Post on 31-Oct-2020
Organic Solutions for Small Fruits-
A Research Summary
Marybel Soto
Carolyn Teasdale and Lena Syrovy
E.S. Cropconsult Ltd
Outline
• The wonderful world of berries
• Strawberry: - Spider mite control with predator mites
• Cranberry:- Fireworm control with Entrust & T. sibericum
- Perennial weed control with horticultural vinegar
• Blueberry: - Mummyberry control with organic fungicides
The Berry WorldA different kind of crop:
Opportunities:
Perennial
Health Direct marketing U-pick
Challenges
Pollination
Insects & Mites
Biocontrols
Cultural controls
Chemical controls
Physical controls
Disease Weeds
Organic Pest Management for Berries
• Lack of tools for organic production
• Pests are a major barrier for
transitioning to organics
• Conventional growers also interested
in reduced-risk pest controls
• Our trials are part of industry
funded efforts to develop protocols
for organic & reduced-risk production
Outline
• The wonderful world of berries
• Strawberry: - Spider mite control with predator mites
(Funding by FVSGA + LMHIA)
• Cranberry:- Fireworm control with Entrust & T. sibericum
- Perennial weed control with horticultural vinegar
• Blueberry: - Mummyberry control with organic fungicides
Strawberry Pests• Short term perennial crop (3 year life)
• Difficult to grow organic strawberries in the
Fraser Valley due to wet spring weather
and fruit rot pathogens
• Annual and perennial weeds
• High pest pressure during bloom from lygus
and thrips which directly damage fruit
• Pests that affect plant vigor: weevils,
aphids, virus, root rot, and two-spotted
spider mites
Mites in Strawberries
• Two-spotted spider mites, Tetranychus urticae, are a major strawberry pest (and many other crops)
• Amblyseius (Neoseiulus) fallacis is the most prevalent native predator of spider mites (Raworth 1990)
• A. fallacis is active earlier in the spring and later in the fall than other natural enemies (Raworth 1990)
• A. fallacis are commercially available
• Historically growers have released A. fallacis into new transplant fields in late August
• In Oregon, A. fallacis are released in June
Mites in Strawberries
Research objective:
• Compare the efficacy of early (June) vs. late (August) releases
• To monitor the efficacy of predator mite releases
Methodology• 6 newly transplanted
strawberry fields
• Predator mite releases: - 3 fields in June- 3 fields in August
• Mite populations monitored weekly from June to September, and the following April to May
1 acre
treated
1 acre
control
Spider Mite Levels: No Effect of Release Timing
0
5
10
15
20
25
Aug-20 Aug-27 Sept 3
date
me
an
nu
mb
er
of
sp
ide
r
mit
es
pe
r le
af
trip
let
± s
.e. Early Control
Early Treated
0
5
10
15
20
25
Aug-20 Aug-27 Sept 3
date
me
an
nu
mb
er
of
sp
ide
r
mit
es
pe
r le
af
trip
let
± s
.e. Late Control
Late Treated
EARLY LATE
Predator Mite Levels: No Effect of Release Timing
0
1
2
Aug-20 Aug-27 Sept 3
date
me
an
nu
mb
er
of
pre
da
tor
mit
es
pe
r le
af
trip
let
± s
.e.
Late Control
Late Treated
0
1
2
Aug-20 Aug-27 Sept 3
date
me
an
nu
mb
er
of
pre
da
tor
mit
es
p
er
lea
f tr
iple
t ±
s.e
.
Early Control
Early Treated
EARLY LATE
Conclusions• Are predator mites effective???
• Many scientific studies support their efficacy √
• Difficult to demonstrate efficacy in the field X- Large baseline population of predator mites in fields
- Unknown fate after their release
- Poor establishment?
- Rapid dispersal?
• Our suggestions for growers √- Monitor for native predator presence & impact- Planning a release? Work with your biocontrol supplier to monitor efficacy release- Split application?
Outline
• The wonderful world of berries
• Strawberry: - Spider mite control with predator mites
• Cranberry:- Fireworm control with Entrust & T. sibericum
Funding by: OSDP + OFRF + Fraserland Organics)- Perennial weed control with horticultural vinegar
• Blueberry: - Mummyberry control with organic fungicides
Cranberry Pests
• Long-term perennial crop (30 year life)
• Cranberries form matted vines making
them a unique growing environment
• Chemigation is widely used
• Disease pressure is relatively
low in the Fraser Valley
• Annual & perennial weeds
are a major issue
• Soil-dwelling pests: girdler & weevils
• Above-ground pests: tipworm,
Sparganothis fruitworm, & fireworm
Fireworm Lifecycle & Damage
APRIL MAY JUNE JULY AUGUST SEPTEMBER
Organic Control of Fireworm• Entrust (spinosad) is an organically
registered insecticide for several crops
in Canada (potato, pome fruits, corn)
• Efficacy against fireworm if applied with
a backpack sprayer (E.S. Cropconsult 2006)
• The native wasp Tricogramma sibericum can parasitize up to 93% of overwintering eggs
(D. Henderson 2002)
• Its efficacy against spring eggs
has not been assessed
• Develop a strategy to use a combination of
both controls effectively
Organic Control of FirewormResearch objective:
• Test the efficacy of Entrust applied via chemigation
• Assess levels of Trichogramma parasitism on fireworm
eggs laid in the spring
http://www.bccranberrygrowers.com/gallery/pests.htm
Fireworm Lifecycle
APRIL MAY JUNE JULY AUGUST SEPTEMBER
1st
Entrust spray
2nd
Entrust spray
Methodology – Larval Control with Entrust
• Treatments: (1) Control (2) Entrust
Oregon farm Delta farmRate: 2.1 oz / acre Rate: 3 oz / acre
Water: 550 gallons Water: 785 gallonsTime: 3 hr and 45 min Time: 27 min
Pressure:1000 - 1800 g / min
Count before Count after
Treatment
Entrust significantly increased kill
0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
Entrust Control
Pro
po
rtio
n o
f d
ea
d la
rva
e P = 0.037Oregon
Delta
0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
Entrust Control
Pro
po
rtio
n o
f d
ea
d la
rva
e P = 0.02Delta
Follow-up Trial
• Field - wide Entrust spray Delta farm:
Rate: 2.5 oz / acre
Water: 53 gallons
Time: 7 min
• The kill rate was ~ 70%
• Efficacy was hindered by mature larvae presence & clogged sprinklers
Conclusions
• Entrust applied via chemigation has efficacy against fireworm √
• Checklist:
- Know your irrigation system √
- Avoid the risk of diluting Entrust! √
- Ensure all sprinkler heads work √
- Scout weekly for young larvae √
Fireworm Lifecycle
APRIL MAY JUNE JULY AUGUST SEPTEMBER
1st
Entrust spray
SpringTrichogramma
release
2nd
Entrust spray
Fall Trichogramma
release
Methodology - Biocontrol for eggsPlots:
Assessment:
More parasitized eggs in biocontrol release plots
0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
Trichogramma Control
Pro
po
rtio
n o
f p
ara
sit
ize
d
eg
gs
P < 0.001
Conclusion• Spring release + Fall release = promising control for fireworm eggs √
• Can be used as part of a multi-pronged control against fireworm √
• Trichogramma release & Entrust spray do not overlap √
• Trichogramma is not commercially available X- Grower demand could encourage its mass production
• Entrust is not registered for fireworm yet X-It will be in the next 2 years
Outline
• The wonderful world of berries
• Strawberry: - Spider mite control with predator mites
- Lygus control with NeemAzal
• Cranberry:- Fireworm control with Entrust & T. sibericum
- Perennial weed control with horticultural vinegar
(Funding by: OSDP + Fraserland Organics)
• Blueberry: - Weevil control with nematodes & Metarhizium anisopliae
- Mummyberry control with organic fungicides
Perennial Weed Control
• Horticultural vinegars are organicapproved in Canada and U.S.
• Previous trials in cranberries show:
-weakens common perennial weeds:blackberry, juncus & false lily-of-the-valley(E.S. Cropconsult 2006; Patten 2007)
-efficacy is influenced by: weed species & size, number of applications(Stein and Rumsey, 2008; Webber and Shrefler,
2006; Chinery, 2002)
• Crop injury due to vinegarhas been recorded (E.S. Cropconsult 2006; Patten 2007)
Perennial Weed Control
Research Objective:
• Level of crop damage
• Evaluate the efficacy of application frequency:
- 1x vs. 6x
• Different application methods:
-Foliar spray vs. foliar spray + basal root drench
Research Methodology• 5 treatments (GroTek Elimaweed 30% acetic acid by Green Star Plant
Products diluted in water to 4% concentration)
Treatment June 29
Assess
July 6 July 15
Assess
July 21 July 30 August 6
Assess
Untreated
Control (water)
X X X X X X
Foliar + basal (1x) X X X X X X
Foliar (1x) X X X X X X
Foliar + basal (6x) X X X X X X
Foliar (6x) X X X X X X
More Cranberry Damage with Repeat Foliar Application
• Highest vine damage: 6x foliar sprays
• No significant difference between Control & 6x foliar + basal drench
• Reducing the amount of product applied to weeds via
foliage will help reduce damage to cranberry vines
1 3 4
Better weed control with repeat applications
1 3 5
P=xxxx
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
4
4.5
5
Pre treatment Mid treatment End of treatment
me
an
we
ed
co
ntr
ol ra
tin
g (/5
)Control
Basal Drench + Foliar (1x)
Foliar Only (1x)
Basal Drench + Foliar (6x)
Foliar Only (6x)
P <0.0001
Control Affected by Weed Species
Good:
Moderate:
Poor:
Impact of Soil Type
• Vinegar works better on sandy than heavier soils (Patten 2007)
• Soil composition: 61.6% silt and clay
21.2% organic matter
17.2% sand
• Level of weed control was likely affected by soil composition
• No difference in final pH between Control & 6x plots (foliar) – 6.0
Conclusions
• Vinegar is a good “burn-down” product for some perennial weeds √` in cranberry bogs
• We recommend a split application (foliar + basal root drench) as it √causes less cranberry vine damage than a solely foliar spray
• Our future work:
-More consecutive vinegar applications for better control
of hardier weeds like juncus & woody stem plants
-Assessing damage levels in other crops
Outline
• The wonderful world of berries
• Strawberry:- Spider mite control with predator mites
• Cranberry:- Fireworm control with Entrust & T. sibericum
- Perennial weed control with horticultural vinegar
• Blueberry: - Mummyberry control with organic fungicides
(Funding by: COABC, OSDP, BCBC)
Blueberry Pests
• Blueberries are attacked
by several insect pests
• Also susceptible to numerous fungal,
bacterial & viral pathogens
• Fungal diseases are the most
common but also the most treatable
• Interest in organic production is rising
• Organically-approved fungicides
are now available!
Organic Mummyberry Control
Research objective:
Evaluate the efficacy of organic controls
for mummyberry on blueberries
Organic Mummyberry Control• Monolinia vaccinii-corymbosi
• Fungal disease that can significantly reduce yield
• Ascospores are released from mummyberries on the ground and infect foliage at bud break
• Spores are spread from infected leaves by wind and bees to the open flowers
• Infected berries prematurely turn pink
• Infected berries turn white and fall off the bushes
• Once established, disease cycle is difficult to break
Methodology
Seven treatments:1. Actinovate – Streptomyces lydicus2. Serenade Max – Bacillus subtilis3. Serenade ASO – Bacillus subtilis4. Sonata – Bacillus pumilis5. Topas - propiconazole (conventional industry standard)6. Funginex - triforine (conventional industry standard)7. Untreated control
Treatment and Assessment
Sprays were applied weekly for 5 weeks
Flower and leaf infections were counted on each pair of plants in May
All organic products were effective
0.00.51.01.52.02.53.03.54.0
Fungi
nex
Topas
Ser
enad
e Aso
Ser
enad
e M
ax
Sonat
a Act
inov
ate
Con
trol
treatment
me
an
# o
f m
um
my
be
rry
infe
cti
on
s o
n 2
pla
nts
± s
.e.
aa
a
a
b
a a
p < 0.001
All organic products were effective
0.00.51.01.52.02.53.03.54.0
Fungi
nex
Topas
Ser
enad
e Aso
Ser
enad
e M
ax
Sonat
a Act
inov
ate
Con
trol
treatment
me
an
# o
f m
um
my
be
rry
infe
cti
on
s o
n 2
pla
nts
± s
.e.
aa
a
a
b
a a
p < 0.001
Conclusions
• All products provided some suppression of mummyberry √
• Serenade products are very promising and available √- Begin sprays at bud break (2-5mm of new green tissue)
- Spray weekly for 5 weeks
Organic Berry Toolbox
Predator Mites - available
Serenade - available
Trichogramma- in the near future???
Vinegar - available
Entrust – available in 1-2 yrs Nematodes-available
AcknowledgementsTracy Heuppelsheuser, BCMAL
Mark Sweeney, BCMAL
Dr. Gary Judd, AAFC
Dr. Gerhard Gries, SFU
Tom Baumann, Expert Agriculture Team
Renee Prasad, E.S. Cropconsult Ltd.
Amanda Brown, E.S. Cropconsult Ltd.
Alf Krause, Krause Farms
Ed McKim, McKim Farms
Kevin Husband, Emma Lea Farms
Harvey Krause, South Alder Farms
Henry and David Mutz, Berry Haven Farms
Rhonda Driediger and Rick Giesbrecht,
Driediger Farms
Abbotsford Growers Cooperative
Dave Ducek, Fraserland Farms
Terry Bremner, Bremner Farms
Mary Margaret & David Smith, Winsmuir Farm
Lisa Jarett, Dow
Jimmy Gaskin, Gaskin FarmsPat Harrison, Historic Collishaw FarmMark Sweeney, BCMALRenee Prasad, Heather Meberg, Lena Syrovy, Karina Sakalauskas, Brock Glover, Emily Carmichael, Amanda Brown, E.S. Cropconsult Ltd.BC Blueberry CouncilOrganic Sector Development Program