Plum Curculio Control in Sweet Cherry, 2014 *

The objective of this trial was to test the efficacy of various compounds against PC in sweet cherry. Two-tree plots were established in an 18-yr-old “Hedelfingen” sweet cherry planting (row spacing 20 ft by 15 ft) located at the Trevor Nichols Research Center (Sweet Cherry 3). Treatments were replicated four times in an RCB design. Test materials were applied with a tractor-mounted FMC 1029 airblast sprayer calibrated to deliver 100 gpa at 2.5 mph. In addition, foliar maintenance applications of Kocide, Bravo Weather Stik, Rally, Orbit, Gem, and Indar were applied as cover sprays across the entire block. Gramoxone was banded below the trees for weed control.

Evaluations consisted of inspecting 50 fruits per plot for the presence of PC stings. Evaluations were made on 5, 10, and 17 June. Data are presented as % fruit with sting injury ( Table 1 ). While actual counts are presented, analysis of variance was conducted on transformed data. Transformed treatment means were analyzed using analysis of variance and means separation by Tukey’s HSD at P  = 0.05.

Venerate BM3 (32 oz rate) significantly reduced the incidence of PC stings at the 5 and 17 June evaluations, whereas Rimon provided significant fruit protection only at the final 17 June evaluation ( Table 1 ).

Author notes