Fall flooding for management of cranberry fruitworm (Acrobasis vaccinii) and dewberry (Rubus hispidus) in massachusetts cranberry production

To evaluate the potential for using postharvest fall floods as a pest management tool, designated sections of several commercial cranberry farms in Southeastern Massachusetts were flooded for 3-4 weeks in September-October. Seeded hibernacula of cranberry fruitworm (Acrobasis vaccinii) placed into flooded beds for 3 or 4 weeks had 85% lower moth emergence compared to unflooded beds. Fall flooding may reduce dewberry (Rubus hispidus) crown numbers and suppress weed coverage in some situations, but the effects were inconsistent. Fall flooding did not adversely affect percent fruit set, yield, or the new growth of cranberry uprights in the year following the flood. Incorporating fall flooding into commercial farm operations should not be difficult since cranberry growers currently use flooding at other times of year as a standard horticultural practice.