SMALL FRUIT UPDATE | WEEK 25 |  

JUN 16, 2021

Wild Pollinator Habitat Around Willamette Valley Blueberry Farm. 6/10/21. Photo by Erin Pfuntner.

WHAT'S INSIDE
Julie Pond
INDUSTRY RESOURCES NORTHWEST BERRY FOUNDATION

GROWER RESOURCES Humidity to rival the Midwest here in the Pacific Northwest - weird. Walking through the
field over the weekend was like running through water! I'm certain that every green growing
INDUSTRY NEWS plant in this area doubled its new growth in just the last 4 days alone. Well, all except the
raspberries that are showing root rot symptoms instead. Those plants are throwing early
ripened fruit just to tap out for the season.
PEST MANAGEMENT

We are moving from weather you could use a knife to cut the air with to a predicted
SFU SPONSORS heatwave for all the PNW later this week. All the fungal symptoms will be flourishing so
make sure your crops are protected. One other beast that loves the latest weather: SWD.
We have been staying quiet to prevent jinxing this rare low SWD population season we
have been having so far. Take a look at the new Agragene SWD report a few pages into this
Update to see the latest take prior to this wet, humid weather. We will likely get a new
generation of SWD out of this weather but populations should still trail behind what they
have been in past years... for now.

Off to go pick some Saskatoon berries if they didn't split from all the rain!

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Small Fruit Update is

produced once a week Updated as of May 24, 2021: ‘Maximum Pesticide Residue
Limits (MRLs) for USA and Foreign Markets’ for Blueberries,
during the growing
Blackberries, Raspberries and Strawberries
season and bimonthly
Compiled by Dani Lightle, Pesticide Registration Research Leader, Oregon
outside the growing State University
season (Oct - Feb)
VIEW SHEETS

Insecticide efficacy rankings for SWD Control

From a survey of national entomologists who work with SWD.
Below is the PDF to be linked here.

VIEW PDF
Saskatoon (Service) Berry delights in Willamette
Valley, OR. 6/15/21. Photo by Julie Pond
Regional Monitoring

June 10, 2021

VIEW FULL REPORT SIGN UP HERE

REGIONAL MONITORING

Welcome to this week's Agragene Regional SWD Report.

We have so far been barrelling through this season with low numbers of SWD and little sign of their
populations being able to build coming out of the winter months. However, given the nature of SWD,
we know that their populations will build, it is just a matter of when. This past week has given us the
first indication (albeit, very preliminary and based on a single set of data) that we might be seeing
the start of population growth this year. There are ample food sources and emerging hosts in the
environment right now, which -along with weather conditions returning to an ideal state for SWD-
makes it highly probable that their populations have an active biological imperative to procreate.

Location Total SWD

SAUV I E I S LAND 3

BANK S 0

FORE S T GROVE 1

CORN E L I US 0

HILL S B O RO 2

YAMH I L L 0

DUND E E 1

MCMI N N V ILLE 0

WILS O N V ILLE 1

NWBERRYFOUNDATION.ORG PAGE 02
 Blueberry Bud Development

PATR I O T BLUEJAY DUKE DRAP E R TOP S H E LF LIBE R T Y AURO R A LAST C A L L CALY P S O

WEEK 24 6/11/2021
WEEK 23 6/5/20
WEEK 23 6/7/19
WEEK 23 6/6/18

PATR I O T BLUEJAY DUKE DRAP E R TOP S H E LF LIBE R T Y AURO R A LAST C A L L CALY P S O

NWBERRYFOUNDATION.ORG PAGE 03
 Grower Resources

REGIONAL FIELD REPORTS

Northern Washington, Whatcom & Skagit Counties (6/15) From Tom Walters, Walters Ag Research, Anacortes, WA.
Raspberry: The warm, wet weather in NW WA reminds me of summers in the Midwest, and is making life great for Botrytis
and other fruit molds, especially on raspberry and strawberry. It’s important to keep those well-protected right now.
Also seeing root rot symptoms advance in raspberries as fruit load stresses the canes. Happy to say, Cascade Premier is
looking great in that department.

British Columbia, Fraser Valley (6/15) From Chuck Mouritzen, Southwest Crop Consulting, Chilliwack, BC
Raspberry: A wet, mild weekend and start to this week has recharged soil moisture but increased the threat of fruit rot in
raspberries and blues. And as Tom Walters points out, increasing fruit loads in raspberries are uncovering where the weak
root systems suffering from root rot are. With increasing temps ( 27-29C or 80-85 F) by next weekend and into early next
week, we should really see where these problems are more serious. I don't really have enough Cascade Premier to form a
general opinion on their root rot resistance capabilities yet. But I do seem to notice that the laterals don't seem too strong.
I've noticed some significant lateral breakage from wind and physical contact. I don't know if this is something others are
seeing. We'll see how they stand up to machining.

Blueberry: Some colour starting to show in Dukes. So that could put some fresh pick in around July 8-10 range depending
on how the weather lines up the next while. Lots of new growth pushing right now with the moisture and mild
temperatures and this is like a magnet for aphids. So aphid control measures are really being promoted as a scorch virus
deterrent.

Western Oregon, Willamette Valley (6/15) From Julie Pond, PCM, Portland, OR
Blueberry: More than one grower is planning a June 21st for Duke harvest so final preharvest prep is going strong right
now. Birds are flocking in and out of fields that don’t have tight abatement right now.

Raspberry: I agree with others commenting about root rot symptoms advance in both red and black raspberries. The
upcoming heat will not help that! There is some occasional ripe fruit is Cascade Harvest right now.

Strawberry: This rain will have affected the tail end of June bearing harvest with both fruit rot and soft fruit concerns. Day
Neutrals will likely also have the same concerns but add to that Lygus bugs clearly moving in as well as Two Spotted
Spider Mites.

Cascade Harvest ripening in Willamette Valley, OR Lygus bug feeding on Albion strawberry bloom in Willamette
6/15/21. Photo by Julie Pond Valley, OR. June 10, 2021. Julie Pond

NWBERRYFOUNDATION.ORG PAGE 04
Industry News

Survey: How do you get your blueberries pollinated?

As part of a USDA-funded project to improve blueberry pollination, a research team across the US is trying to get a
better understanding of how blueberry growers get their fields pollinated. In addition to the fieldwork being conducted
at blueberry farms in MI, OR, WA, and FL, we want to learn about pollination practices from blueberry farms across the
US. Whether you have 1 acre or 1000 acres, are a U-pick or large scale commercial farmer, please fill out the short
survey below.

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.
WHAT’S AHEAD FOR BLUEBERRIES AND VERTICAL FARMING?

PolliNation: A podcast from Oregon State University Extension Service hosted by Dr. Andony
Melathopoulos.
182 - MIRANDA JONES - THE GREAT OREGON SQUASH BEE HUNT

NEWSLETTERS

NABC Weekly Report

Michigan State University

ODA FSMA Newsletter

Obsidian blackberry coloring in Willamette Valley, OR. June 10,

2021. Photo by Julie Pond

NWBERRYFOUNDATION.ORG PAGE 05
FEATURED LINKS
Agronometrics in Charts: Berry category sees high pricing in 2021 despite supply levels (6/9 Fresh Fruit Portal)

Berries and lemons a bright spot in Q1 fruit sales, as most top categories see declines (6/7 Fresh Fruit Portal)

Summer berry crops success varies, but volume is there (6/11 The Packer)

Washington’s drought increasingly ‘extreme’ (6/11 Capital Press)

10% of contiguous U.S. experiencing exceptional drought, highest since 2011 (6/15 The Packer)

TECHNOLOGY
Robots may eventually help kill weeds that impede strawberry yield
READ MORE
(6/10 Fruit Grower News)

California Giant Berry Farms partners with OnePointOne to boost berry innovation
READ MORE
(6/13 The Packer)

MARKETS
Healthy, local (and not local) berries enjoy great demand
READ MORE
(6/11 The Packer)

COMPANIES
Michigan blueberry orchard and facilities purchased
READ MORE
(6/14 Fruit Grower News)

LABOR
Ag coalition tells senators immigration reform imperative
READ MORE
(6/14 Capital Press)

CONSUMERS
Opinion Piece: The Great Berry Debate – Is bigger really better?
READ MORE
(6/11 The Packer)

Pest and Crop Management

Please note that our Pest and Crop Management section will return in
the near future.

NWBERRYFOUNDATION.ORG PAGE 06
 Industry Calendar

JULY 2021
Washington Blueberry Commission Meeting
07
FURTHER DETAILS COMING SOON.

Caneberry Field Day

07
WEDNESDAY, 1:00-5:00 PM (END TIME IS APPROXIMATE AS DEPENDS ON LIST OF SPEAKERS/PRESENTATIONS)

Washington Raspberry Field Day

14
WEDNESDAY, JULY 14TH 1-3PM AT THE HONCOOP FARM: 9696 NORTHWOOD ROAD, LYNDEN, WA.

Blueberry Field Day

15
THURSDAY, 1:00 – 5:30 PM (END TIME IS APPROXIMATE AS DEPENDS ON LIST OF SPEAKERS/PRESENTATIONS)

SEPTEMBER 2021

Washington Red Raspberry Commission Board Meeting

15
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2021, 1PM -5 PM

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small fruit industry through education, research and information access. The SFU is made possible through the generosity of our sponsors and
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Thank you for your support!

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NWBERRYFOUNDATION.ORG PAGE 07
 THE SMALL FRUIT UPDATE
WEEK 25 | JUNE 16, 2021

This is the sole industry publication, For more information or requests please contact:
gathering grower and producer news, and
regional field reports to unite, stabilize, and Abby Gearing,
strengthen the Northwest berry growing SFU Designer & Editor
region (Canada and US). abby@nwberries.org

Production is independent of government Tom Peerbolt,

and commercial control and made possible NBF Director & Editor
by the following commission & councils. tom@peerbolt.com.