by Darin Allred, PhD, Technical Services Manager, Arysta LifeScience

In late August and September, growers’ minds are often focused on harvest. It may be easy to forget that late-season mites still pose a threat to their vineyards in the final months of summer. Many late-season mites, such as the Pacific spider mite, thrive in hot, dry temperatures. With temperatures increasing, so can mite populations.

Tetranychus pacificus, also known as the Pacific spider mite, has become one of the largest threats to high-quality crops. The Pacific spider mite is the primary pest mite species for grapes in the San Joaquin Valley and appears to be spreading to certain North Coast grape-growing areas, according to University of California IPM.

Adult Pacific spider mite females vary in color from amber to greenish; later in the season, adult females can turn orange to reddish. Adults usually have two larger spots toward the head and two spots toward the rear. Because the spider mite prefers the hotter, dryer part of the grape-growing season, it can be found in the warmer upper canopy of the vine.

With a short life cycle, spider mite populations can grow fast. If weather and food supplies are favorable, a generation can be completed in less than a week, according to a recent article in Good Fruit Grower, a valuable resource that also provides expert recommendations for detecting and managing the pest. If not controlled, Pacific spider mites can cause extensive damage and reduce Brix and yield.

Arysta LifeScience provides miticides that feature the flexibility that growers need: quick knockdown, long-lasting control, and selectivity to help maintain populations of beneficial insects and predator mites — all for excellent IPM compatibility.

VIGILANT® and ACRAMITE® Miticides provide the reliable flexibility of controlling spider mites at all life stages while going easy on beneficial insects and predator mites, so they won’t cause secondary pest outbreaks or spider mite resurgence. VIGILANT and ACRAMITE provide fast knockdown and long residual control and can be used throughout the season whenever spider mites are present and populations begin to build, offering a solution that seamlessly fits within the framework of your integrated pest management program.

Since resistance management is a critical part of any IPM program, KANEMITE® Miticide offers a unique chemical subgroup for rapid knockdown and long lasting control of all stages of spider mites, while also being easy on beneficial insects and predator mites. KANEMITE offers excellent protection against the most stubborn mites like the Pacific spider mite, Willamette spider mite, and two-spotted spider mite. Its short pre-harvest interval (PHI) of only seven days in grapes provides flexibility to apply late in the growing season.

OMITE® Miticide, a highly effective rescue treatment, features a unique fuming action which penetrates into nooks and crannies and webbing where other miticides can’t reach to target mites wherever they hide. OMITE is the only miticide with the mode of action in IRAC Group 12, making it an excellent tool for resistance management. In addition, it is the only miticide to have three routes of entry into the spider mites — contact, residual, and inhalation. Its rainfastness and long residual control make it an effective solution throughout the season. OMITE is soft on beneficial insects at all rates and predator mites at the low rate, and it will not cause flare-ups of secondary insect pests or spider mites.

You can count on Arysta LifeScience for a complete line of grape protection and a staff dedicated to helping you manage mites — or whatever pest issue you have — and keeping your vineyard going strong. Contact your retailer or Arysta LifeScience sales representative for additional information, or visit www.arysta-na.com.

^{OMITE is a restricted-use pesticide. Always read and follow label directions. ACRAMITE, OMITE, and VIGILANT are registered trademarks of an Arysta LifeScience Group Company. KANEMITE is a registered trademark of Agro-Kanesho Company, S.A. Arysta LifeScience and the Arysta LifeScience logo are registered trademarks of Arysta LifeScience Corporation. © 2018 Arysta LifeScience Group Company. SPC-17108}