Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/442490
38 JANUARY 15, 2015 Good Fruit Grower www.goodfruit.com Products & Solutions for Agricultural Safety • Chemical Gloves • Full-Face Respirator • Half-Face Respirator • Chemical Splash Goggles • Chemical Resistant Boots • Disposable and Reusable Suits Available Add a Cooling-Vest on hot days as a heat stress precaution www.oxarc.com Washington - Idaho - Oregon - Shop Online 1-800-765-9055 Safety First: Follow chemical manufacturer's guidelines for decontaminating the spray suite. Do not use suit if there are cuts, holes, tears, missing snaps, or separated seams. Chemical Protective Suit Serving agriculture and industry in Central Washington since 1978 3019 GS Center Road Wenatchee, WA 98801 509-662-1888/509-662-8183 (fax) www.cascadeanalytical.com 1008 W. Ahtanum Road, #2 Union Gap, WA 98903 509-452-7707/509-452-7773 (fax) 800-545-4206 • Water Quality • Vineyard Nutrition • Wine Quality • Food Safety • Water Quality • Vineyard Nutrition • Wine Quality • Food Safety Your Partner in World Class Wine Production Your Partner in World Class Wine Production Your Partner in World Class Wine Production New apple and pear thinner introduced in Europe B revis is a novel new thinning chemical for apples and pears that will be marketed in Europe this year. It was introduced by ADAMA Agricultural Solutions Ltd. (formerly Makhteshim Agan Industries). Brevis is a low-dose formulation of metamitron, a her- bicide used on sugar beets in Europe. It was first marketed in Serbia in 2013 and will be intro- duced in France, Belgium, Greece, and Italy this year. Approval will be sought in other countries. It has been studied by university fruit thinning experts in the United States, who report it is effective. Metamitron is a photosynthesis inhibitor that stresses the trees, lim- iting carbohydrate production and causing fruit to drop. "It appears to have promise," said Dr. Duane Greene, a horticulturist at the University of Massachusetts who tested it in 2010. "It shows strong thinner activity and appears to have no unfavorable fruit effects, although you can get phytotoxic effects at higher rates." Carbaryl (Sevin), the insecticide United States growers rely on as a fruit thinner, has been banned in Europe and replacements were needed. "Brevis was found to be effective on all apple and pear varieties with flexible application guidelines at tem- peratures between 10˚ and 25˚C (50˚-78˚F) and on fruit sizes between 8 millimeters and 16 millimeters (1/3 to 2/3 inches)," the company said. "Moreover, farmers can control the thinning effect by adjusting the application rate. With its rapid leaf uptake, Brevis is less affected by the weather than other products currently on the market, in that rainfall more than two hours after application will not reduce its efficacy." Improved pheromones receive U.S. approval S emios, a supplier of precision pest management tools based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, has received approval from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for three pheromone products for disruption of codling moth and oriental fruit moth using aerosol dispensers. Pheromones confuse male insects so they are unable to locate females and mate. T h e n e w f o r m u l a performs well in lower temperatures and emits a drier mist that disperses quickly across an orchard, according to a press release from the company. The aerosol dispenser is part of a network of controllers and sensors that gives growers remote access to conditions in the field at any time. Semios in-field sensors, which are hung in the trees, monitor the number of pests along with wind and temperature conditions to optimize pheromone deploy- ment. For example, puffs might be metered every 15 minutes for 12 hours a day during the evening and night during the growing season. The remote monitoring and aerosol trigger release are designed to allow growers to deploy the right amount of pheromone only when needed, making it more effective and less costly. Semios also offers pheromones approved for use in organic production. For more information, go to www.semios.com. Mason bees generating buzz M ason bees have the potential to help tree fruit grow- ers in the Pacific Northwest to significantly improve yields, according to four bee suppliers who say these sol- itary bees can be more effective pollinators than honey bees. The four collaborating suppliers have bred half a mil- lion mason bees to supply to orchardists for pollinating next spring. They are: Mason Bees for Sale in Roy, Utah; Crown Bees in Woodinville, Washington; Watts Solitary Bees in Bothell, Washington; and Bella Vista Farms in Eagle, Idaho. Clint Merrill, vice president of sales with Mason Bees For Sale, said only a few hundred mason bees are needed to pollinate an acre of orchard. In comparison, one hon- eybee hive contains 20,000 to 30,000 bees. The mason bee is a superior pollinator because it's not efficient at keeping the pollen that it's collected on its body, so as it jumps from flower to flower some of the Good Stuff A selection of the latest products and services for tree fruit and grape growers SEMIOS