Cooperative Extension: Maine Wild Blueberries

5.12.15 Mummy Berry Infection periods on May 11 and Overnight May 12

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Lincoln, Waldo and Knox Counties

I have reports the cups have dried up in these areas and no new cups or pinheads are developing.  There were conditions for an infection period overnight in these areas but I think it is unlikely that many fields had infections considering the fungus is probably done in most fields.  I think only wetter or later fields are in danger of having had an infection period.

Hancock and Washington Counties

Mature spore-producing cups and pinheads are still being reported from Ellsworth, through the barrens and up to Love Lake.  I suspect there are mature cups throughout these areas. There were conditions for infection periods during Monday rainy periods in Eastbrook and Columbia but not in other areas during the day.  All of the weather stations in these areas reported infection periods overnight from Monday, May 11 to Tuesday, May 12.

If you have applied fungicides within seven to ten days (May 2 to May 4) before Monday, May 11 your plants were protected during the infection period over Monday and Monday night.  If you have not applied fungicides, you have until the evening of Thursday, May 14, in most areas to apply fungicides (propiconazole or fenbuconazole) to kill any infection.

Please let me know when you see the end of the cups if you have a mummy berry plot in your field. Thank you to those who have contacted me.