Community Education > IPM Guidelines: Highbush Blueberry

Introduction
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a systematic approach to pest management that considers all factors affecting crop health, including plant nutrition, horticultural practices, and all suitable means of pest suppression. IPM programs are based on information obtained by sampling and monitoring, and this information is used to make management decisions. Pest management tactics may include biological, chemical, mechanical, and cultural methods. An IPM program for a given crop will include some essential elements, but some practices will not be appropriate in all situations: designing a farm-specific IPM program requires flexibility.

The Massachusetts IPM Guidelines are a list of best management practices, developed cooperatively by growers, university faculty and extension specialists, and private IPM consultants. Additional input was solicited from commodity associations and participants in IPM verification programs and IPM courses. Practices have been evaluated for their practicality and assigned points based on their importance to IPM and/or their difficulty. The guidelines for most crops have been tested and adjusted through the USDA Farm Service Agency ICM cost-share program and through the Partners with Nature program. While these guidelines represent the best management options currently available, they will evolve as new IPM technologies are developed.

IPM Guidelines can be used in a number of ways: 1.) As a checklist for farmers to evaluate their on-farm pest management programs and identify areas where management can be improved; 2.) To verify and document that IPM is practiced on the farm; 3.) As an educational tool which describes the scope and complexity of IPM to farmers, government officials, community groups and the general public.

Definitions
The followings terms are used in calculating points in the IPM guidelines:

Category or Grand Total Practice Points
Refers to the sum of all possible practice points described within a category or individual crop guideline. For example, if a grower used every practice in the guideline, all points would apply.

Adjusted Category or Grand Total Practice Points
Refers to the sum of all practice points appropriate for the crop, within a category or guideline. Because some practices may not apply to the site being assessed, the points associated with that practice may be deducted from the Total Practice Points. Such practices are marked with an asterisk (*) within each guideline.

Bonus Points
Refers to points associated with practices which are of potential value to an IPM system, and are worthy of trial, but are experimental or require exceptional effort. Point values associated with these practices do not contribute to the Total Practice Points but, if the practice is completed, the points are added when calculating Grand Total Practice Points. Bonus points are labeled as such within the guidelines.

Highbush Blueberry

by Sonia G. Schloemann and A. Richard Bonanno

Soil Nutrient Management and Cultural Practices
Cultural practices are of value in management of nutrients, weeds, diseases, or insects. The goal of a sound fertility program is to supply adequate nutrients with optimum timing for maximum economical crop yield, while avoiding excesses that can degrade water quality or adversely affect crop or soil quality.

1. 1. Irrigation is supplied to the bushes. 10 pts
2. a. A water use plan that minimizes disease development, optimizes
   water-use efficiency and minimizes erosion and runoff is used. (In most
   cases, this means the use of a trickle irrigation system.) 5 pts OR
• A fertigation system is installed and used for fertilizer delivery. 5 pts
3. Fertilizer recommendations are based on leaf tissue analysis. 10 pts
4. Half of nitrogen fertilizer (always use the ammonium form) is applied at
   bloom, and the remaining half is applied one month later (unless a slow
   release form is used, in which case one May application of the full rate
   is used). 5 pts
5. Soil pH levels are monitored using soil analysis every 5 years or less, and
   amendments applied to adjust pH to within 4.5 - 4.8. 10 pts
6. Regular pruning is conducted to maintain plant vigor, and to eliminate dead,
   diseased, and insect-infested wood. 10 pts
7. Prunings are removed from the field. 5 pts
8. Mulch strip is maintained within the row. 10 pts
9. Mulch is applied at a 3" - 4" depth in the mid-spring where mummyberry is a
   problem, providing a physical barrier to the development of fungal fruiting bodies
   and interrupting the disease cycle. *5 pts
10. Mulch material is chosen to avoid tunneling of voles where voles are a
    problem (e.g. chipped brush instead of sawdust). *5 pts
11. In alleyways, a living ground cover is used to reduce soil erosion and soil compaction. 10 pts
12. 11. Ground cover species are selected to avoid habitat for Japanese beetle grubs,
    where they are a problem. *5 pts

Category Total 90 pts
Adjusted Total ______ pts

Pesticides Application and Records
Only pesticides approved and registered in the state are used. Records of pesticide applications including date, field identification, targeted pest, pesticide name, formulation, rate and number of acres treated are maintained. Pesticide drift is minimized. Re-entry and pre-harvest intervals are adhered to.

1. Insecticide/fungicide sprayer is calibrated at the start of the season. 10 pts
2. Herbicide sprayer is calibrated at the start of the season. 10 pts
3. Spray records are maintained and organized. 10 pts

Category Total 30 pts
Adjusted Total ______ pts

1. Disease problems are accurately identified and management strategies tailored to
   actual diseases present in the field in current season (i.e., not as prophylaxis unless
   history of the problem is well known). 10 pts
2. Detailed records (including maps, if appropriate) are kept to document field history
   of diseases, weather information, and management strategies used and the results.
   (Note varietal differences.) 5 pts
3. Disease resistant cultivars are chosen when planting new sites. *10 pts
4. Mummyberry incidence and severity is documented and mapped (noting varietal
   differences) by determining number of strikes/bush for primary infection and
   percent infected fruit for secondary infections. (10 complete bushes per acre are
   examined for strikes, 200 fruit on each of 10 bushes are examined for disease
   symptoms on fruit.) 10 pts
5. One or more of the following strategies is used to suppress primary infection of
   mummyberry (where needed):
   • apply a thick layer (3-4") of organic mulch beneath bushes to cover fallen
     fruit in mid-spring. 5 pts OR
   • rake, disk, or cultivate soil beneath bushes in spring prior to budbreak to
     disrupt mummyberry spores. 5 pts OR
   • apply 200 lbs/A 50% urea prills beneath plants in spring prior to budbreak
     to `burn' mummyberry spores. 5 pts
6. Use good cultural practices to maintain plant vigor to reduce incidence of
   Phomopsis (especially avoidance of practices, such as late nitrogen applications,
   which can lead to winter injury). 10 pts
7. Insects that vector viral and MLO diseases (e.g. aphids and leafhoppers) are
   controlled, if appropriate. *10 pts
8. If witch's broom is identified in a field, infected plants are rouged out and alternate
   hosts (balsam fir) are eliminated within 1200 ft of the blueberry planting. Avoid
   planting blueberries near Christmas trees that include balsam fir. *10 pts
9. Prune and destroy diseased wood when scouting. Clean pruning tools in bleach
   solution between cuts. *10 pts

Category Total 80 pts
Adjusted Total ______ pts

1. Insect problems are accurately identified and management strategies tailored to
   actual insect pests present in the field in current season (i.e., not as prophylaxis
   unless history of the problem is well known). 10 pts
2. Detailed records (including maps, if appropriate) are kept to document field history
   of insect pests, management strategies used and the results.
   (Make a note of varietal differences.) 5 pts
3. Insecticides are not sprayed when bees are active (during bloom). 10 pts
4. Blueberry maggot fly is monitored using sticky traps w/ lures (10/acre, examined
   weekly) and spray decisions are made according to the established action threshold
   of 1 fly/trap/week. 10 pts
5. Cranberry fruitworm is monitored using wing traps w/ lures (10/acre, examined
   weekly) and spray decisions are made according to peak trap captures. Application
   is made 7-10 days after peak trap capture. 10 pts
6. Other insect pests (e.g., leafrollers, gypsy moth, sawfly, Japanese beetle) are
   monitored by weekly observation of 5 fruit or leaf clusters on 4 shoots on each of
   10 bushes per acre and noted on scouting forms. 10 pts

Category Total 55 pts
Adjusted Total ______ pts

Weed Management

1. A weed survey is conducted at least once per season with weed problems noted
   on field maps. 10 pts
2. Herbicide rate, selection and spot applications are based on the results of the
   weed survey. 10 pts
3. Herbicides of the same class are not applied in succeeding years in order to avoid
   herbicide resistance development. 10 pts

Category Total 30 pts
Adjusted Total ______ pts

1. Bird depredation is managed with the use of netting or a combination
   of scare devices (visual, audio, and taste). *15 pts
2. Deer depredation is managed with the use of fencing or repellent products
   (odor or taste). *10 pts
3. Rodent (esp. vole) depredation is managed by first, determining the species
   present in the field, and using cultural (e.g., mulch that doesn't facilitate tunneling
   and/or repeated disruption of tunnels) methods, and then following with chemical
   methods if needed. *10 pts

Category Total 35 pts
Adjusted Total ______ pts

1. Manager has a current copy of Northeast Small Fruit Pest Management Guide. 5 pts
2. Manager attends one or more state/regional/national berry management workshops
   or conferences during the current year. 5 pts
3. Manager has current membership in New England Vegetable and Berry
   Growers Association. 5 pts

Category Total 15 pts
Adjusted Total ______ pts

Acknowledgment

The authors recognize the importance of the New York IPM Program Elements for Blueberries by J. Kovach, in the development of these guidelines, and thanks G. Pavilis, Rutgers Cooperative Extension, for his assistance.

Selected IPM Articles:
Education and Certification Report FY 1999
Education and Certification Report FY 2000
Adoption of IPM Systems
Sweet Corn IPM Adoption
IPM in Massachusetts Public Schools
Partners with Nature - History
IPM for Bedding Plants - 1996 Survey
Massachusetts IPM Guidelines
Introduction & Acknowledgements
Apple
Cole Crops
Cranberry
Pepper
Potato
Pumpkin & Squash
Strawberry
Sweetcorn
Field Tomato
Greenhouse Tomato
Highbush Blueberry
Pointsettia
Raspberry
Wine Grape