THE

SMALL FRUIT
UPDATE

WEEK 13: MARCH 29, 2023

PHOTO BY JULIE POND

Caption Me

2023

YOUR REGIONAL RESOURCE FOR:
Weekly
Edition Crop reports, industry news,
Small Fruit Update is
and pest management for
produced once a week berries across the Pacific
during the growing season
and bimonthly outside the Northwest.
growing season (Oct -
Feb)

DESIGNED BY ABBY C GEARING EDITED BY: JULIE POND & ELISA FORD
TABLE OF
CONTENTS

03
Commentary

04
Regional Reports

06
Blueberry Bud Development

08
Industry News

09
Industry Resources

10
Advertise with us
 03 Commentary

Spring into new NBF opportunities!

It’s officially the start of spring and we kickstarted this week

by circulating a press release highlighting NBF’s key growth
points in the digital landscape over the last year; in addition
to introducing our new sponsorship tiers that will be
replacing our former website sponsorship level, provide
additional premium incentives, and visibility that our
previous infrastructure could not support. Learn more about
this update here.

Learn more about this update here.

If your business is interested in visibility within the Pacific

Northwest berry community or has questions about these
opportunities please contact us at [email protected].

Have a wonderful week,

Abby C Gearing
BRITISH COLUMBIA
04 Regional Reports

CHILLIWACK, BC (3/21) CHUCK MOURITZEN, SOUTHWEST CROP CONSULTING

Raspberries: The weather over the last week has meant for some warm mid and late
days (15C+, 60F) but some really cool mornings. We had some hard frosts a couple
mornings. Shouldn't be a problem but I do worry about raspberry varieties that have
significant vegetative exposure. Last year in April late frost events caused significant
damage in raspberries.

Blueberries: Blues have pushed enough leaf tissue in most varieties except Elliot to
warrant the first application of mummyberry control sprays this week. I can't get over
how dry it's been this late winter and early spring. We're usually slogging through wet
fields to get early work done. But not so for now. Very good soil conditions. That may
change next week as it looks like cooler and wetter conditions may be moving in.

OREGON

WILLAMETTE VALLEY (3/24) JULIE POND, NORTHWEST BERRY FOUNDATION

We have chilly temperatures over the next couple days. Snow was falling while
strolling the fields this morning.

Blueberries: I'm not overly impressed with the bud count in the Last Call but the
Aurora count is better than past years. The rest are about average. Not much for
Pseudomonas being found but the leaf tips are prime for first mummyberry transfer.
First fungicide sprays have been applied in earlier varieties over the last week.

Strawberries: Some leaves unfolding and most trusses are tight in crowns. A few
growers have been extra impressed with the establishment of plants down here
compared to other years.

Raspberries: In the Willamette Valley seem to have more canes, except for Tulameen.
Even the older, root rotted Meeker fields have better cane number and growth coming
through winter.

WASHINGTON

WHATCOM & SKAGIT COUNTIES (3/28) TOM WALTERS, WALTERS AG RESEARCH

Raspberries and Blueberries: Skagit and Whatcom are also enjoying the same dry
spell as BC; first mummy berry sprays going on now to some fields, although some
varieties are still lagging. A bit of winter damage was reported in Meeker red raspberry,
but so far the newer varieties seem to be doing well.
 WHATCOM & SKAGIT COUNTIES (3/25) LISA WASKO DEVETTER, SMALL FRUIT
HORTICULTURIST, WSU NWREC
We had a few fantastic days in northwestern Washington for field work followed by the return
of rain. But alot of field work got done during those beautiful, clear days. We're seeing some
freeze damage in some caneberry fields but blueberry on the whole is looking fine based on my
observations and our cold hardiness models.

I've been keeping tabs on growth degree days (GDD) across the state using the USA National
Phenology Network tracker (https://data.usanpn.org/vis-tool/#/). The Prosser area is behind
relative to last year and the 30-year average, further showing the season is starting off late east
of the Cascade Range (see figure below). Western Washington is tracking very close to our 30-
year average and is not as behind as 2022 (see figure below).

GDD FOR PROSSER, WA: GDD FOR LYNDEN, WA:

PEST ALERT: MUMMY BERRY

Throughout the Northwest, we are approaching the time when blueberry fields become vulnerable to infections.
Be ready with a management program by the time at-risk fields reach the ‘green tip stage’. That’s when new
infections can begin.
What is the "green tip stage"? Click here for a chart from Michigan State of the various stages of blueberry
growth development.
Mummy berry fungus details from the PNW Pest Management Handbook

Critical Points
The optimum temperature for spore release and infection is 50°F to 57°F (10°C
to 14°C).
Typically when temperatures are over 45°F, that's when we enter the risk zone.
At least 12 hours of wetness is required for infection.
Pesticide
and MRL
Resources:
The Specialty Crops Registration Program, located
at the North Willamette Research and Extension
Center, is part of a network of field research centers
throughout the USA that cooperate with the national
IR-4 Program, conducting field research trials and
laboratory analyses to determine safe levels of
pesticides in agricultural food crops, and is the only
such center in Oregon.

PESTICIDE REGISTRATIONS

Registrations in Oregon Blueberries-March 2023

Registrations in Oregon Caneberries-March 2023
Registrations in Oregon Strawberries-March 2023
Registrations in Washington Blueberries-March 2023

DANI LIGHTLE,
PROGRAM LEADER

Thank you!
WE EK 13 3/ 24 /2 2

PATRIOT BLUEJAY DUKE DRAPER TOP SHELF LIBERTY AURORA LAST CALL

WE EK 13 3/ 25 /2 2

PATRIOT BLUEJAY DUKE DRAPER TOP SHELF LIBERTY AURORA LAST CALL

WE EK 13 3/ 26 /2 1

PATRIOT BLUEJAY DUKE DRAPER TOP SHELF LIBERTY AURORA LAST CALL

WE EK 13 4/ 3/ 20

PATRIOT BLUEJAY DUKE DRAPER TOP SHELF LIBERTY AURORA LAST CALL
 INSECTS AND MITES

RASPBERRY CROWN BORER

CANEBERRIES
If you've had borer problems in the past, March is the time to drench for crown
borer management in caneberries.
06
Pest Management

ROSE STEM GIRDLER (RSG)

This small, metallic beetle is a pest of cane fruit and has been found throughout
the Willamette Valley of western Oregon. Infestations can reduce fruit yields and
have the potential to kill canes. Pruning and cane removal can help reduce
populations. There are no insecticides currently labeled for RSG control.

SOUTHERN CANEBERRIES
STRAWBERRY CROWN MOTH
In Oregon and Southwest Washington, this borer looks to do as much, if not
more, damage in caneberries as the Raspberry Crown Borer. The treatment is the
same as for RCB- a spring (or fall) insecticide drench.

SOUTHERN STRAWBERRIES
CLAY COLORED WEEVILS
This early emerging species is usually just considered a pest of raspberries in
northern growing areas where it feeds on newly emerging shoots and buds. But in
the last few years, emerging adult Clay Colored Weevils have been recovered
from SW Washington southern strawberry fields and blueberry fields.

BLACKBERRIES
REDBERRY MITE
(Evergreen blackberries): Dormant sprays of lime/sulfur or elemental sulfur for
Blackberry Rust and Redberry Mite are recommended in March.

DISEASES
RASPBERRIES
PHYTOPHTHORA ROOT ROT
March is the time to use a fungicide drench in raspberries. Warm, saturated soils
are the conditions that favor this organism, allowing it to spread quickly.

CANE BLIGHT
A good time to spot symptoms of cane blight is as the buds break. Infected canes
will show either no bud break if the cane has been girdled or one-sided bud break
if the infection is on one side. Scrape canes to look for rust colored streaks
usually coming up from machine harvester scars.
There is no treatment for cane blight once it’s present, only prevention. The time
to prevent next year's canes from getting infected is to apply an appropriate
fungicide immediately after harvest when fresh wounds normally become
infected.
BLACKBERRIES
BLACKBERRY RUST
(Phragmidium Rust) (Evergreen blackberries): Dormant spray of lime/sulfur or
elemental sulfur for Blackberry Rust and Redberry Mites is recommended in
March to prevent later problems.

PURPLE BLOTCH
Check for cane lesions that are easy to see as the weather warms but the foliage
has not yet emerged. It’s a good time to assess disease level.
BLUEBERRIES
Scout for Pseudomonas (Bacterial Canker). Water-soaked lesions usually appear
in February in some fields that then develop into reddish-brown to black cankers.
See the Northwest Center for Small Fruit Research on bacterial blight fact sheet.
 08 Industry News

Brought to you by
Our Team is here to guide you through your every need from crop and planting to
soil balance or harvest and winterization

NCSFR ANNUAL SURVEY

This is the annual opportunity to provide feedback on the communication efforts of the Northwest
Center for Small Fruit Research. Please note that the deadline for submitting this survey is Friday,
March 31st.

A $50 gift card to Ace Hardware will be provided to a random individual who submits a completed
survey by March 31, 2023.

COMPLETE SURVEY

PODCASTS OF THE INDUSTRY

The Business of Blueberries: A podcast from the U.S. Highbush

Blueberry Council hosted by Kasey Cronquist and Rod Cook.
“TRENDS IMPACTING THE BLUEBERRY INDUSTRY WITH DAVID MAGAÑA”

PolliNation: A podcast from Oregon State University Extension Service

hosted by Dr. Andony Melathopoulos.
234 - GOLDSTEIN - COLONY STRENGTH AND BLUEBERRY POLLINATION

NEWSLETTERS OF THE INDUSTRY

New Health Research Supported by USHBC Is Published

2023 Food Safety Workshops and Registration
Career options in the Ag industry you didn't know about
NBF Press Release
Fruit & Nut Production - MSU Extension News
Whatcom Ag Monthly March 2023, check it out!
 FEATURED
LINKS
09 Industry Resources

California farms statewide hit by storms and floods (Fruit Grower News 3/22/3023)
British Columbia berry farmers concerned about cool spring (FreshPlaza 3/23/2023)
The good and bad news for California growers after the rains (FreshPlaza 3/24/2023)

NORTH AMERICA

Movement of blueberries through Arizona, California and Texas Expected to Increase

(FreshPlaza 3/27/2023) READ MORE

Significant price increases included strawberries, blackberries, and raspberries

READ MORE
(Hortidaily 3/27/2023)

WORLD

South African growers hope to survive slow blueberry market

(FreshPlaza 3/21/2023) READ MORE

Prices strengthening on Mexican raspberries

(FreshPlaza 3/22/2023) READ MORE

Total harvest Polish of berries in 2022 amounted to 579,000 tons

(FreshPlaza 3/27/2023) READ MORE

TECHNOLOGY

AgBiome’s Theia fungicide approved in California

(Fruit Grower News 3/22/2023) READ MORE

New project of gothic macro tunnels for strawberry cultivation in Spain

(FreshPlaza 3/27/2023) READ MORE

US robotic company focuses on strawberries and tree crops

(FreshPlaza 3/28/2023) READ MORE
 This Weeks' Ad
10 SFU Advertising

Interested in advertising with us?

All ads run on our publication and website 1 week/ prime season (March-September), 2 weeks/
off season (October through February).

LEARN MORE

Sizes Available:
Full Page (7” x 9. 5”)
Half Page (7” x 4”)
If you are interested in advertising or have additional
Quarter Page (3” x 4")
questions, please email [email protected].
 March 2023 11 Industry Calendar

SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT

1 2 3 4

5 6 7 8 9 10 11
Produce Safety Alliance Grower 15th Annual Caneberry
Trainings Production Workshop

12 13 14 15 16 17 18
Plant a Flower Day Oregon Blueberry Washington Grower
Global Recycling
Commission Meeting Workshop
Day

19 20 21 22 23 24 25
World Agricultural Oregon Blackberry and
Day Raspberry Commission
Meeting

26 27 28 29 30 31
Farm Workers Day
Drone Demo

MARCH NOTES APRIL EVENT NOTES

Oregon Blueberry Commission Meeting Washington Red Raspberry Commission Meeting

West Salem Roth’s. Email Lisa for more information. 1pm. Lynden, WA. Email Henry for more information.

Oregon Blackberry and Raspberry Commission Meeting Washington Blueberry Commission Meeting
9am. Tualatin, OR. View agenda here. Time TBD. Mt. Vernon, WA. Email Alan for more information.

OSC Meeting (Date changed from March 21)

April 11th, 2023. North Willamette Research and Extension
Center. Details TBA.

UPCOMING EVENTS

We are only displaying the calendar one month at a time to improve your viewing experience and keep the SFU
at a reasonable page count. Future months calendar information can be found on our website.

VIEW INDUSTRY CALENDAR

THE
SMALL FRUIT UPDATE
WEEK 13: MARCH 29, 2023

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