Apple Pest Report:  Thursday, September 22, 2005
Vol. 13 No. 12

 Flyspeck 

    Updated flyspeck risk estimates for Sanford, Gorham, Monmouth, and Old Town are available online at http://pronewengland.org/Content/PROInfoDecisionModels.htm

   Optimum growth range for flyspeck is 61-75F.  September temperatures in Maine apple growing areas have been warmer than normal, and closer to the optimum temperature for flyspeck growth.  The current forecast for flyspeck colonies to start becoming visible in high risk blocks north of Monmouth where fungicide protection was removed by high rainfall August 29-31 is around September 29.  Because of fewer leaf wetness hours, the estimated date is later for Gorham and Sanford where the estimated date is around October 2.

    Apple maggot trap captures at the Highmoor Farm research plot continue to be low.

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    Starch index values provided by Dr. Renae Moran and Pat McManus, University of Maine Highmoor Farm Agricultural Experiment Station.

Note: SI values can progress differently than ethylene production. Fruit firmness and other indicators should also be used to monitor fruit maturity and to identify optimum harvest date.

    McIntosh fruit at Highmoor have begun to drop.  The estimated date for 10% drop of sound McIntosh fruit at Highmoor Farm is September 25 - October 2.

    Because of the warm temperatures, preharvest chilling hour accumulation is below average, which is associated with increased risk of storage scald for susceptible cultivars.
   

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Sincerely,                                            
Glen

Weather forecasts

  Current weather Observations

     Maine climate data

Introduction to Orchard Radar pest forecasts