Cooperative Extension: Maine Wild Blueberries

4.23.16 Mummy Berry Infection period, Southern Hancock

Print

Southern Hancock

There were conditions for an infection period overnight from April 22 to April 23 reported at our weather stations in N. Ellsworth and Sedgwick.  There was a borderline infection period at our station in Eastbrook/Franklin.  The leaf wetness was just long enough to be an infection period.

I have reports of cups and pinheads in N. Ellsworth and pinheads in Aurora. Growers also report they think their plants are far enough along to be susceptible.  Please check your plants and see if they have enough stems with flowers at the F2 susceptible stage.

Washington County

Pinheads have been reported from Aurora eastward to Love lake near Cooper. Some of the pinheads do appear to have dried up with the dry winds on Wednesday.  I suspect we will get cups by early next week with this warm weather.

Using Fungicide Controls

If you have applied fungicides within the last seven to ten days (April 13 on) before Saturday, April 23 your plants were protected during the infection period over Friday night.  If you have not applied fungicides, you have until the evening of Tuesday, April 26, to apply fungicides (propiconazole or fenbuconazole) to kill any infection.

Please see the 2016 fungicide recommendations on the Fact Sheet 219 – Disease Control Guide for Wild Blueberries and the most current Maine Wild Blueberry Pesticide Chart (Fungicides) (PDF). Other fungicides should be applied as protectants and before infection periods occur.