Plum Curculio Enter Soil

May 02, 2008

Witin the last few days (April 30) plum curculio are exiting small infested fruit and entering the soil. Looking at previous years it will take approximately 4 weeks for adult emergence to occur. I expect new adults to begin emergence here at the Chilton Research and Extension Center to occur during the week of May 26th.

I've placed larvae into my emergence jar here in the office so I should be able to get adult emergence about 2-3 days sooner than in the field. I'll post this information as soon as it occurs.

Peach fruit continue to grow well, especially fruit that were thinned early by either the freeze in late March or early hand thinning. On trees that set a heavy crop and had slow leaf development we are seeing a high number of aborting fruit. In most cases a shoot will retain 1 - 3 larger fruit that appear to be growing and should continue.

Growers are finishing up hand thinning opertations and continue pest management activities. No major pest problems have been observed in the central part of the peach growing area. Plum curculio numbers remain low but, steady. Rainfall has been adequate.