5.09.15 Mummy Berry Infection period Night of Saturday, May 9
There have been conditions to cause an infection period detected at all weather stations currently deployed.
Growers have reported their plants are at a susceptible stage and mature spore-producing cups are still be present in fields at this time. Most fields with mummy berry inoculum will have experienced an infection period overnight.
If you have applied fungicides within seven to ten days (May 1 to May 3) before Saturday, May 9 your plants were protected during the infection period over Saturday night. If you have not applied fungicides, you have until the evening of Tuesday, May 12, in most areas to apply fungicides (propiconazole or fenbuconazole) to kill any infection. If you are applying a second application of propiconazole, it would be a good idea to switch to a different fungicide with a different mode of action to help prevent resistance to propiconazole developing in your field (Please see the 2015 Maine Wild Blueberry Pesticide Chart (Fungicides) (PDF)). Other fungicides should be applied as protectants and before infection periods occur.
Please let me know how your mummy berry plots are doing. I have reports of pinheads drying up, but I do not think we are finished with the season yet.
– Seanna Annis
| Location 2015 | Infection period start Saturday, May 9 | Fungal Development |
| Dresden Mills | 8:00 p.m. | N/A |
| West Rockport | 7:20 p.m. | cups |
| Appleton | 8:20 p.m. | cups |
| Belfast | 8:40 p.m. | N/A |
| Ellsworth | 8:40 p.m. | cups |
| Eastbrook/Waltham | 9:00 p.m. | cups |
| Deblois | 8:00 p.m. | cups |
| Columbia | 11:00 p.m. | cups |
| East Machias/Whiting | 3:00 p.m. | cups |
| Love Lake | 10:40 p.m. | pinheads at least |
Contact for Seanna Annis: sannis@maine.edu or the Blueberry Hotline 800.897.0757 (in Maine).