Archives for June 2013

June 25, 2013 Andy Wyenandt

Cucurbit downy mildew reported in Delaware – 6/25/13

Cucurbit downy mildew has been reported in a commercial cucumber field in Sussex County, Delaware. All cucurbit growers in New Jersey should scout their fields on a regular basis and add a downy mildew specific fungicide to their weekly maintanence program. Downy mildew is much more difficult to control if the pathogen arrives prior to any preventative fungicide application(s). Please see article titled “2013 Cucurbit Downy and Powdery Mildew Management Guidelines” from 06/07/13 for current recommendations.

To track the progress of cucurbit downy mildew in the US please visit http://cdm.ipmpipe.org/.

Filed Under: Vegetable Crops Tagged With: cucurbit downy mildew

June 24, 2013 A.Wyenandt, W.Kline, and J.Ingerson-Mahar

Potato Disease Forecasting Report 6-25-13

Potato Disease Forecasting Report 6-25-13 – Click to Download

We will be tracking DSVs for Late blight development and calculating P-days for initiating the first early blight fungicide application.

The first late blight fungicide application is recommended once 18 DSVs accumulate from green row. Green row typically occurs around the first week in May in southern New Jersey. An early season application of a protectant fungicide such as mancozeb (Dithane, Manzate, Penncozeb) or Bravo (chlorothalonil) as soon the field is accessible is suggested. Please be vigilant and keep a look out for suspect late blight infections on young plants. No late blight has been reported in our region to date.

Remember the threshold for P-days is 300! Once 300 P-days is reached for your location early blight fungicide applications should be initiated. Growers who are interested in using this model should chose the location above that is closest in proximity to their farming operation and should regularly check the Cornell NEWA website (http://newa.cornell.edu/) where this information is compiled from. Click on Pests Forecasts from the menu, select your weather station, and click on tomato diseases, set accumulation start date and a table of daily and total DSVs will be generated.

Filed Under: Disease Forecasting

June 24, 2013 A.Wyenandt, W.Kline, and J.Ingerson-Mahar

Tomato Disease Forecasting Report 6-25-13

6-25-13 Tomato Report – Click to Download

Disease severity values (DSVs) for early blight, septoria leaf spot, and tomato anthracnose development are determined daily based on leaf wetness (due to rainfall, dew) and air temperature.

On a daily basis DSV values can range from 0 to 4 where 0 = no chance for disease development to 4 = high chance for disease development.
DSVs are accumulated during the production season.

Fungicide applications are based on an individually determined DSV threshold. The first fungicide application for the control of these three diseases is not warranted until 35 DSVs have accumulated from your transplanting date. After that, growers can base fungicide applications on different DSV thresholds.

Filed Under: Disease Forecasting

June 24, 2013 Administrator

On Ag Updates: Heat Stress Prevention

This week’s forecast is for temperatures in the 90’s with high humidity. Agricultural worker safety is important to agricultural employers. Ag Agent Michelle Infante-Casella outlines some tips on preventing worker illness during hot weather on the Ag Updates Blog.
Heat Stress Prevention

Filed Under: Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Vegetable Crops

June 24, 2013 Joe Ingerson-Mahar

Pepper Weevil Concerns

Pepper weevil is a difficult pest:

it is not endemic to New Jersey;
we have had sporadic outbreaks but not understanding why or how these outbreaks occurred and because of this we have little experience managing it on farm or in preventing it being spread farm to farm;
we lack an appreciation of its life cycle and how well it is adapted to exploiting our food distribution network;
and finally, the realization that management recommendations from Florida and other southern locations are not very helpful because of different production practices and climate.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Vegetable Crops

June 23, 2013 Andy Wyenandt

Cucurbit Downy Mildew Reported on Cucumber in Maryland

Downy mildew was reported on cucumber in Caroline County, MD on Friday night (6/21/13). This is the first report of cucurbit downy mildew in the mid-Atlantic region this growing season. All cucurbit growers should scout their fields on a regular basis and should add downy mildew specific fungicides to their weekly fungicide maintenance programs. Please see article titled “2013 Cucurbit Downy and Powdery Mildew Management Guidelines” from 06/07/13 for current recommendations.