College of Agriculture & Natural Resources

• Managing mites in apples

  Published on July 1, 2014
  European red mites are the predominant mite pest species of Michigan apples, and without biological control, miticides are often needed to prevent economic injury.

• Michigan spotted wing Drosophila report for August 19, 2014

  Published on August 20, 2014
  Spotted wing Drosophila numbers continue to rise across the monitoring network. Protect susceptible crops where SWD are detected.

• ReTain and NAA recommendations for 2013

  Published on September 5, 2013
  Harvest management and stop drop are primary reasons growers use ReTain on apples, but there are many other benefits that ReTain can offer.

• 

  West central Michigan tree fruit update – June 6, 2017

  Published on June 6, 2017
  Updates on growing degree-days, fruit development stages, apple scab, cherry leaf spot, fire blight, plum curculio, oriental fruit moth, codling moth and stone fruit borers.

• Respirator guidelines to meet new Worker Protection Standards

  Published on April 10, 2017
  Growers will need a medical evaluation and respirator fit test to handle and apply some pesticides this season.

• 

  Pesticide applicator recertification credits available before the end of the year

  Published on October 4, 2018
  Growers needing a few more credits in 2018 have until Dec. 31 to complete the online Desire to Learn IPM course.

• Specialty crop and minor-use pesticide prioritization at the 2013 IR-4 Food Use Workshop

  Published on October 16, 2013
  Participants identified the most important research projects for the 2014 IR-4 food-use research program during the 2013 IR-4 Food Use Workshop in Albuquerque, N.M.

• Moving toward high density apple systems: Pruning and training demonstration on March 20

  Published on March 7, 2012
  Why growers should be moving towards high density systems, and a hands-on demonstration in northwest Michigan for pruning and training tall spindle systems.

• 

  Southwest Michigan fruit update – July 11, 2023

  Published on July 11, 2023
  With ripe fruit comes ripe rots and ripe insect pests.

• Northwest Michigan fruit regional report – July 22, 2014

  Published on July 22, 2014
  Sweet cherry harvest is in full swing and growers are applying ethephon in tart cherries. Tart cherry harvest will likely begin over the weekend and into next week. Overall fruit quality is good.

• 

  Southwest Michigan fruit update – Aug. 24, 2021

  Published on August 24, 2021
  Apple harvest is beginning.

• East Michigan apple maturity report – Sept. 25, 2019

  Published on September 25, 2019
  Jonathan and Jonagold are ready for harvest, and a few early strains of Golden Delicious on early sites are ready to be spot picked. Gala harvest has wrapped up at most farms, except those treated with ReTain.

• 

  Southwest Michigan fruit update – June 21, 2022

  Published on June 21, 2022
  Sweet cherry harvest begins this week. Blueberries and raspberries are beginning to turn color.

• Southeast Michigan fruit regional report – June 16, 2015

  Published on June 16, 2015
  Strawberry harvest is underway across the region; growers are challenged by rain with as many fields are saturated. Primary apple scab season has come an end.

• 

  Reducing pesticide risk to bees during fruit crop bloom

  Published on May 12, 2022
  Bees are returning for pollination of fruit crops. Growers can protect pollinators by minimizing pesticide exposure and risk around bloom.

• 

  Southwest Michigan fruit update – Aug. 28, 2018

  Published on August 28, 2018
  Peach, apple, pear and plum harvest continues. Blueberry harvest is ending.

• Emerging pest alert: The apple flea weevil

  Published on June 22, 2010
  Over that last several years the apple flea weevil (Orchestes pallicornis) (Photo 1) has become an increasingly common pest in Michigan apple orchards.

• Selecting and storing scion wood for grafting

  Published on April 11, 2014
  This is the time of year to begin collecting scion wood if you are thinking you may need to perform some grafting this late winter or early spring.

• Southwest Michigan fruit regional report – July 23, 2013

  Published on July 23, 2013
  Heat accelerates small fruit harvest and spotted wing Drosophila numbers continue to rise.

• Southeast Michigan apple maturity report – September 30, 2015

  Published on September 30, 2015
  With another week of good weather for harvesting apples, growers report they are making good progress on picking Jonagold, and some growers are starting Empire and Golden Delicious.