DEP, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TEAM UP TO ALLOW FARMERS TO PROTECT FLOWERING CROPS AGAINST FROST CONDITIONS EXPECTED EARLY NEXT WEEK
(16/17) TRENTON – With temperatures in many parts of the state expected to approach freezing over the weekend into early next week, the Department of Environmental Protection and Department of Agriculture are working cooperatively to allow farmers to do controlled open burning or use specialized torches known as smudge pots to protect flowering crops from frost damage.Forecasts call for near or below freezing conditions overnight Saturday through April 5. The cold temperatures could affect fruit and vegetable crops, as well as flowers in bloom or near bloom. Peaches, blueberries and apples are particularly susceptible. Frost damage now can significantly reduce yields of these crops later in the season.
The DEP and Department of Agriculture are allowing these steps through April 5 to protect farmers’ livelihoods and to ensure that consumers will be able to enjoy an ample supply of Jersey produce later this year.
[Read more…]
Archives for March 2016
Weather Alert: Protect Flowering Crops Against Frost
Vegetable Insect Pests for 2016
The two past winters, 2013/2014 and 2014/2015, were harsh with frigid temperatures surging repeatedly deep into the South. The result was a decline in the populations of some migratory pests, like cabbage looper and beet armyworm, which normally appear here during the growing season. So what about 2015/2016, an exceptionally mild winter? [Read more…]
Organic Options:
Cabbage Maggot & Pest Control Efficacy
A round table meeting of the Organic Farm Advisory group took place this week with discussion on the successes and problems of last season. The need for relative efficacy continues and brings up the chance to revisit a timely article that was the result of last year’s discussion.
What are my organic treatment options and how well do they work? As an organic grower, I sometimes accept less control, and more costly treatment than conventional farmers, but the information on efficacy is unclear. If Rutgers isn’t doing efficacy trials, can you sift through the literature to tell me what others have found that definitely works?
Control of cabbage root maggot (CRM) is a timely example that illustrates the ‘struggle for relative efficacy’ in making organic recommendations when compared with conventional options. Forsythia in bloom–any day now–occurs at about the same time that farmers can expect CRM to damage their transplanted cole crops. Even light CRM infestations can kill small seedlings and transplants, delay crop development, and render root crops unsaleable. Higher populations can kill older plants or reduce yield.
- monitoring and control of CRM in cole crops.
- the use of online weather station degree-day (DD) data to predict CRM activity and timing of treatment – instead of relying on phenology.
- how the lack of field research capacity makes recommendations difficult for organic pest controls in comparison with conventional controls.
- why talent scouting (sifting through the literature) is an adjunct to research capacity, not a replacement.
New Fungicide for Apple Disease Control
A new fungicide for management of apple diseases, called Aprovia, is now available for use by commercial growers. Due to its recent release, this product was not included in the latest 2016 publication of the New Jersey Commercial Tree Fruit Production Guide. Thus, below is a discussion of its attributes and suggested usage for disease control. [Read more…]
Early Season Tree Fruit Pest Control in 2016
- Dormant season oil sprays
- Dormant season copper sprays
- Dormant season urea sprays
The 2016 New Jersey Commercial Tree Fruit Production Guide: Disease Updates
Each year, the production guide is updated to the latest information based on findings here at Rutgers as well results from other universities. New information and products from agricultural companies is also an important part of the annual update.
Below is a listing of updates made in the 2016 edition that relate to tree fruit disease control. The changes are listed by crop, chapter, or section. [Read more…]