Integrated Management Organic Fruit Production - - Pest Marketing What to Grow Nutrition control & Where to Grow It Variety/ Pruning Managerial rootstock & ability selection training Dave Lockwood Fruit and Nut Specialist

Department of Plant Sciences Site selection Soils, & fertility development

What to Grow? Plan BEFORE Planting • Market demand • Species • Site limitations – Cold hardiness – Winter damage – Chilling requirement – Spring frosts • Varieties – Bloom time – Pest pressures • The fate of the planting is – Pest resistance determined before the crop is • Rootstocks – Pest resistance set out – Size control – Precocity

What To Grow? Variety Selection

• What is not being grown in your area? • Pest resistance – Is this an opportunity? – Does NOT mean immunity • No competition • 2005 – bacterial spot was a problem on “resistant” varieties of peach • High returns – May not possess resistance to multiple –Or a Red Flag? pests • Prima is highly resistant to scab, but • No market demand highly susceptible to cedar apple rust • Serious production limitations • Market demand • Limited availability of equipment & supplies – Prima apple is harvested at the same time as , which is in much higher demand Disease Resistant Apple Varieties* Dwarf Apple Rootstock * 1 = susceptible, 9 = immune, U = unknown Pest Resistance Variety Cedar Apple Fireblight Powdery Rust Mildew • M9 337 – fireblight susceptible CrimsonCrisp 9644 • M9 Nic 29 – fireblight susceptible • Bud 9 – very winter hardy, resistant to collar rot, • Bud 9 – very winter hardy, resistant to collar rot, 9886 less fireblight susceptible than M9 Goldrush 9367 • G 16 – resistant to collar rot, strong resistance to fireblight Crimson 9U56 • EMLA 26 – does not tolerate wet feet, highly susceptible to fireblight & wooly apple aphids 9UUU • G 11 – fireblight resistant

Blackberry Disease Susceptibility Deal With a Reputable Nursery Variety Rosette Orange Rust Anthracnose Chickasaw S ? S • Purchase good quality trees Choctaw S R R(?) Kiowa S R(?) S – Plant costs are negligible when compared Shawnee VS R R to total establishment costs Arapaho R ? R(?) • Organic planting stock is required Apache R(?) R(?) R(?) Navaho R VS R(?) • If not available, documentation of Ouachita R R(?) S attempts to find it and lack of Prime Jim S* R S Prime Jan S* R S availability must be done

R = resistant R(?) = none observed S = susceptible VS = very susceptible * = Not an issue with primocane bearers grown for fall crop only

Certified Organic Tree Fruit & If Organic Planting Stock is Small Fruit Plants Unavailable --- • Trees of Antiquity (CA) • Document search for organic stock & its – http://www.treesofantiquity.com/ lack of commercial availability • Rolling River Nursery (CA) – www.rollingrivernursery.com • Most certifiers interpret the organic • Hidden Springs Nursery (TN) standards as requiring organic – www.hiddenspringsnursery.com management of non-organic planting stock • Cottle Strawberry Nursery (NC) for at least 12 months before harvesting a crop that is to be sold as certified organic – www.cottlefarms.com Site Selection

“Live where you farm,” • Soils – type, depth, drainage, fertility, pH not • Water – availability, quality • Frost/freeze “Farm where you live.” • Previous cropping history • Topography • Wildlife

North Elevation Less potential for winter injury Plants stay dormant later - less chance for frost

Intermediate Morning sun West between reduces disease East north & south pressure

(also fog) For every 100’ increase in elev., Increased potential for winter injury expect 5 to 10°F increase in temp. Plants start growth earlier - increased potential for frost during a radiation frost event Soils tend to be drier, warmer and thinner South

Previous Cropping History Water Quality?

• Persistent herbicides • Verticillium susceptible crops & weeds – tomato, pepper, potato, eggplant, strawberry, raspberry, nightshade, ground cherry, horsenettle, lambsquarter, pigweed, cocklebur • Cotton root rot • Nematodes Site Preparation A critical year in fruit production • Soil testing is the one before planting – • Elimination of noxious weeds • Facilitation of good air and water drainage the success or failure of a fruit • Floor management crop is often determined before • Elimination of host plants in the vicinity of the plants are set the planting

Depth of Sampling

8” 1 to 8” 16”

8 to 16”

Blueberry Production Timeline Determining Nutritional Needs: -1 year +1 year +2 years +3 years Postplant

• Soil testing

Preplant Site Defruit 1st crop – • Tissue analysis Preparation rabbiteye • Growth & fruiting • Past experience Planting Objectives of a Nutrient Nitrogen Availability Management Program

• Manures and compost • Healthy plants – 50% available during year of application • High yields – 90% available in application year with fresh • Quality fruit poultry manure • Consistent production – Balance available during subsequent years (be sure to figure it in annual applications)

Manure as Fertilizer Timing of Manure Applications

• Fertilizer value usually highly variable • 120 days pre-harvest in crops where fruit • Unbalanced in regards to N, P, K may be in contact with the soil or soil can be splashed onto the fruit from rainfall or • Specific application rates will be irrigation impossible to recommend • 90 days preharvest where fruit is elevated • Typical application rates: or shielded from soil contact – Most manures – 1 to 4 tons/acre • Properly composted manures can be – Poultry manures – 1 to 2 tons/acre applied at higher rates & at times closer to harvest

Why Control Wildlife in Fruit Crops?

• Economic losses Organic Fruit Production – – Fruit destroyed or consumed by wildlife Pest Control – Increased disease & insect pressure with damaged fruit – Damage to plants and cropping system • Feeding on succulent shoots • Girdling or rubbing on plants • Puncturing plastic • Food Safety Wildlife Damage Prevention Categories • Habitat modification •Exclusion Maintaining plants in good – Fencing – Netting health is important in insect • Scare devices (visual & auditory) and disease management • Repellents (taste & smell) • Removal – trapping – shooting

Cultural Controls Pest Management Strategies (New Plantings)

• Cultural Controls • Site Selection • Crop Rotation • Mechanical Controls • Soil Preparation • Selection • Biological Controls • “Clean” Planting Stock • Row Spacing & Plant Density

• Chemical Controls

Cultural Controls Mechanical Controls (established plantings) • Keeping pests away from crops – Traps, row covers, netting Mulching (first year) Weed & Grass Control • Removing pests Pruning – Hand removal, vacuuming Fertilization • Removing diseased plants Irrigation • Cultivation & hand weeding Sanitation Habitat Modifications Biological Controls Biological Control of Insects:

• Can be enhanced by cover crops & habitat management • Mating disruption pheromones • Timed release of beneficial insects • Microbial pesticides – Where a known pest appears predictably & – (beneficial pathogens that kill pests) can be controlled by specific biological • Natural enemies agent • Predatory mites – Encourage predators • Lady beetles • Green lacewings • Trichogramma wasps

Chemical Control Disease Control Fungicides Insecticides Herbicides

Sulfur Rotenone Corn gluten • Know: meal (Preen) – susceptibilities of species, varieties and/or Copper Bacillus Vinegar rootstocks thuringensis – the symptoms of the disease Serenade Azadirachtin Lime/lemon juice – when infection occurs (Bacillus subtilis) – what weather conditions favor infection Clove/cinnamon – control measures oil

Mill’s Chart for Apple Scab Infection Apple Scab Hours Required for Infection Ave. Temp. Primary Secondary • Primary Infection °F Light Moderate Heavy 45 17 26 40 12.6 • Secondary Infection 50 14 19 29 9.3 55 11 16 24 7.3 60 9.5 13 20 6.3 63 – 75 9 12 18 5.9 76 9.5 12 19 6.3 77 11 14 21 7.3 78 13 17 26 8.7 # of Wetting Hours Required for Black Rot Black rot Infection at Various Temperatures Ave. Temperature Hours of Leaf (°F) Wetness 50 24 55 12 60 9 65 8 70 7 75 7 80 6 85 9 90 12 Source: R. A. Spotts, Ohio State Univ.

Cultural & Mechanical Practices for Powdery Mildew Pest Control - Preplant • Conditions favoring • Site selection: infection: – Elevated, well-drained, full sun, consider previous cropping history – Rel. humidity > 60% – Temp. 50 - 77˚F • Site preparation: • 66 - 72˚F optimum – Adjust soil pH, P, K, Ca & Mg – Eliminate noxious weeds • Critical growth period: – Eliminate barriers to air drainage – Tight cluster to pink – Eliminate alternate hosts for pests through 1st or 2nd cover. • Plant selection: – Select types of fruits & varieties suited to your area • Pressure greater – Purchase plants form reputable nurseries, inspect plants following mild winter upon receipt – Consider pest resistant varieties/rootstocks

Cultural Practices for Pest Control - Postplant • Pruning to remove diseased & insect-infested wood, promote good sunlight, air & spray Organic Fruit Production – penetration throughout the canopy • Conservative, timely nitrogen application Floor Management • Trickle irrigation instead of overhead • Crop thinning • Timely harvest • Sanitation Floor Management Orchard Floor • Permanent sod between rows – Serves as a deceleration & diffusion strip for runoff water – Support for equipment • Mulching or shallow cultivation around trees or down tree row with high Management density plantings

Irrigation – Mulching Overhead or Trickle

• Weed control • Voles • Uniformity in: – Keep mulches 8 to 10 – Soil moisture inches away from trunk – Soil Temperature – Use trunk guards on • Fertility young trees • Maintain or • Must re-apply organic enhance soil mulches to maintain benefits organic matter levels

Why Prune? • Reduces pest • Promote growth in desired areas problems • Stiffen limbs • Increases fruit quality (color, • Remove dead, broken, diseased & insect Sunlight soluble solids) infested limbs is the key to • Maintains • Remove unfruitful branches or canes fruit production fruitfulness of • Promote development of new shoots for the interior future crops portions of the plant • Adjust crop size, increase fruit size Cropping Systems - Strawberries

• Matted Row • Annual Production Organic Fruit Production – Cropping Systems

• Less disease pressure

Primocane Crop Only Advantages of a Single- Cropping System:

• Cane thinning, detailed pruning & tying are eliminated • Cold injury to buds is eliminated • Winter damage from voles & rabbits is eliminated Primocane Harvest • Spur blight, anthracnose, cane blight & several other diseases are reduced Allow Primocanes to grow. • Sap beetle problems are reduced, many other insect Maintain row width 12 – 18 in. Mow planting to problems are eliminated ground in late winter • Application of fertilizers & pesticides is easier

Alternate Year Cropping Alternate Year Cropping

Rotation - •1st year: • Increased primocane growth – Crop ½ of the field, mow off canes in winter • Heavier yields in floricane rows •2nd year • Easier management – Crop the 2nd half of the field, grow primocanes • Reduced pruning costs on the 1st half • Alternate row cropping increases air • Repeat sequence in following years movement through planting • Lessens pest carryover Use of Protective Structures Questions?

• Season extension Dave Lockwood • Increased yields [email protected] • Less disease (865) 974-7208 pressure • Physical exclusion of Fruit Notes some insects & www.utextension.utk.edu/publications/ wildlife