Mummy Berry Forecast for Wednesday April 22nd
For Knox, Lincoln and lower Waldo county.
There has been an infection period for the mummy berry fungus in most of the region around Union, Rockport area.
IF your plants are susceptible, more than 40% of stems had flower buds at the crown stage (please see previous post on how to evaluate this), AND you have had mummy berry disease in that field before, then the fungus could have infected your plants.

With the rain and heavy fog in this area there will have been long enough period of leaf wetness for the fungus to have infected the leaf and flower buds. To control this disease you should apply fungicide within 72 hours of the start of the rain/fog period in your field on Tuesday. For example if the rain started in your area at 5 am on Tuesday you have until 5 am on Friday of this week to apply fungicide to kill off the infection and protect your plants.

Remember whether infection did occur in your field will depend upon 1) how far along the plants are in your field, 2) the actual temperature during, and length of time of rain or rain and fog in your field, and 3) of course, have you had mummy berry disease in your field in previous years .

Please check Factsheet #217 at the Wild Blueberry extension site (http://wildblueberries.maine.edu) for more information on the chance of infection depending upon temperature and length of leaf wetness. Please see Factsheet #219 for recommended disease control methods.