Keeping Blueberries Pest-Free

摘要

This past year brought both bad news to blueberry growers (increased disease pressure) and good news (new options for weed control). Symptoms caused by the fungus Exobasidium vaccinii have occurred sporadically in individual blueberry fields for years, but have not posed an industry-wide threat to blueberry production. However, in 2011 growers in North Carolina saw increased incidence of this disease, and symptoms on previously unaffected cultivars such as Legacy and Columbus. The fungus causes spotson both leaves and berries. Spots on fruit are especially problematic because it is impossible for pickers to avoid harvesting affected berries, and nearly impossible for color-sorters and packingline inspectors to remove them during the sorting and packing process.