Weather and Growing Season Summary

Precipitation for 2011 was less than the longterm climate average. Early in the year, precipitation lagged behind normal, but then tracked close to the normal accumulation rate from mid-April through mid-August. After that time, precipitation amounts greatly lagged behind normal, and the year ended almost 7 in. behind the long-term average. (Figure 1). Overall, 2011 will be remembered for good moisture early, but ending the season with almost no rainfall.

Weather Inputs to a Warning System for Sooty Blotch and Flyspeck of Apple

Sooty blotch and flyspeck (SBFS) is a mid- to late-season disease of apple. SBFS fungi show up as dark smudges and clusters of black dots on the fruit surface. Since blemished fruit are downgraded, crop losses can exceed 90 percent of the fresh market value.

Testing a Warning System for Anthracnose Fruit Rot on Day-neutral Strawberry

Anthracnose fruit rot (AFR) of strawberry is caused by three Colletotrichum spp. In the Midwest, however, only Colletotrichum acutatum is found. This fungus can attach itself to apparently healthy plants and spread throughout without causing symptoms on the foliage. When fruit begin to ripen and weather conditions are rainy and warm, AFR can suddenly cause great damage to the fruit. To protect against AFR where it has appeared in the past, growers need to spray every 7 to 10 days beginning at the start of bloom until harvest.