Fruit and Vegetable News

Authors: Dr. Yucheng Wang, University of Minnesota, Postdoc Researcher, Dr. Fei Yang, University of Minnesota, Extension corn entomologist Corn earworm (CEW), Helicoverpa zea, adult activity has increased sharply across several areas of Minnesota since last week (The week of August 10th, 2026), indicating that a major moth flight is underway in parts of the state. CEW adults are primarily nocturnal, with flight activity beginning around dusk. Females preferentially lay most of their eggs directly on fresh, green corn silks. After hatching, larvae initially feed on silks before moving down the silk channel to the tip of the ear, where they feed on developing kernels (Figure 1). CEW generally cannot overwinter in the Upper Midwest, with its northern overwintering limit generally estimated near the 40th parallel. Most CEW moths found in Minnesota migrate from southern states during the growing season. Minnesota typically experiences two major periods of CEW migration. An earlier, generall...

Authors: Natalie Hoidal & Marissa Schuh We were off last week visiting farms, schools, and co-ops in north central Minnesota last week, and wow, it is dry! Much of the state is in severe drought , and while some pockets of the state got rain over the weekend, that isn’t enough to make a dent in the deficit many areas are in (though it was enough to split tomatoes and melons). As we reach fall, insect pests and diseases really become the star of the show. Tomato and potato growers - Late blight is in the region Late blight was confirmed last week in Southwest Michigan. Will this disease reach Minnesota? It's hard to say, but with time left in the growing season, it's worth knowing what to look for. This disease is easiest to spot when humidity is high, and leaves in the center of a dense canopy are often the first to get infected. Leaf spots are a brown-gray, sometimes described as greasy. You may see white spores on the underside of the leaf. As spots grow, they turn dar...

  Article written by Madeline Wimmer , UMN Extension Fruit Production Educator. Apples  Growth stage update: Nearing harvest season for early-season apples Article: Organic apple orchard practices highlight in SW Michigan: Third Leaf Farm Grapes Article: Measuring fruit ripeness Article: Occasional insect pests that attack damaged grapes in Minnesota vineyards Blueberries Nutrition: Iron deficiency Apples Growth stage update: Nearing harvest season for early-season apples  Images: Outer-canopy apples are gaining color for these cultivars grown on central leader, freestanding trees. Top images, left to right: Gala, Honeycrisp, McIntosh. Bottom images, left to right: KinderKrisp, First Kiss, Wealthy.   Not all of these cultivars are early ripening. This week, we’ve been receiving some cooler nights and mornings, which is beneficial for Minnesota apple production as cooler temperatures during the night can impact fruit anthocyanins and help improve apple color. This is ...

  Images: The multicolored asian lady beetle (left; Harmonia axyridis), social wasps like yellow jackets (middle; Vespula and Dolichovespula spp.), and common fruit flies ( Drosophila menogaster) are all insects that can lead to issues with grapes as harvest approaches.  Grape grown in Minnesota generally deal with fewer types of insect pests than apple production. In the past decade or so, Japanese beetles have been a top pest, mostly targeting grape leaves and devastating younger, establishing grapevines. Japanese beetle populations have been observably lower than previous years, likely due to environmental conditions and the presence of the Winsome fly ( Istocheta aldrichi ). There are, however, a few other insects that can be problematic in vineyards as harvest approaches and fruits ripen, especially when issues related to bird damage or berry splitting has occurred. These include multicolored asian lady beetles, social wasps, and fruit flies. Multicolored Asian lady beetl...