The second piece of good news stems from an early-season research project aimed at developing an effective monitoring trap for immigrating PCs. As mentioned earlier, trap-capture patterns indicate that a petal fall treatment is well justified in most orchards. Growers are again left to weigh the risk of possible increases in PC damage with the obvious benefits of a border-row treatment routine. That said, captures of EAS thus far have remained light, so a dire need for EAS control may not enter into the petal-fall tactical decisions. All assembled data indicate that no available chemicals can approach the efficacy of Guthion or Imidan for PC control.
Maximum benefit requires thorough and uniform application to dry foliage before pest damage occurs.
This material is available for purchase from Crop Production Services in South Deerfield and United Agricultural Products in Sterling. Miner Violations Trap captures of adult leafminers have leveled off statewide. Search Warrant Hatch of European red mite eggs has progressed rapidly through the hot spell of the past week. Growers who are not confident in the efficacy of oil applications may benefit from a petal fall sample of interior fruit cluster leaves for presence of motile ERM nymphs. At this point, inspection of terminal growth offers the best indication as to whether treatment against pear psylla is necessary.