Monilinia infection risk is rapidly decreasing across the province.
Apothecial cups are drying up throughout most of central Nova Scotia. I have one report of a viable cup, but this is in a late field on Glasgow mountain. There will still be viable cups in late fields in the eastern parts of Mainland NS and Cape Breton.
We have had very sporadic, light rain over the past few days a very little rain is forecasted until Monday. It is unlikely there were any significant wet periods through the middle of this week for most regions.
If fields were treated this past weekend or early this week they are protected through the start of next week. For most areas of mainland NS this will cover you through the end of the Monilinia season.
If you did have a long wet period this week in your area, it would have been an infection period, particularly in late fields and in the eastern part of the province.
As we move into bloom, it is important to make plans to control Botrytis. Botrytis thrives on warm wet conditions. Our most commonly used controls (Switch and Pristine) need to be applied prior to infection. Ideally one of these products need to be applied early in bloom (before 40% open flower) and before an extended rainfall event. This is needed to prevent flower loss to Botrytis. Coastal and foggy areas may need a second application. If the season is very wet throughout bloom, inland fields may need a second application as well.
Talk to your beekeeper about which products you would like to use and for scheduling when the bees should be introduced.
I will be doing one last Monilinia update on Tuesday but will be continuing blog updates all summer. Also, I will be keeping the blight phone line updated, starting in mid July as we start trapping for Spotted Wing Drosphila "SWD". I will let growers know in what general areas we are catching the fly and when we are finding them.
