Monday updates keep fruit growers up-to-date on pest and disease control developments during the growing season.
Posted on April 1, 2014 by Mark Longstroth, and Bill Shane, Michigan State University Extension
Weekly Monday fruit integrated pest management (IPM) meetings are held for fruit growers in Southwest Michigan every Monday in April through the end of June. Michigan State University Extension fruit educator Bill Shane and I share results from scouting fruit orchards, vineyards and fields of small fruit with area growers to keep them up-to-date on emerging developments in the area.
These updates are scheduled to begin April 14 at Bjorge’s Fruit Acres Farm, 3452 Friday Rd., Coloma, MI (see map below). The meetings all begin at 5 PM and run to 6 or 7 p.m. The weekly meetings continue until June 30. No meeting will be held on May 26, Memorial Day.
These meetings are attended by tree fruit, grape and blueberry growers as well as area crop consultants. There is a review of current conditions in the region and a look at upcoming concerns in fruit production as related to weather forecasts, crop development and emerging insect and disease issues. Information from these weekly meetings is shared with other fruit growers and consultants by weekly reports at MSU Extension’s Fruit and Nuts page.
Michigan pesticide applicator recertification credits will be available to attendees. No registration is necessary for these meeting, which are open to all fruit growers in Southwest Michigan. Growers are invited to bring plant specimens for diagnosis. New fruit varieties will be shown as the season progresses. This series of meetings ends as the harvest of blueberries and cherries begins in Southwest Michigan.
Below is a listing of the Monday meetings planned.
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Date
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RUP credits
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April 14, 5-6:30 p.m.
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1
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April 21, 5-6:30 p.m.
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1
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April 28, 5-7 p.m.
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2
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May 5, 5-7 p.m.
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2
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May 12, 5-7 p.m.
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2
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May 19, 5-7 p.m.
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2
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May 26
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No meeting
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June 2, 5-7 p.m.
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2
|
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June 9, 5-7 p.m.
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2
|
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June 16, 5-7 p.m.
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2
|
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June 23, 5-7 p.m.
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2
|
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June 30, 5-7 p.m.
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2
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This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit http://www.cnchemicals.com/. To contact an expert in your area, visit http://www.cnchemicals.com/, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).