1. Warning: Fire Blight Infections Predicted for 23, 24, 25 or 26 April Depending on Where Rain Occurs; 2. Keep Looking at The EIP Model in NEWA to Decide on Strep Application

Currently, the 72 h ahead radar (72-Hour Future Radar) indicates that thunderstorm showers are predicted to impact Winchester, VA, and surrounding areas on 24 April triggering the infections on both 24 and 25 April (dark red fields with EIP equal or above 100 in print screens below). Since it will vary from location to location where the shower(s) occur, please be ready to apply streptomycin in mix with Regulaid or LI700 penetrating rate before or up to 24 h after the rain start on 24th April on any pome fruit trees in bloom. In Tyro, VA, based on the current weather forecast any orchards in bloom will enter a high EIP value period of high risk from 23 to 26 April (orange field with EIP number), so the only condition missing is rain, dew or water from a spray application. However, this can change quickly and rain could occur in the forecast – so keep looking at the forecast and the rain prediction radar – weather.com has a new function: 72-Hour Future Radar if yo pay the premium access: https://weather.com/weather/radar/interactive/l/26ce466bee6989a18df84f7697b4b62aa64449be39c6ca7105948baff372feab

Below are the print screens from the EIP model for Winchester, Tyro and Rustburg VA as of 9:45 pm on 4/23/2022.

OPTION 1: preventive use of streptomycin – cover before the predicted wetting event any apple and pear trees in bloom with streptomycin: Harbor, or Agrimycin 17, or Fire Wall 17 WP at 1.5 to 1 lb per acre (16 – 24 oz/A) plus LI 700 at a penetrating rate or use Regulaid instead of LI700. Based on the Regulaid labelyou could use 2 pints penetrating rate. Keep in mind that FireWall has changed its formulation to FireWall 50WP and the rate to use this higher concentrated material is 8 – 16 oz/Acre. If you still have FireWall 17 WP in your shed use the rate of 24 – 48 oz/Acre as it is less concentrated. Option one is a must in large acreage apple and pear farms. If rain doesn’t occur, infection will occur if you provide water with a fungicide spray application, so if you are applying a previously planned fungicide application – add streptomycin to it.

OPTION 2: Only if you must, i.e. you are willing to risk, use OPTION 2: if you have a smaller acreage farm with apples or pears in bloom, you could wait and see will you get the wetting event or not on 24 and/or 25 April, because the thunderstorm showers might be spotty and occur on one location and not on the other. So, if you get the rain events on the 24, 25, or 26 April infection will occur and you will need to cover with streptomycin up to 24 h after the first rain event has started. Apply streptomycin in mix with Regulaid or LI700 up to 24 h after the infection rain event started (kick-back mode of application). In case you will use LI700 instead of Regulaid, use a penetrating action rate for LI700. If rain doesn’t occur, infection will not occur, unless you provide water with a fungicide spray application near the infection dates, which can and will trigger the infection – so if you plan fungicide application add streptomycin to it.