Berry Monitoring
Our team makes weekly visits to each field during the growing season to monitor the occurrence and level of pests and diseases associated with each crop. If a disease cannot be identified visually, a plant sample can be sent for analysis to the BCAGRI lab for a separate fee. We make recommendations for control only when deemed necessary to avoid economic loss. We provide our growers with a weekly detailed report after each visit.
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) service is available for blackberry, blueberry, raspberry, and strawberry crops. Spotted wing drosophila monitoring is available as an additional service in all berry crops.
Blueberries
We monitor for the following concerns from early April to August. Intensive Scorch and Shock Virus monitoring is available for an additional charge. We also provide blueberry monitoring for export to China.
What we look for
Blueberry Midge
Leafrollers
Spanworms
Weevils
Mummyberry
Bacterial Blight (Pseudomonas)
Beneficial insects
Anthracnose Fruit Rot
Alternaria Fruit Rot
Scorch and Shock Viruses
Botrytis Fruit Rot
Canker
Frost Damage
Aphids
Caneberries
We monitor raspberries and blackberries weekly for the following concerns, starting in mid-April and continuing until August.
What we look for
Botrytis Fruit Rot
Crown Gall
Root Rot
Spur Blight
Yellow Rust
Leafhoppers*
Downy Mildews*
Redberry Mite*
Beneficial insects
Aphids
Raspberry Crown Borer
Fruitworm Beetles
Leafrollers
Spider Mites
Weevils
Botrytis Cane Wilt
Viruses
* Blackberries only
Strawberries
We monitor weekly for the following concerns.
What we look for
Fruit Rot
Powdery Mildew
Root Rot
Viruses
Beneficial insects
Aphids
Caterpillars, Leafrollers
Cyclamen Mites
Lygus Bugs
Spider Mites
Thrips
Weevils
It is important to note that IPM service involves the systematic sampling of the crop to assess overall trends in pest populations and does not provide an absolute count of the total pest population in a field.
Other Services
Dayneutral Strawberries
We conduct intensive thrips and lygus monitoring for the entire blossom period. We monitor until the end of August.
June-bearing Strawberries
We monitor fields intensively before harvest. We reduce monitoring when fields are renovated after harvest.
Spotted Wing Drosophila (SWD)
This service is available in all berry crops. We place baited SWD traps in the plant canopy during fruit ripening and examine the contents weekly to count the number of female and male flies. We include these counts in weekly reports.
Blueberry Scorch Virus
In 2008, the United States Drug Administration (USDA) implemented requirements for blueberry scorch virus (BlScV) strains BC-1 and BC-2 in all Vaccinium species exported from Canada to the USA. E S Cropconsult Ltd is authorized by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) to provide BlScV testing that meets the USA requirements.
As per the Oregon 2002 protocol for imported blueberry stock, a percentage of plants destined for export must be tested for BISCV. We collect leaf samples from the required number of plants and send them via courier to Phyto Diagnostics Ltd for CFIA approved testing, Testing for containerized plants must be completed between July 1st and August 31st for plants shipped in the dormant season.
Contact us in spring to schedule testing for lots destined for shipment. For spring shipments (i.e. plants with green leaf tissue), export lots must be tested prior to shipping. Contact us as soon as you know you will be shipping. It can take up to two weeks to obtain lab results and provide the confirmation letter.
Let’s grow together.
Reach out to us to learn more about how we can improve your crops.