including PH-D®, ELEVATE® and PROCURE® Fungicides provide effective disease control while preserving grape growers' fungicide options for years to come.
May and June could also be big months for mites in grapes.
“They’re the most destructive pests in grapes,” says Darin Allred, Technical Sales Support, Arysta LifeScience. “Pest mites such as the two-spotted spider and European red mite typically like hot, dry weather. We’re encouraging growers to scout frequently during these optimal periods to determine when infestations reach threshold levels.”
Use the right miticide at the right time, Allred advises, and make sure you check these boxes when selecting a miticide:
- Effective on multiple species
- Controls at all life stages
- Easy on beneficials
- Excellent crop safety
- Unique class of chemistry
- Easy to use
- Short re-entry and pre-harvest intervals
NUT CROPS
Warmer weather could also mean mite pressure in nut crops as early as late May or early June. Once established, the pest can be difficult to eliminate, so quick and effective treatment before populations skyrocket is the best way to minimize potential damage.
The same qualities of a good miticide that Allred outlined for grapes also apply in almonds and walnuts. Solutions from Arysta LifeScience include:
- VIGILANT® Miticide, which can be applied at the first sign of pests, is soft on beneficials, offers excellent residual control, as well as knockdown of all life stages of target mites.
- KANEMITE® Miticide, a great option that provides control and knockdown of two-spotted spider mites and Pacific spider mites throughout the season and features a 7-day PHI, allowing for excellent end of season treatment.
- OMITE® Miticide, an excellent rescue treatment targeting mites wherever they hide, features three routes of entry into the spider mites — contact, residual and inhalation.
STRAWBERRIES
Nic Vanherweg, technical sales specialist in the southwest part of California, says he has seen minimal mite pressure in strawberries so far this year. But that could change.
“The wet spring slowed down mite pressure, but that is expected to change once the temperatures start to increase,” Vanherweg says.
With constant pressure all the way into September, treating for mites requires extra diligence. Vanherweg points to solutions from Arysta LifeScience: ACRAMITE®, VIGILANT and KANEMITE Miticides.
Vanherweg also recommends that strawberry growers be on the alert for insect pressures such as lygus. For insect control, RIMON® Insecticide takes out immature lygus, thrips and sap beetles before they become an issue in strawberries. RIMON is also easy on beneficial insects and predator mites, so it won’t cause secondary pest outbreaks or flare spider mites, and it boasts long residual and broad-spectrum control.
VEGETABLE CROPS
“The wet weather slowed down planting for many vegetables,” Vanherweg says, “but growers are catching up now. As far as disease pressures, we’ll have to see if there is significant spore load in the fields.”
Scouting will help identify any potential issues. PH-D Fungicide can be applied any time between May and September for preventative and curative control of a variety of crop diseases.
“The exciting news here is we have registration in California for PH-D Fungicide for Sclerotinia in lettuce and Septoria leaf spot and Late blight in celery,” he says.
PH-D provides excellent control of diseases that decrease crop quality and yield in a variety of crops, and is now labeled for use in additional crops. The fungicide contains the active ingredient polyoxin-D zinc salt and controls a variety of fungi and diseases, including Septoria spot, Septoria leaf spot and Sclerotinia, all of which are problem diseases in California crop production.
“Another major benefit of PH-D is that it provides a new mode of action (FRAC 19) that growers can rotate into their spray program,” Vanherweg says.
On the insect side of the equation, agronomists are expecting another heavy infestation year for the diamondback moth. It’s the most destructive pest of cabbage and other cruciferous vegetables. The pest can overwinter and breed continuously, producing as many as 15 generations per year.
“Last year was a bad year for diamondback moth, and it looks like this year will be equally as bad,” Vanherweg says.
RIMON Insecticide is a broad-spectrum larvicide and ovicide that features a long residual for effective control of eggs, larvae and nymphs. RIMON can be tank-mixed with other insecticides for control of adult species.
It’s a new crop year, and Arysta LifeScience has the tools for a productive season. To learn more about the portfolio of products for field vegetables, berries, tree and nut crops and more, contact your local Arysta LifeScience representative, PCA or crop protection retailer.
