Small Fruit Update

News Highlights • Sakuma Brothers Farms responds to anti-union allegations (6/1, Fresh Fruit Portal)

• Domestic, foreign labor in short supply in Central Washington (6/2, Capital Press)

• FDA must improve its import food safety risk tool, GAO report says (6/7, The Packer)

• Camposol SA, Peru’s Avocado King, sees blueberries to the rescue of debt (6/7, Bloomberg News)

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The Weather Cafe Rufus La Lone's uniquely informative long-range, Pacific Northwest forecasts

updated swd counts See this season's SWD counts and comparisons to previous seasons.

Cold Storage Reports Cold storage trends compiled from the USDA-NASS Monthly Cold Storage Reports by Rufus La Lone.

2 EDITOR'S nOTE

4-8 Regional Reports

9 Blueberry Development 10 Industry news

11-15 Pest Management

SponsorsWashington Red Raspberry Commission

Washington Blueberry Commission

Washington Strawberry Commission

Oregon Raspberry and Blackberry Commission

Oregon Blueberry Commission

Oregon Strawberry Commission

B.C. Strawberry Growers Association

Raspberry Industry Development Council

British Columbia

B.C. Blueberry Council

North American Blueberry Council

June 8, 2016 / Week 23

Providing northwest berry growers with the information they need when they need it. The Small Fruit Update is sent out weekly during the growing season by The Northwest Berry Foundation and is funded entirely by the Northwest berry growers and industry through their commissions and councils.

2Meetings and EventsJuly 15 & 16 Oregon Berry Festival- Portland, OR. Go here for details.

Field DaysAll OSU Field Days start at 1 pm at the North Willamette Research & Extension Center, Aurora, OR.

JuNe 8— Strawberry Open House ~ Go here for the agenda.JuNe 29 — Caneberry Field Day July 6 — Blueberry Field Day

• Spotted wing Drosophila: Below is a graph comparing trap counts across seasons. 2010-2014 was an expanded trapping program that was primarily grant funded. The last two years of data comes from our client fields and is a smaller sampling. • More on SWD: Last year had a lot of high temperatures during harvest which suppressed SWD. If we stay in a more moderate range this year, SWD infestation risk will be higher. Might need to reduce the time between insecticide applications if that causes issues.• The early season: Seems like the June-bearing strawberry crop was good quality this year but of lower yields and not great fruit size. Now, with blueberries competing for labor, there’ll be some processing strawberries left in the field.• A lot of people are being supported by the fruit now coming in. From the field harvesters to the retailers. Even a few consultants/newsletter editors. Thanks to all and here’s to a successful 2016 berry season.

Editor's NoteTom Peerbolt, SFU Editor

Degree Day LinksWSU Extension- Whatcom county

Regional Sites updated by Len Coop, OSU-IPPC Click on the link, go to the right hand column, and click on the degree day icon.

• Focus on micronutrients with plant tissue testing (6/2, Ag Profesional)• Using sugar in spray tanks to help SWD efficacy (2/5/15, Entomology Today)• Bird Management: Go here for a Northwest Berry Foundation resources list including companies providing falconry services.

Grower resources

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Marionberry blackberries, NW Willamette Valley, 5/27/16

Duke Blueberries, NW Willamette Valley, 6/7/16

3Pest Management Spotted Wing Drosophila counts

• These are updated numbers on SWD this season compared to previous seasons. • The overall trend of not being quite as high as last year remains true, but numbers continue to be well above any other season. • However, this does not hold true for across the board as some growers actually have much higher counts now than in 2015, while others have considerably lower. • Another thing worthy of note- we had our first week (Week 23) this season of multiple larvae finds in fields.• Go here for SWD management information.

From Jason Meyer, Peerbolt Crop Management:

SWD larva on strawberry, photo by Jason Meyer.

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4Western Oregon, Willamette Valley

Regional Crop Reports

Blueberries: (6/7) The weekend heat really accelerated fruit coloring. There’s some harvesting going right on right now (just started). By the end of this week, most Duke fields will be ready and going (or waiting). Draper color is coming on very strong also. Hope our cooler weather will allow us to ‘hold’ fruit in the field for a while. Even then, there’s a fair amound of redback in some fields and they may be being picked a little early. Timing of the fields along with labor availability is tricky. With milder temps, watch for SWD. Here we go…

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Blackberries: (6/7) Heat did the blackberries no favors, and sunburn is showing up in all varieties. So far it looks like a low percentage affected, 2% to 5%. Bigger concern is if the moisture materializes, those damaged cells will turn into mold. I am hoping the heat did not affect the berry size, but it's too early to tell on that one. Harvest on Black Diamonds is about 10 days off, which would be a couple days ahead of last year. Columbia Star is a few days behind that, and Marions and Kotatas are a few days behind that. Water going in more fields now, like to see that. Clean up sprays being applied and plenty of harvest prep, getting crates, making sure machines are working, outhouses, those kind of things.

Black Diamond blackberries, 6/6/16, photo by Bill Dinger

Marionberry blackberries, 6/6/16, photo by Bill Dinger Columbia Star blackberries, 6/6/16, photo by Bill Dinger

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Blueberries: (6/5) Seems hard to believe, but blueberry harvest started in eastern Washington on May 30, clearly a record early start to the harvest. This is before the very hot weather over the weekend. Insect and disease pressure is still minimal other than shock virus, which continues to be a significant problem in Northwest Washington, particularly in Whatcom County. Driving around the greater Tri-Cities area, it is interesting to see all of the netted blueberries. I am pretty sure these are organic blueberries that are netted at least to some degree for SWD control.

Regional Crop Reports

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Eastern WashingtonBlueberries: (6/5) 99-104 (37-44C) Saturday thru Tuesday. Blueberries were ripening quickly before the heat, so the first machine pick will be huge. Hand harvesting of Dukes began this past week. Very low SWD pressure over here. Quality looks really good, and fruit is not oversized due to the volume of fruit that set. However, Legacy and Draper have had some serious non-pollination issues and are dropping small purple berries.

nORTHWESTERN wASHINGTON

Washington

Top right: Wendy Hoashi-Erhardt and participants at the Washington State University Strawberry Field Day on June 1, 2016. Top left: Pat Moore at the field day. Bottom: Strawberry samples at the field day.

From Alan Schrieber, executive Director of the Washington Blueberry Commission:

From Tom Walters, Walters Ag Research, Anacortes, WA.Blueberries: (6/7) Lots of color in Skagit Rekas, also a little color starting in Draper. I’ve also noticed some Draper fruit in Whatcom county falling off much too easily.Raspberries: Meekers in Whatcom look good, but are suffering from the heat. Older Meeker fields are likely ready to harvest later this week, as Chuck mentions. Wakefield is still a while off. Not a lot of Botrytis in raspberries, but more than last year.

6Regional Crop Reports nORTHWESTERN wASHINGTONBlueberries: (6/7) The dreaded "Draper Drop" has begun again. Internal decay found in many berries. Most Growers up here (Whatcom Country and even BC) have applied extra calcium. Sooooo, so much for that theory. Last year, several aphid outbreaks early on, and no Draper Drop. Therefore, it follows, if we apply 170,000 aphids/ ac (applications should be made early) in spring, this should prevent problems.

Internal decay seen in some of the fruit being dropped from Draper variety.Photo by Craig Ford.

nORTHWESTERN wASHINGTON

Blueberries: (6/7) Blueberries are coloring, especially 'Reka.' Unfortunately, I've also been observing (and hearing about) premature fruit drop in 'Draper' starting last week. Some reports of drop are as high as 20-25% of the crop, even with additional calcium applied to the soil and foliarly. I've even seen a small percentage of berries in a Skagit field of 'Draper' fall off a little too easily when the branches are tapped (not much internal discoloration, but will monitor).

From lisa Wasko DeVetter, WSu Small Fruit Horticulturist.

Blueberry research update: (6/7) We have trials evaluating the effectiveness of calcium applications on mitigating premature fruit drop in 'Draper' and fruit drop ratings will commence this week. We also have been doing some survey work of 'Draper' (led by Eric Gerbrandt) across Oregon, Washington, and BC. We hope to tease apart the factors influencing fruit drop in this cultivar and we have our suspects beyond just calcium, so stay tuned. My sympathies to the growers!

Raspberries: (6/7) Saw quite a bit of ripe raspberry fruit in Lynden last week and harvesting should begin for a lot of growers by the end of the week.

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7British Columbia, Fraser Valley

Weather: Saturday we had 33C (91F), Sunday 35C (95F). Monday and Tuesday high 20s C (mid 80s F), then cool and wet forecast.

Regional Crop Reports

General comments:• Raspberries- This heat could cause white shoulders and gluing to the receptacles. • Blueberries- the early ripeners might see some sun scald and possibly a few dropped berries. • Ripening of all berries is accelerating fast. Winds not too strong, although humidity is low and with fruit expansion and heat, demand on the roots now at its peak. • Be careful not to damage roots by over-irrigating. If water puddles are seriously forming between rows, this is a good indicator of overdoing it... Use common sense. • Lucky for us, the previous week we got a good soaking and the water is still in the ground except on sandy soils. • Harvest timing mentioned are for the Fraser Valley East. Closer to the ocean, add a week. For the Western regions, add up to two weeks.Blueberries Lots of blue showing but berry backs are still nice and pink with acidic flavours dominating. Let's hope we get un-"scalded" through this short heat wave. Duke almost ready, one more week and large fruit size... Reka not too far behind and everyone else is catching up. Reports of fruit drop in some varieties. Keep a decent Nitrogen to Calcium ratio in Draper especially to get the largest and highest quality fruit for this variety. Have all harvest equipment and pickers lined up, food safety in high gear, toilets in the fields with water supply for hand washing. Keep reading these important updates in the Peerbolt report all throughout the season despite getting very busy now. Don't let your guard down on SWD.

Raspberries: Sun scald is imminent. Irrigate judiciously, not under or over watering. The root rot problems are now showing big time. The stresses of maintaining a plant and ripening in this heat put max demand on the root system. Watch for mites, especially in dusty locations. They love the heat and dust..

Strawberries: This mini heat wave may well put an early end to the June bearing strawberry season. Totem has now started in force and Rainier right behind. Albion new plantings are starting to put out flowers after first trusses were removed for plant establishment. Second year dayneutrals are already taking a breather, soon to be re-blooming.

From Tom Baumann, Director of the Pacific Berry Resource Centre & uFV’s Ag Dept. Coordinator (6/5):

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Blueberry Development: New variety updates

Top Shelf , 6/6/16

This from a field in the Willamette Valley that will be harvested for the first time this year.• Go Here for a 3 minute video from Fall Creek Nursery on ‘Top Shelf’.• Go Here for a Fact Sheet on ‘Top Shelf’ from Fall Creek Nursery.• Go Here for the Plant Patent. It’s a cross between ‘Magnolia’ (a Southern Highbush) and ‘Draper’. • Ripening time is two to three weeks after ‘Duke’.

Blue Ribbon , 6/6/16

These are from a field in the Willamette Valley that will be harvested for the first time this year.• Go Here for a 3 minute video from Fall Creek Nursery on ‘Blue Ribbon’.• Go Here for a Fact Sheet on ‘Blue Ribbon’ from Fall Creek Nursery.• Go Here for the Plant Patent. One parent is ‘Toro’.• Ripening time is after ‘Duke’ but before ‘Draper’.

Blackberries: Early varieties are now red with first hints of black. This week first fruit will be ready! Wow. Leaf hoppers are in their glory all over.

Misc: Haskaps now mostly done except some late selections. Peaches and Nectarines sizing nicely. Goumi berry now ripe, albeit its usual tartness. Jostaberry ripe. Black currants ready for the picking.

8Regional Crop Reports

British Columbia, Fraser ValleyBlueberries (6/5): Lots of colour developing in Dukes now and this will intensify after this really hot weekend (June 4-5) where temps are 32C (90F +) or better. We should see some early fresh picks by the 10th-13th. Disappointingly, the Drapers have started to drop green fruit on a number of farms in the upper Fraser Valley (Abbotsford and Chilliwack). This appears to have started late this past week and will probably continue on for the next week based on past experience. I did some test counts on fallen fruit and losses could range from 2-5% at the moment in the fields I visited. Pretty disconcerting to tap the base of the canes and watch the fruit fall like raindrops.Raspberries (6/5): Raspberries are pushing with lots of ripening fruit appearing. Pre-harvest cleanups and SWD controls have been going on the last few days. I expect machines in the field as early as Monday (6th) for some Rudi fields and late week for the first Meekers unless the weather takes a turn. There is some variability in the readiness of fields, so it's a bit difficult to give general comments..

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Western Willamette ValleyI’ve been taking weekly bud development comparison photos from the same fields for the last few years. Below are the last three years compared from the same field, close to the same date. There’s a lot of bud development variation even on the same bush. The stage I’m attemting to show is what would correlate to the first pick. Not the earliest and not the latest.

Blueberry Development Comparison9

No Photo Availible

Patriot Bluejay Draper Duke liberty Aurora elliott

Week 21, 2015 (5/29/15)

Week 22, 2013 (6-01-13)

Week 21, 2016 (6/3/16)

Week 22, 2014 (5/31/14)

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10Industry news/resources

news articles:

ClIMATe/WeATHeR• California drought far from over (5/27, Growing Produce)

BuSINeSS• Freeze-dried fruit and the fight against food waste (6/1, Fresh Fruit Portal)

COMPANIeS• Naturipe Farms discusses peak season for California blueber-ries (6/3, Andnowyou know.com)• Hortifrut invests $13 million in first quarter (6/3, Fresh Fruit Portal)• GoodFarms berry brand joins equitable Food Initiative (6/3, Fresh Fruit Portal)• Andrew & Williamson launches GoodFarms label, berries at Costco (6/2, The Packer)• Organically Grown report shows sustainability progress (6/1, The Packer)

THe WeST• Oregon blueberries off to an early start (6/1, Produce News)• California blueberries peaking (6/3, The Packer)• Nuturipe Farms in peak season of California blueberries (6/7, Fresh Plaza)

NORTH AMeRICA• New Jersey blueberries should be available in mid-June (5/31, The Produce News)• Mississippi: Dry weather speeds blueberry harvest (6/3, Miss. State Extension)

INTeRNATIONAl• Australia: Nursery imports new strawberry varieties (6/3, Fresh Plaza)• Peru: Blueberry exports reached a record (6/7, Fresh Plaza)

BeRRy ReSeARCH BlOGS Strawberries and Caneberries by Mark Bolda, UC Davis Berry Extension Agent. Team rubusBy Gina Fernandez, North Carolina State Small Fruit Specialist. Reports on issues in blackberries and raspberries from the Southeast. Recent Entry: Summer checklist for blackberries and raspberries (6/2) NeWSleTTeRS & BeRRy RePORTS WhatCom AG MonthlyProduced by WSU Whatcom County Extension. Excellent berry information. National Berry ReportDaily fresh market berry reports generated from data from the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service. Hosted by the California Strawberry Commission.Weekly Market Report from General Produce

Weekly Chilean Blueberry Committee Crop & exports report

uSDA Market News (Fruits & Vegetables)

MAGAzINe COMPIlATIONSFresh Plaza: fruitThe Packer: blueberries, blackberries, raspberries , strawberries.Growing Produce: recent berry articles.Fruit Grower News: blueberries,raspberries & blackberriesAndnowyouknow.com: blueberries,blackberries, raspberries,strawberries.Fresh Fruit Portal: blueberries,blackberries, raspberries,strawberries.

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Meeker raspberriers, 6/3/16, NW Willamette Valley.

11Pest Management Information spotted wing drosophila management resources

BRITISH COluMBIA • SWD information brochure in english (Published June, 2015)• SWD information brochure in Punjabi (Published June, 2015)

OReGON AND WASHINGTON (lAST uPDATeD 2/24/14)

• Blueberries: SWD pesticide options and information• Raspberries and blackberries: SWD pesticide options and information • Strawberries: SWD pesticide options and information

ADDITIONAl

• Noncrop Host Plants of Spotted Wing Drosophila in North America: Extension Bulletin published April 2015

• Solid set canopy delivery system (Project’s website): This is a large research project going on with tree fruits but which shares a lot of principals in common with the berry research work on ‘mistigation’ systems for delivering applications particularly for spotted wing drosophila management. Looks like a very sound approach.

• SWD I.D. Card (UC Extension)

• PCM factsheet on SWD risk factors

SWD larvae in a raspberry ( photo by Wendy Hoashi-Erhardt) and on a blueberry.

MONITORING BeRRIeS FOR SWD lARVAe IN THe FIelD

We have created a video of the larvae-checking method. It’s from 2010, but still pretty good.

• Put a sample of fruit to be tested in a gallon size sealable plastic bag.• Pour in enough salt water solution to allow the fruit to float (solution is: 1 cup of salt per gallon of water). Mark bag with field code/date. Gently crush/break open fruit.• For a quick check in the field after a designated period of time (at least 15 minutes) hold the baggie up to light. This helps to see the larvae in the solution.• For a more thorough examination, after a designated period of time (at least 15 minutes), pour the fruit and salt solution out into a shallow tray and use a piece of wire mesh screen to hold the fruit down making it easier to separate the larvae from the fruit.

GeNeRAl

• Spottedwing.org: Information from the 5 year SCRI regional project that just concluded. Cooperating organizations: OSU, WSU, Agri-Foods Canada, UC Davis, UC Berkeley, Peerbolt Crop Management & the USDA.

• Spottedwing.org/SWD external links resources.

• uSpest.org SWD extension Documents: Many of Amy Dreves’ generated SWD materials on managing and monitoring SWD.

SWD adult male

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TIMe TO START SCOuTING FOR: yellOW RuST RASPBeRRIeS The fourth spore stage (uredinia) is now showing up as yellow ‘dust’ on the bottom of leaves. This stage is the one that multiplies quickly & can quickly defoliate canes if left untreated. Evaluate disease incidence and stage to determine whether (& when) fungicide applications are warranted

SCOuT FOR: GReeN BeRRy BOTRyTIS FRuIT ROT, BlueBeRRIeS

We’re seeing and getting reports of green fruit botrytis over the week.Fungicide treatments are of limited efficacy in controlling the infections at the green fruit stage. To paraphrase OSU plant pathologist, Jay Pscheidt: The best treatment right now is warm, dry weather.

SCOuT FOR AND eVAluATe IF MANAGeMeNT ACTION IS NeeDeD: POWDeRy MIlDeW STRAWBeRRIeSDry, warm, humid conditions favor powdery mildew in strawberries. We’re seeing the disease beginning to get going in some area fields.

The photo is from the 5/24/13 Blueberry IPM Newsletter published by E.S. Cropconsult for the BC Blueberry Council.

12Pest Management Information

Yellow rust stage 1: spermagoia / photo by Tom Peerbolt

Yellow rust stage 2: aecia / photo by Carolyn Teasdale

Yellow rust stage 3: uredinia / photo by Tom Peerbolt

Powdery Mildew Strawberries, photos by Tom Peerbolt

Other major disease issues

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13Pest Management Information

Other major disease issues

VeCTOR MANAGeMeNT: SCORCH VIRuS, BlueBeRRIeSVector (aphid) management. Areas with confirmed scorch virus present.

SCOuT FOR: MuMMyBeRRy, BlueBeRRIeSInfected fruit is now just becoming visible in southern growing regions.Managing mummy berry shoot strike infections (MSU Extension, 5/3/13): Great charts on effectiveness of fungicide choices and on weather variables that favor infections.Mummyberry primer from MSu.

TIMe TO SCOuT FOR: SHOCk VIRuS, BlueBeRRIeSSymptoms are visible in many fields. This disease is vectored by pollinators. There is no treatment or cure. Infected bushes generally display symptoms for one year and then return to productivity.

SCOuT FOR: SIlVeR leAF DISeASe, BlueBeRRIeS This is a recently identified disease. Draper seems to be particularly susceptible but other varieties have also tested positive. (See above photos)

Silver Leaf disease symptoms in Draper blueberry field, Willamette Valley, 5/22/16/, photos by Tom Peerbolt

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14Pest Management Information blueberry ripe fruit diseseasesTIMe FOR PReVeNTATIVe FuNGICIDe APPlICATION: AlTeRNARIA FRuIT ROT

Alternaria Fruit Rot/ photo by Carolyn Teasdale Alternaria Fruit Rot/ photo by Carolyn Teasdale

Anthracnose Ripe Rot/ photo by Carolyn Teasdale Anthracnose Ripe Rot / photo by Carolyn Teasdale

As blueberry bloom starts to finish, it's time to consider whether you need to prevent Alternaria and Anthracnose problems from showing up in the fruit. Alternaria can infect the fruit beginning at the end of bloom and throughout the fruit development stage, up until harvest.Infections remain latent until the fruit ripens. Infected fruits exhibit a shriveling or caving-in of the side of the berry and become watery in storage.

TIMe FOR PReVeNTATIVe FuNGICIDe APPlICATIONS: ANTHRACNOSe RIPe ROTIf you've had problems with Anthracnose, prevention of a reoccurrence begins at petal fall. Symptoms: First, blighting of shoot tips; then, a few flowers turn brown or black. Leaf spots, when they occur, are large or small and roughly circular. As infected berries ripen, the flower end may soften and pucker. Under warm and rainy conditions, salmon-colored spore masses form on infected berries. After harvest, spore masses form rapidly on infected fruit when in cellophane-covered baskets or in plastic clamshell packs.

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PAST UPDATES20-SFu05-18-16

21-SFu05-25-16

22-SFu06-01-16

OlDeR uPDATeS HeRe

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Ongoing pest informationTime to scout for: Azalea Bark Scale, blueberriesThis scale's telltale bright white egg sacs on the lower branches of infested plants are becoming more apparent in some southern blueberry fields.

Time to scout for: Raspberry Beetle, northern raspberriesThis small beetle can cause fruit dam-age and be a major contaminant in northern raspberry fields

Time to scout for: Root weevils, straw-berriesAdults of Black Vine, Rough Strawber-ry, Strawberry Root Weevils are now being recovered from some strawberry fields.

Scout for: Blueberry Gall Midge, south-ern blueberriesTip damage from this midge is due to begin showing up in southern blueber-ries. Damage is usually deemed to not be economic except in specific situa-tions like new vigorous fields where gall midge can occasionally cause too much stunting of new growth.

Time to Scout for: Winter Moth/Bruce Span Worm, blueberries Time to Scout for: Mites in raspberries: Two spotted mites and yellow Mites

Time to Scout for: Strawberry Crown Moth, Southern strawberriesPlants weakened by SCM can be spot-ted. Infested plants will had a weakened

crown and often will break off with a pull on the top growth.

Crop WorkAll Crops

• Vole management.• Weed management.• Fertilizer program.• Scout for virus symptoms & send in

samples for testing as needed.• Can put out monitoring traps for

Spotted Wing Drosophila, Orange Tortrix Leafrollers, Obliquebanded Leafrollers and/or Strawberry Crown Moth.

Blueberries• Bloom applications to prevent fruit molds.• Scout for leafroller larvae feeding.• Scout for Shock virus symptoms.• Aphid control where scorch virus transmission is an issue.• Scout for Azalea Bark Scale.• Scout for: Blueberry Gall Midge.• Scout for scale insects.• Scout for weevil notching.• Scout for root rot issues.

Blackberries • Scout for Purple Blotch lesions. • Can apply fungicides starting at 10% bloom to prevent fruit mold. • Scout for virus symptoms & send in samples for testing as needed.

evergreen Blackberries• Scout for and treat as needed for Blackberry rust.

Raspberries

• Scout for: Phytophthora Root Rot (Look for primocane collapse).• Can apply fungicides starting at 10% bloom to prevent fruit mold.• Scout for twospotted mites.• Scout for virus symptoms & send in samples for testing as needed.• Can apply a phosphite material for stronger root growth and root rot pre-vention.• Scout for Yellow Rust and assess treatment options.• Scout for spider mites and treat as needed.

Strawberries • Scout for Lygus Bugs and treat as needed.• (Southern strawberries) Can scout for Strawberry Crown Moth larvae.• Can apply fungicides starting at 10% bloom to prevent fruit mold• Scout for weevil adults and leaf notching. • Can apply slug bait.• Scout for powdery mildew and treat as needed.• Scout for two spotted spider mites and predatory, beneficial mites.• Scout for aphids.

Pest Management Information

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