Developing Organic Controls for SWD in Blueberries

Nowhere is the SWD a bigger problem than in organic blueberries.

By the end of 2016, Washington will have more than 2,500 acres of organic blueberries worth more than $50 million.

In 2017, Washington produced 30 million pounds of organic blueberries-as much as the rest of the country combined. At least 24% of WA BB production is certified organic.

California and Oregon collectively produced PROBABLY another 25 million pounds.

West Coast represents more than 95% of organic blueberry production in North America.

Growers have been largely reliant on a single product – Entrust.

The Entrust label requires growers to alternate; but effective rotational products are not available.

Addressing this issue has been a top priority for the Washington blueberry industry.

Title Researcher/Instit. Request RankFungicide Decline Curves for Blueberry to Assist Growers in Meeting MRLs. Schreiber, Alan/ADG $19,250 3.2Developing Organic Controls for SWD in Blueberries. Schreiber, Alan/ADG $14,600 4.7Blueberry Tissue Nutrient Standards for Washington Production. Davenport, Joan/WSU $40,648 5.0Modeling Blueberry Cold Hardiness in Washington. Hoheisel,Gwen/WSU $37,637 5.0Testing of Several Herbicide Programs in Blueberry. Miller, Timothy WSU $8,341 5.5Mummy Berry of Blueberry: Updates, Prediction Model Validation and Fungicide Resistance. Harteveld, Dalphy/WSU $15,474 5.7Harmonization of MRLs - Dealing with Impossible to Meet MRLs. Schreiber, Alan/ADG $5,000 6.0Do Herbicides Used on Blueberries Create Obstacles to Exports? Schreiber, Alan/ADG $8,000 8.2Improvement of Pollination through Pollinator Supplementation in Washington Highbush Blueberry. DeVetter, Lisa/WSU $13,957 9.7Non-toxic RANi-based biopesticide to control spotted wing drosophila. Choi, Man-Yeon/USDA-ARS $5,000 10.3A wake up call for rhizomes: Can exogenously applied phytohormones disrupt apical dominance, deplete stored resources, and make field bindweed more susceptible to control? Sosnoskie, Lynn WSU $3,411 11.5Control of Mummy Berry in Organic Blueberries. Schreiber, Alan/ADG $11,625 11.8Assessing Blueberry virus Risks in Washington: Blueberry Scorch, Shock, Fruit Drop and Tomato Ringspot and Surveys of Washington Blueberry Fields for Aphids

Walters, Thomas/Walters Ag Research $10,000 12.5

Developing commercial blueberry cultivars adapted to the Pacific Northwest with an emphasis on tolerance of Blueberry shock virus (BIShV) Finn, Chad USDA-ARS $8,802 13.3To be determined later Gerdeman, Beverly WSU $14,255 16.0Laboratory Equipment for Small Fruit Pathology at NWREC. Peever, Tobin/WSU $20,000

$236,000

Entrust 24c label for Washington states:

Application Rate: Apply 4 to 6 fl oz of Entrust SC per acre as a foliar spray to control spotted wing drosophila. The amount of Entrust SC applied per acre will depend upon plant size and volume of foliage present and pest pressure. Use a lower rate in the rate range for light infestations and/or small plants and a higher rate in the rate range for heavy infestations and/or larger plants. Heavy infestations may require repeat applications, but followresistance management guidelines.

Resistance Management: Do not make more than two consecutive applications of Group 5 insecticides(spinetoram and spinosad). If additional treatments are required after two consecutive applications of Group 5 insecticides, rotate to another class of effective insecticides for at least one application.

The Specter of Resistance Looms Growers have a single product they know works; Entrust

(spinosad).

As a result, there is over reliance.

California organic berry growers have faced SWD for a longer period of time than eastern Washington growers and they have resistance to spinosad.

Oblique banded leafroller has developed resistance in one organic apple orchard in Washington.

The Future of Washington Organic Blueberries

Most organic blues in WA are Dukes, are early and largely have escaped SWD so far.

Large acreages are being planted to Draper and later varieties that are more at risk from SWD.

The old Entrust label will not protect these later varieties; the new Entrust label will not protect any blueberries season long.

In areas of longest and heaviest use in Washington there are anecdotes that Entrust is not giving the level of control it once was.

Eastern Washington trial site - blackberry

2016

2016 Organic SWD Trial Results in Blackberry - Franklin CountyTrt Treatment Form Form Rate ApplNo. Name Conc Unit Rate Unit Code

1 Untreated2 Entrust 22.5% 6fl oz/a ABCDE3 Grandevo WDG 30% 3lb/a ABCDEF4 Veratran D 0.2% 15lb/a ABCDEF5 Entrust 22.5% 6fl oz/a ABEF5 Grandevo WDG 30% 3lb/a CDG6 Entrust 22.5% 6fl oz/a ABEF6 Veratran D 0.2% 15lb/a CDG7 Entrust 22.5% 6fl oz/a ABEF7 Grandevo WDG+corn syrup 30% 3lb/a CDG8 Entrust 22.5% 6fl oz/a ABEF8 Veratran D + corn syrup 0.2% 15lb/a CDG9 Azera + corn syrup 2.6% 2.5pt/a ABCDEFG

10 Experimental V + corn syrup 100% 4lb/a ABCDEFG11 DeBug Turbo 66.5% 64oz/a ABCDEF12 DeBug Turbo 66.5% 104oz/a ABCDEF13 DeBug Turbo 66.5% 64oz/a ACE13 Entrust 22.5% 6fl oz/a BDF14 Experimental D 240gA/L 1.43fl oz/a ABCDEF15 Experimental D 240gA/L 2.84fl oz/a ABCDEF16 Experimental D 240gA/L 5.7fl oz/a ABCDE17 Experimental D 240gA/L 8.5fl oz/a ABCDE18 Experimental D 240gA/L 11.4fl oz/a ABCDEF19 Delegate 250gA/kg 4.5oz wt/a ABCDEF20 Malathion 8 Aquamul 960gA/L 20fl oz/a ABCDEF21 Grandevo WDG 100% 3lb/a ABCDEF22 Grandevo WDG 100% 3lb/a ABEF22 Entrust 22.5% 6fl oz/a CD23 Grandevo WDG 100% 3lb/a ABF23 Entrust 22.5% 6fl oz/a CE23 Venerate XC 100% 1gal/a D24 Entrust 22.5% 6fl oz/a ABCDE25 Jet-Ag 31% 1% v/v ABCDEF

2016 Organic SWD Trial Results in Blackberryranked by total SWD over the trialTrt Treatment Rate SWD / 20No. Name Rate Unit Total

7 Entrust r/w Grandevo + CS 6fl oz/a 23.5 j8 Entrust r/w Veratran + CS 6fl oz/a 30.5 ij

19 Delegate 4.5oz wt/a 31.3 ij6 Entrust r/w Veratran 6fl oz/a 53.0 hij5 Entrust + Grandevo 6fl oz/a 60.0 g-j9 Azera + corn syrup 2.5pt/a 60.8 g-j2 Entrust 6fl oz/a 62.8 g-j

24 Entrust 6fl oz/a 63.3 g-j10 Experimental V + corn syrup 4lb/a 66.8 f-j18 Experimental D 11.4fl oz/a 77.5 e-I20 Malathion 8 Aquamul 20fl oz/a 80.8 e-h3 Grandevo WDG 3lb/a 83.5 e-h

13 DeBug Turbo r/w Entrust 64oz/a 89.3 d-h22 Grandevo WDG r/w Entrust (2) 3lb/a 91.0 d-h23 Grandevo (3) r/w Ent (2) r/w Ven (1) 3lb/a 99.3 c-h4 Veratran D 15lb/a 103 c-g

25 Jet-Ag 1% v/v 105.3 b-g14 Experimental D 1.43fl oz/a 106.5 b-g11 DeBug Turbo 64oz/a 112.8 b-f

21Grandevo WDG 3lb/a 119.8 b-e17 Experimental D 8.5fl oz/a 120.3 b-e16 Experimental D 5.7fl oz/a 137.0 bcd15 Experimental D 2.84fl oz/a 140.5 bc12 DeBug Turbo 104oz/a 152.5 ab1 Untreated 196.0 a

Total SWDover the trial

2017 Research Results

Everything was similar to 2016 other than changed the

treatments.

Days After First and Last Application35 7Trt No. Treatment Rate of Application

# of Apps. 12-Sep

12Veratran D 15lb/a ABCDE 58.5f3Grandevo WDG 3lb/a ABCDE 73.0ef

17Venerate+NuFilm P 1gal/a ABCDE 80.0def21Venerate+Su+Nufilm 0.75gal/a AGHIJK 83.8c-f18Grandevo WDG+nuFilm 3lb/a ABCDE 87.8c-f16Jet Ag 1% v/v ABCDE 88.3c-f10Venerate XC+Su 1gal/a ABCDE 90.5c-f19Venerate+Su+NufilmP 1gal/a ABCDE 93.0c-f

9Entrust/Venerate+Grandevo 6/1+3gal+lb/a aBcDe 98.8cde8Entrust+Veratran+Su 3+15oz+lb/a abCDe 99.3cde

15Grandevo=Su 1lb/a ABCDE 100.0cde22Grandevo+Su+Nufilm 0.67lb/a AGHIJK 102.8cde14Entrust/Grandevo+Veratran 6+3/15oz+lb+lb/a DE 106.0cde

2Venerate xc 1gal/a ABCDE 111.3cde6Entrust +Veratran 6+15oz+lb/a AcBdE 112.5cd

13Entrust+Venerate+SU 6+1oz+gal/a ABCde 113.3cd20Grandevo+Nufilm P+Su 1lb/a ABCDE 113.5cd

7Grandevo+Entrust+Su 6+3oz+lb/a abCDe 115.5cd1Untreated check 118.3bcd

11Entrust+Venerate XC 6+1gal/a aBcDe 120.8bc4Entrust sc 4.5oz/a ABCDE 155.3ab5Entrust+Grandevo 6+3oz+lb/a AcBdE 161.8a

Comparison of 22 Berry SWD Management Programs

Trt Treatment Rate of # of Total SWD/20 berriesNo. Name Application applications over 35 day period12 VERATRAN D 15lb/a ABCDE 116.8b3 Grandevo WDG 3lb/a ABCDE 126.5b

21 Venerate S w Nufilm 1gal/a AGHIJK 145.0ab17 Venerate S Nufilm 1gal/a ABCDE 148.0ab14 Entrust R Grandevo/Venerate 6 - 3/15oz/a - lb/gal/a ABCDE 150.0ab16 Jet Ag 1% v/v ABCDE 164.3ab8 Entrust R Veratran S 6-15oz/a-lb/a ABCDE 165.5ab9 Entrust R Grandevo/Venerate 6-3-1oz-lb-gal ABCDE 175.0ab

10 Venerate S 1gal/a ABCDE 176.3ab19 Venerate S w Nufilm 1gal/a ABCDE 179.0ab6 Entrust R Veratran 6-15oz/a-lb/a ABCDE 180.0ab7 Entrust R Grandevo S 6-3oz/a-lb/a ABCDE 180.3ab2 Venerate XC 1gal/a ABCDE 184.3ab1 Untreated check 190.3ab

20 Grandevo S w Nufilm 0.75lb/a ABCDE 191.3ab22 Grandevo S w Nufilm 0.67lb/a AGHIJK 192.8ab18 Grandevo w Nufilm 3lb/a ABCDE 193.3ab11 Entrust R Venerate XC 6-1oz/a-gal/a ABCDE 196.8ab15 Grandevo S 1% v/v ABCDE 210.3ab13 Entrust R Venerate S 6-1oz/a-1 gal ABCDE 216.0ab4 Entrust SC 4.5oz/a ABCDE 219.3ab5 Entrust R Grandevo 6-3oz/a-lba ABCDE 246.8a

Things we learned in 2017. Veratran looks very promising. Organic certified. Not

registered on berries. Would like to obtain via the Section 18 process.

Grandevo has significant activity against SWD.

In 2017, we reduced sugar concentration from 12.5% to 1% and it was not nearly as effective.

Jet Ag has activity. Not a stand alone product, but works well as a tank mix.

Nufilm improved activity of Venerate.

Nufilm seem to interfere with the activity of Grandevo.

How to use this information.Each year we further refine organic SWD control programs.

Start early – do not let SWD get established. Use higher rates. Entrust is key. Rotate with Grandevo or Venerate. Include NuFilm P when using Venerate. Mix in Grandevo with sugar at more than 1%. Corn syrup with Entrust may help. Including Jet Ag in the mix should help. In conclusion, rotate, higher rates, tank mix, start early,

short intervals. Try to get access to Veratran as soon as possible.