Summer disease pressure was moderate in the past week, with one extended wetting event at our AREC: July 28-29, 13 hr wet at 72-66° with 0.59 in. of rain. A thunderstorm during the early morning hours Aug 4 resulted in only 0.15 inch of rainfall and 4 hr wetting at our AREC, but the rainfall was likely much heavier in some Frederick County orchards.
As of the Monday morning, Aug 3, total accumulated wetting hours (ACW) at the AREC were: at 909 ft elevation, 739 hr; at 952 ft elevation, 522 hr; and at the 983 ft elevation, 476 hr ACW. Since accumulation of wetting hours began May 14, this represents an increase of 3.6 wetting hours per foot of elevation drop from 983 to 909 ft.
At Tyro, in Nelson County, total ACW as of Monday morning, Aug 3, were: at 941 ft elevation, 643 ACW; at 1165 ft, 352 ACW; and at 1465 ft, 393 ACW.
Disease management information directed mostly to the Frederick County Virginia tree fruit industry, updated as needed throughout the growing season. Keith Yoder, Virginia Tech Agricultural Research and Extension Center, Winchester, Virginia
About Me
- Keith Yoder
- Professor Emeritus of Plant Pathology, Virginia Tech Ag. Research and Extension Center, Winchester, VA
