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CRANBERRIES
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Calculating Percent Out-of-Bloom

(scroll down for a practice exercise)

Percent out-of-bloom is monitored in cranberries to assist in the management of the cranberry fruitworm. It is good to visit 5 to 10 different random spots throughout a bed, counting the blossoms and/or pinheads & berries on 5 or more consecutive uprights at each location.  The location and starting upright should be random (don't pick the best spot, in other words).  A good technique is to stop after every 20 steps, or any number you predetermine, and beginning with the upright closest to your last step. The more uprights and locations in the bed you check, the more confident you can be with the result.

Formula:
 

% Out-of-bloom   =
 Total # of pinheads & berries 
 x 100%
Total # of pinheads, berries, flowers and unopened flower pods

Timing first spray using % out-of-bloom:

Late Water (see the Maine Cranberry IPM Guide) may effectively reduce fruitworm pressure. It is possible that sprays can be eliminated for cranberry fruitworm, but berries must be monitored for eggs throughout the fruitworm season as the moths are very mobile and may move into your bed from external sources—namely, from stands of wild cranberries.

TREATMENTS - MONITOR EGGS TO TRIGGER SPRAYS (Difficult without a microscope)
As fruits set, begin inspecting 50 randomly-picked berries/A (with a minimum of 200 berries per piece) for eggs. Follow the guidelines in the table below to determine if a spray is warranted. If egg numbers trigger a spray, spray as soon as possible. Otherwise, repeat the berry inspection process every 3-4 days until egg-laying time has passed by (around Aug. 20th). If fruitworm pressure is low through fruit set, it may be safe to extend intervals between berry sampling dates.

TABLE USED (for all practices) TO DETERMINE NECESSITY OF SPRAYING FOR CRANBERRY FRUITWORM

Number of Acres
Number of Berries Checked
Number of Viable Eggs Needed to Trigger Spray during profitable berry prices
Number of Viable Eggs Needed to Trigger Spray during very low berry prices
0-5
200-250
1
2
6 or 7
251-350
2
4
8 or 9
351-450
3
6
10 or 11
451-550
4
8
for each additional 2 acres
add 100 berries
add 1 egg
double the number
determined at left

Practice Exercise

What is the % out-of-bloom after checking these two uprights? The pinheads are numbered 1-4 just so you can see them better in the photo.
 
% Out-of-bloom =
 Total # of pinheads & berries        =       ? 
x 100% Click to see the answer
 
Total # of pinheads, berries, flowers  =      ?
and unopened flower pods
Photo for practicing the calculation of out-of-bloom on a cranberry bed


If you have comments or questions about this page,
contact Charles Armstrong at: charlesa@umext.maine.edu
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These pages are currently being maintained by the Pest Management Office, University of Maine Cooperative Extension. Page Last Modified: 04/11/08