Hi everyone.
My name is Hector Jaldo, and I am your NEW Berry Specialist, I already have the pleasure of meeting some of you and looking forward to travelling
to the province to meet others. I will try to catch up and visit as many
farmers as possible this season. In the meantime, if you have a problem, please
reach out, send me some pictures by email (hjaldo@perennia.ca) or text (902-599-7027).
As background, I came to Nova Scotia from Argentina 13 years
ago to work for a local company to develop substrate production for
strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries. Prior to that, I used to collaborate
with my family on a lemon and boysenberry farm. I developed my career focusing on
pest control to help the farm with day-to-day problems and later I worked in
different institutions doing research and extension, focusing on IPM first and
to become a berry specialist later.
Keen to see how things are going in the fields so far this
season, I did some field visits last week. Below are my comments about the crops
for this time of the year.
DISEASES
Strawberries
The weather has been up and down on temperatures, humidity
and frost, those give us favorable conditions for different diseases, with all
the blossoms and green fruits it is important that you have them protected. Powdery
Mildew (white mold) does not need the rain to develop; warm weather and
medium-to-high humidity is enough. First spores normally are in the middle of
the crowns and old leaves, so if you see some symptoms with just a quick view, it means that
the disease has been developing for a while already. Flowers are infected in
their initial stages on the way out through the leaves, prevention is a key for
this disease (Fig:1-2). After the rain, you can assume that some Botrytis
(grey mold) will show up too. Botrytis is a weak fungus, it normally starts
its development in the wet petals (rain or dew) and as the tissue dies, creates
conditions to start rotting the fruit (Fig. 3). Please, depends on your situation,
have your crop covered with a group 7, 7+11 or 9+12 fungicide. Pesticide
information can be found here: https://www.perennia.ca/onlinepestmanagementguide/
Figure 1: Front: No Powdery Mildew
Figure 2: Back with Powdery Mildew
Figure 3: Botrytis
Highbush Blueberries
After a rainy weekend and with the blossoms starting to show
up from early pink bud to early bloom (Fig. 4-5), we want to have them
protected. The use of fungicides with group of action 7+11 or 9+12 is
recommended to protect you against Botrytis, Anthracnose
and any possible Monilinia infection that could have escaped your
previous applications.
Figure 4: Early pink bud
Figure 5: Early Blossom
Raspberries and blackberries
After the winter and pruning, fungicides to protect your new
growing is recommended. Botrytis development on the buds could be
serious. Please refer to our guides selecting your product, read the label
before application, group 7, 7+11 or 9+12 would be recommended.
As we move into warm, and drier weather, insects’ pests may
become more of a concern in all crops.
It is important this time of year to be scouting for insects to target
management.
REMINDER
Please, always calibrate your equipment, check your coverage under the leaves and in the middle of the crowns (strawberries), see the pictures when you don’t have good coverage (Fig.2-3) and read the label to add a surfactant if needed it, that will increase your efficiency.
Please use the Farm Data Tool and the crop guides to explore the right solution for you and reach out if you have any doubts.
https://www.farmdatatools.perennia.ca/
https://www.perennia.ca/agriculture/commodity-information/