Investigating the Efficacy of Profuze on SWD in Tart Cherry and Cracking Reduction in Sweet Cherry

Project goal:  Determine the effectiveness of Profuze for improved insecticidal control of spotted wing Drosophila (SWD) in Montmorency tart cherries and the ability of Profuze to reduce cracking in sweet cherries, vars. Emperor Francis (light) and Black York (dark).

Project description:  In tart cherry, blocks of five rows of 13-year old Montmorency tart were treated with one of the following: 1) untreated control, 2) Profuze alone (1 L/acre), 3) OSA plus Mustang Maxx (4 oz/acre), and 4) Mustang Maxx alone.  Treatments were applied four times: a) 29 May, b) 9 June, c) 29 June, and d) 6 July.  Each treatment had two SWD traps baited with Scentry lures that were checked weekly during June and July, and the numbers of male and female SWD adult flies were counted each week.  On 21 July, 4 gallons of fruit was collected and tested for larval infestation using the brown sugar method.

In sweet cherry, blocks of two rows of two varieties of sweet cherry (vars. Emperor Francis and Black York) with approximately 14 trees per row were treated with the following: 1) untreated control and 2) OSA alone (1 L/acre).  Treatments were applied four times: a) 26 May, b) 29 May, c) 25 June, and d) 6 July.  Each treatment was monitored with one SWD trap baited with a Scentry lure and checked weekly during June and July and assessed for numbers of male and female SWD adult flies. On 16 July, we collected 100 clean and intact fruit of Emperor Francis and Black York cherries with stems attached to test Profuze’s influence on cracking.  Fruit was placed in quart deli containers with two cups water at room temperature.  Each quart container held 10 fruit and was replicated six times for each timing application.  Fruit was observed for cracking after 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 hours of immersion. This test was replicated again on 21 July.

Results: Profuze report 2020

Project lead/collaborators: Nikki Rothwell

Funding sources:  Elmwood Ag Services, Mr. Rick Billings

Start year: 2019

End year: 2020

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