With the extreme heat wave we have experienced in the recent several weeks, pears have been in active bloom for some time and were under risk from infection by fire blight on 22 March. The NEWA’s Infection Potential EIP value reached over 100 on March …

(I) Apple Diseases Flower buds on apple are putting the green tissues out, with more surface unfolding each day. Due to abnormally warm weather we experienced last week into this week, some locations in the southern Virginia have most fresh fruit apple cultivars transitioning to …

In terms of delayed dormant copper, so far we have always operated under the assumption that the delayed dormant copper application is effective as one mancozeb application for apple scab. Before thinking about starting a scab spray program, one must determine if they have cultivars …

A standard recommendation for delayed dormant copper is applying it on apples between Silver Tip and until but not beyond quarter inch green tip (QIG). QIG is determined by looking at the floral apple buds which are wider in appearance and situated on spurs. Leaf …

(I) Reducing Overwintering Inoculum of Apple Scab Fungus (Venturia inaequalis) and Marssonina Leaf and Fruit Blotch (Diplocarpon coronariae) If symptoms of apple scab were visible on leaves or fruit during the 2025 growing season, you should plan to reduce overwintering scab inoculum residing in leaf …

We have detected first symptoms of bitter rot disease on fruit of apple cultivar ‘Idared’ in Winchester on 7/1/2025 at the AREC’s experimental Block 30 (Figures 1-4). The rot started on the sun exposed fruit side (Figs 1 – 4). Apple bitter rot is caused …

TO ALL LOCATIONS WITH THE POME FRUIT IN VIRGINIA: There is a warning issued this evening for isolated severe thunderstorms predicted for Virginia locations listed below that have a chance to  large size hail and wind gusts that can trigger trauma blight. Trauma blight are …

(I). FIRE BLIGHT. As of last week (12 May), first fire blight symptoms were visible in Southern and central Virginia (Figs 1 and 2). We are aware that symptoms of fire blight were probably visible much earlier in different warmer locations (from 5 May on), …