Weather conditions have been very good this week for drying of apothecia cups. In many areas mature cups are drying up. Many fields in the central region do appear to be ahead of normal development.
However, fields that have just reached the 40-50% stage of development (within the last week) would still be susceptible for infection, particularly with the forecasted weather for the weekend. Mummy berries would still be producing cups and spores in late developing ground.
Growers should be starting to think about Botrytis controls and thinking about bringing in their pollinators in the next week or so. Remember, always use caution and check with your beekeeper when spraying anything around bees. If you have to spray, spray in the evening to minimize contact with pollinators.
The risk for Botrytis is highest in coastal areas or areas that receive regular fog/wet periods. Weedy and denser canopy fields tend to be more susceptible to greater impacts from Botrytis infection. refer to the wild blueberry pest management guide for registered products http://www.perennia.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Wild-Blueberry-Pest-Guide-2018.pdf
Always check with your buyer to see what is allowable for their markets.
The next update will be late in the day on Tuesday, May 22nd.