Rutgers Cooperative Extension
By Jim Murphy
Several weeks ago the cool wet weather brought on some red thread disease activity that has increased over the past 4 to 5 days. Turfs under low maintenance, particularly low nitrogen fertility, have been the areas with the greatest amount of red thread. This disease has been active on on slender and strong creeping red fescues, Chewings fescue, velvet bentgrass, perennial ryegrass, and tall fescue this spring. [Read more…]
Mark VanGessel, Extension Weed Specialist; mjv@udel.edu
I have seen Palmer amaranth seedlings emerging in corn fields that had no preemergence herbicides applied.
There are Palmer amaranth plants in DE and MD that are resistant to glyphosate. So fields with Palmer amaranth present, or fields where you suspect it is present, need to be treated with an effective herbicide (or herbicide combination) that will provide postemergence control as well as residual control. Some considerations include atrazine, Callisto, Capreno, Impact, Permit Plus, Halex, Realm Q, Resolve Q. Other products such as Status or Liberty provide effective postemergence control, but will not provide residual control.
Palmer amaranth plants look very similar to smooth and redroot pigweed. However, Palmer amaranth leaves, stems, and petioles do not have hairs (smooth and redroot pigweed do have fine hairs). Palmer amaranth’s leaves have long petioles that are often as long, or longer, than the leaf blade. As a result, the leaves often droop. Occasionally, leaves will have a variegated “V” mark or watermark across the leaf blade. On-line photos can be found at http://extension.udel.edu/ag/files/2013/05/AMAPA_images_lg.pdf
By Jim Murphy
Very small first and second leaves of emerging crabgrass can be seen now in open turf areas.
During the last couple weeks, we have seen crabgrass emerging from open turf areas that were previously infested with crabgrass. Crabgrass emergence will probably occur later than this on better maintained turfs with a dense canopy.
The following article has edited and reprinted with permission from the original authors: Chuck Johnson, Virginia Tech and Kathy Demchak, Penn State University
Two strawberry viruses are causing problems for strawberry growers in Eastern and Mid-west states this spring. The viruses (strawberry mottle virus, abbreviated SMoV) and strawberry mild yellow edge virus (SMYEV) have been found in Pennsylvania, Virginia and New Jersey this spring. [Read more…]
Late blight was found on heirloom tomatoes being grown hydroponically near Winchester, West Virginia on May 24th. Winchester, WV is just below the southern border of Virginia. This is the first report of Late blight in the region this year. There is no immediate threat to tomato or potato growers in New Jersey. However, this should remind everyone to do there part and scout on a regular basis! We will keep you up to date on the current situation.
Records, Compliance and Enforcement Subparts O and P
Food Safety Modernization Act proposed rule
This FDA Proposed Produce Food Safety Rule Q & A conference call, coordinated by the Produce Safety Alliance, discussed recordkeeping, compliance, and enforcement within the impending Food Safety Modernization Act produce rule.
Questions asked during this conference call were:
1. Do lot numbers need to stay the same from supplier to supplier? Currently each supplier assigns its own lot number to a box, can this still occur?
Yes, changing the lot number is OK. Each supplier will need to keep records of what they received and the information that they assigned to each box. There needs to be a way to trace product back and forth one step. [Read more…]
