New spraying book

Dr. Andrew Landers’ new book Effective Vineyard Spraying is now available for purchase from Cornell University. Landers, who directs the application technology program at Cornell, has conducted sprayer workshops for growers from coast to coast. His practical guidebook is filled with suggestions to help growers save money and time, getting maximum efficiency from sprayers, and how to fine-tune equipment for optimum coverage in grape canopies. The book includes directions for building Landers’s “patternator” (a device that shows distribution of sprayer output so adjustments can be made) and inexpensive wooden doughnuts for airblast sprayers to adjust airflow for better coverage and less drift. The book contains a bonus CD with videos, worksheets, and checklists for use in vineyard operations. Landers reports he is working on a similar book for orchardists.

To learn more about the book and how to order it, go to www.effectivespraying.com.

Long-lasting azadiractin

Gowan Company has introduced an improved formulation of Aza-Direct, a biopesticide containing the active ingredient azadiractin, which is extracted from neem tree seeds.

Azadiractin products tend to degrade after being formulated and packaged, according to Gowan, so they need to be used within a certain time frame. The new formulation is more stable and, in the company’s tests, lasted twice as long as existing formulations. It retains its potency for at least a year. Go to www.gowan.com to learn more.

Organic herbicide

Pharm Solutions, Inc., has received approval for Weed Pharm, an organic vinegar-based weed killer that can be used in food crops. The product has been approved by the Oregon Department of Agriculture and the Washington State Department of Agriculture for control of broadleaf weeds and grasses. Weed Pharm, which contains 20 percent nonsynthetic acetic acid, does not have certification from the Organic Materials Review Institute, but is accepted for organic production by Washington State’s Organic Food Program. Oregon Tilth accepts all products that are WSDA or OMRI listed without further review, according to Oregon State University.

To avoid crop damage, Weed Pharm must be used with a hooded or shielded sprayer.

For more information, go to http://pharmsolutions.com.

Centaur approved for apple mealybug

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has approved a 2(ee) recommendation for the use of Centaur (buprofezin) on stone fruits to target the apple mealybug that is transmitting the little cherry virus.

A 2(ee) recommendation allows a product to be used under certain conditions that are not specified on the label. The product is effective against the nymphal stages of whiteflies, scales, psylla, planthoppers, and leafhoppers, as well as mealybugs. It works by inhibiting chitin biosynthesis, which suppresses egg laying and reduces the viability of eggs. Treated pest populations might endure for three to seven days, but feeding damage during that time is typically low.

Doerr leaves WSU for Chemtura

Mike Doerr, senior scientific assistant at Washington State University’s Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center in Wenatchee, Washington, has left the university to join Chemtura AgroSolutions as a technical sales support ­representative.

Doerr, who has a bachelor’s degree in zoology from the University of Hawaii, joined WSU as an agricultural research technologist in 1990. He focused on developing integrated pest management programs for apples, pears, and cherries and helped educate industry personnel on the importance of IPM and how to implement new technologies. As research and education coordinator, he also was involved in community outreach to educate the public on the impact of WSU and its research center.

Chemtura sells miticides, fungicides, herbicides, plant growth regulators and seed treatments. Doerr covers the Pacific Northwest and Northern Plains regions.

Grape sorter

The French vineyard equipment manufacturer Pellenc has launched two sorting machines for wineries. The Selectiv’ Process Winery, a portable machine, eliminates green debris, stems, and petioles during the winery sorting process, while the Selectiv’ Process Vision uses a computerized visual sorting system to analyze color and berry shape. The equipment can sort 2,000 items per second, giving it a capacity of up to 12 tons per hour.

Vine Tech Equipment represents Pellenc in Idaho, Washington, and British Columbia, Canada. For further information, check www.pellenc.com or www.vinetech equipment.com.