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An IPM Checklist for Vermont
With this issue we have come full circle with
publishing parts of the IPM
Checklist that Dr. Elena Garcia and I
developed through a USDA project entitled: "Linking Food Safety to
Farm*A*Sys and IPM to Reduce Microbial and Pesticide Risks in Apples. In
the near future we will be asking you for your opinion on whether this checklist was
helpful to you. Thank you.
November
After leaves have fallen to ground, perform Apple Scab sanitation
practices.
Paint trunk to protect against sudden
temperature changes.
If Deer repellents will be used, set them before Deer establish a feeding
habit. Inspect and make repairs to Deer fence.
Clean, service and properly store
equipment and pesticides.
December to March
Evaluate completeness of your
records from the previous growing season. In addition to legal requirements, do
they reflect scouting information and application of findings in decision-making, do
they include tree health information, foliar and/or soil analyses? Does
your record-keeping system need improvement?
Use records to review pest management
strategy and results from the previous growing season and make necessary adjustments.
fact sheets, articles and other resources on the biology and life cycles
of different orchard pests and beneficial organisms; attend fruit workshops
and meetings to obtain updates on thresholds and IPM options; get on the mailing and email
lists for newsletters and alerts.
for any changes in use, pre-harvest intervals,
handling, disposal or storage.
Review information on non-target
effects of pesticides on biological control agents and determine what materials will
be effective yet conserve beneficial organisms.
Investigate sources of local weather information; determine what equipment
will be used to monitor environmental conditions (i.e., rain, temperature, leaf wetness)
in the orchard for pest models and for assessing spray conditions.
Start any major repairs to orchard spray equipment so that it will be
ready to calibrate and function properly when the season begins.
Order IPM monitoring supplies.
Clean and sharpen pruning tools.
Prune trees to provide good tree
structure but also to open canopy for light and air penetration, which will have both
horticultural benefit (i.e., better fruit coloring with more light) and pest management
benefits (i.e., make conditions less favorable for disease development; allows better
pesticide penetration). Remove cankers, dead or weak wood. Remove mummified
fruit.
While pruning, note any sections of orchard that have high numbers of
overwintering European Red Mite eggs.
Check for winter damage. Look for peeling or cracked bark.
Contact beekeeper and write a pollination contract
Start fertilizer application based on foliar and soils analysis
recommendations. Weak or overly vigorous trees will be more susceptible to
certain arthropod pests and/or diseases.
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