The Connecticut Dept. Of Environmental Protection approved the federal Pyramite label for Connecticut, a copy of which is available upon request.

Several items on the label need further explanations, so I called BASF product manager Greg Roman for help. (1) On page 3, the label states ASpray equipment must be cleaned thoroughly before and after applying this product, particularly if a product with potential to injure crops was used.@ The reason for this statement is to cover product liability for BASF. If you have some left-over weed-killer, or growth regulator in the tank used to apply Pyramite, you can't go to BASF for compensation when you discover damage in your orchard. (2) On page 5 the label states ADo not apply Pyramite with a handgun sprayer.@ EPA required that certain worker exposure tests (the applicator) be done if BASF wanted to avoid having this statement on the label. BASF chose not to do those extra tests, so the statement is there by direction of EPA.

The recommended dosage is shown in Table 1 on page 4. It is 2.2 oz per 100 gallons dilute. For an orchard having a dilute gallonage requirement of 300 gallons per acre, you should use 3 x 2.2 oz, or 6.6 oz per acre. The label states ADo not use less than 100 gallons spray volume per acre@. The best control comes with complete wetting, short of runoff.

According to Greg Roman, Pyramite is not considered a rescue treatment where mite numbers are very high. He=s not sure why, but it works best when the population is not very far above the treatment threshold, that is, 5 mites per leaf in July. The active ingredient binds to foliar surface cutin and is lethal to eggs and mites that come in contact with sufficient residue - for a period of about 2 weeks. The typical long effective mite control comes not from long residual activity beyond the 2 weeks, but from the elimination of nearly all the motiles and eggs that were present during the initial 2 week period.

In case you are facing really high mite numbers, Roman suggests two adjustments: (1) use the maximum per acre rate, and (2) assure that both sides of all leaves are completely wetted (short of runoff). There is a 25 day time requirement between sprays, so a repeat spray after 2 weeks is not permitted.

The active ingredient has low oral and dermal toxicity to test animals (rats), but inhalation of the finely milled dust to the lungs is an important hazard to be avoided. That is why the product is packaged in water soluble packets. These should never be opened, such that the dust could become airborne. According to Roman, human exposure to residues on foliage after the re-entry period (12 hours) does not present an inhalation hazard because the active ingredient binds to the waxy leaf surfaces (cutin).

Read the label completely before buying or using any new pesticide!

First fly was captured at Tolland July 10 on a stickied red sphere. By this morning, July 11, 3 have been caught on 7 spheres, indicating that it is time to begin the AM insecticide program in that orchard. A full rate of Imidan or Guthion controls AM for about 2 weeks. Reapply when new captures of AM flies begin after the two week period following each succeeding spray.

During the past week the light green nymphs of PLH have been appearing on the immature leaves at the terminals of elongating apple shoots. Infested leaves typically cup downward. Continued high infestations can stop shoot elongation. I chose Provado for PLH-infested young trees this week, because Apple Leafminer (Lyonetia) was also invading the new shoot leaves. I've noticed that Provado also killed adults of the tiny beneficial wasps that parasitize Spotted Tentiform Leafminer, but appears not to have destroyed the orange-yellow beneficial mite, Zetzellia. PLH populations are very high this year throughout the northeastern states.

There have been some high populations of European red mite and also apple rust mite noted in the past two weeks.

Both have produced bronzing. I have noticed over the years that Jonagold is especially prone to apple rust mites (ARM) infestation. I don’t use pesticides for ARM, but rather let the beneficial orange-yellow Zetzellia grow on them. Some bronzing develops anyway. Thiodan is labeled for ARM, but it also kills Zetzellia. ARM is also on the Pyramite label.

If high numbers of these pests are doing serious damage to young trees, a spray of carbaryl may be needed. Guthion Imidan, and other common orchard pesticides are considered less effective than carbaryl.

Those who have notified me of their interest in participating in this July 29 trip will receive a letter from me in the next few days, providing details.

Effective July 1, 1997 I have retired from the job that has kept my interest for the past 30 years. This is somewhat a surprise even to me, as I had not been thinking about retirement until faced with the state retirement incentive about 2 weeks ago. I consider myself fortunate to have had a job that I really liked. However, I have noticed that nobody lives forever - and some things are important enough that they should not be put off until circumstances preclude their being done at all.

As a reader of this newsletter, you are probably aware that I have been researching techniques for an unconventional orcharding system as an extra-curricular activity on my home property. Some untested techniques that I have had in mind for some time still need to be tested, requiring more of my time than has heretofore been available. I see retirement as an opportunity to get this research moving.

Because of the shortness of the time between the state's retirement offer and the only available retirement choices (July 1 and August 1, 1997), there is no plan in place for continuation of the programs I have been responsible for. Actually, I don't know that a year's advance notice would have made much difference in this regard. The current emphasis on cost economies and program prioritization will make it difficult to get approval for hiring a new Extension Pomologist. Plant Science Department Head, Dr. Gerald Berkowitz, will be getting advice from various non-fruit interests regarding how the Department should proceed from here. If you feel strongly that an Extension fruit program is important to you or to the state of Connecticut, I suggest you write Dr. Berkowitz soon (address on cover page of this newsletter). Be specific about what services are needed, how you will be affected, and include any ideas you have about how such services might be provided and paid for.

He will welcome your comments.

David A. Kollas

Extension Pomologist, Retired

Phone: 860-486-1944

FAX: 860-486-0682

email: dkollas@canr1.cag.uconn.edu