May 21 Conference Call Summary

John’s updates:
1. John is seeing less plum curculio than usual this time of year, possibly due to temperature extremes in early spring.
2. In orchards where oil wasn’t applied, John is seeing mite population levels that are way over threshold. Keep an eye on mites if you didn’t apply oil.
3. If you have young trees, John recommends putting up dogwood borer traps at this time.
4. John is finding scab lesions in association with the Apr 23 infection period.
Conversation Topics:
1. Lengths of time that scab lesions are active
2. Antisporulants
3. Projected end of primary scab season
4. Sulfur vs. lime sulfur
5. Plum curculio biofix
6. Spotted tentiform leaf miner and red banded leaf roller: relation of trap counts to future pest pressure.
7. Troubles with sensitivity of Specware sensors
8. Leaf rollers: effectiveness of control measures at different stages of larval development
9. Codling moth trap counts
If you would like to hear the call recording, dial (641) 985-5036, then enter the access code 516817. You will be able to hear the recording until it is replaced by the next week’s call. The next call will be held on Monday, May 28.