Poma Tech News

Overview: The Plum Curculio (PC)(Conotrachelus nenuphar) beetle is a primary insect pest of apples and stone fruit. It is is a true native weevil, found throughout the eastern states to the Rocky Mountains of the…

Overview: Weather in March over the past four weeks has not provided sound conditions for copper and oil applications to manage disease, mite and scale. Now that green tissue is showing, and warmer evening temperatures…

First Psylla Eggs Found on Mid-Hudson Valley Bartlett Pear. March 26th, 2026   Summary for Mid-Hudson Valley: Pear trees are moving through early bud development into delayed dormant. The first psylla eggs of the season were…

Looking ahead in the mid-Hudson Valley: The nest 7-days will bring warmer temperatures (Weather Underground – Click Image Right), with European Red Mite eggs beginning to respire, making them vulnerable to oil applications. Night temperatures…

Rainfall accumulations & temperature events:  Total rainfall accumulations for the growing season between March 1st and November 1st in Milton, NY was 33.7”, significantly higher than 2024 with 27.5”. The start of the 2025 season…

Overview: Plum Curculio (PC)(Conotrachelus nenuphar) and apple curculio adults have been found in Mid-Hudson Valley traps, employing a Benzaldehyde lure and Tedders Traps, over the past 10 days. Sustained rain driven cool temperature have kept…

Brief: As of yesterday, black stem borer (BSB) adults have been found in Orange County, NY. Traps baited with ETOH in various commercial orchards in the Hudson Valley have recently shown dramatic increases in populations.…

Overview: Southern winds are predicted to begin coasting into the Hudson Valley with increasing temperatures into this weekend, bringing pome fruit into late tight cluster and early pink in the earliest varieties. It seems like…

To enhance apple cropping after cold injury this season, consider pre-bloom foliar sprays, which may accelerate recovery of damaged vascular tissue and increase fruit set. Two studies have shown good results in supporting crop development…

Summary for the Mid-Hudson Valley: European pear trees are moving through the early swollen tip stage. The first psylla eggs of the season were found on Bartlett and Bosc pear trees on March 27th in…

Summary:  Typically, the early ‘worm’ complex found in commercial apple emerge during the delayed dormant through pre-bloom period. This first flight begins with the emergence of red banded leafroller (RBLR) and the green fruit worm…

Overview: Recent rains and wind over the past week have provided somewhat challenging conditions for copper and oil applications now that buds are showing the onset of green tissue. This is an import time to…

Rainfall accumulations & temperature events: Winter temperatures remained historically ‘mild’ with lowest temperatures in Milton, NY dipping below the teens during January 21st-22nd of 3.9o-7.0oF respectively. The lack of significant and long-term freeze events may…

Synopsis: 1st and 2nd generation adult Brown Marmorated Stink Bug, Halyomorpha halys (BMSB) are increasing, nearing or exceeding threshold throughout Orange and Ulster County. Overwintering adults are now highly attracted to the ‘aggregation’ pheromone, making…

Synopsis: Newly emerging nymphs and 1st generation adults have been on the increase, nearing or exceeding threshold throughout Orange and Ulster County. The early instar stages of Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (BMSB) Halyomorpha halys (Stål),…

Introduction: Mid-August: Apple Maggot (Rhagoletis pomonella) (AM) is one of the most important economic insect pests of apples in New York. We are in the tail end of peak emergence in the Hudson Valley with…

Brief: Our orchards have multiple insect pests, some of which may require management this week. Oblique Banded Leafroller (OBLR) is well beyond peak hatch. The 1st hatch occurred 14th June, approximately 350DD from first sustained…

1ST GEN. CM LARVA. The Brief: The first sustained adult Codling moth (CM) flight occurring on the 14th of May in Milton signals the adult biofix and start of the temperature modeling for the prediction…

PC Damage during Early Fruit Set (5mm) Synopsis: We have seen fairly consistent and strong flowering and subsequent set this season. Fuji, Golden Delicious and other varieties with biannual propensity displaying variable in flower density…

TPB INJURY TO GALA.HUDSON, NY 2008 The most effective period of the season to control San Jose scale is during the pre-bloom period. Less foliage provides the best opportunity for greater application coverage to the…