Archives for July 2013

Potato Disease Forecasting Report 7-9-13

Potato Disease Forecasting Report 7-9-13 – 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.

Integrated Preharvest Fungicide Programs for Brown Rot

There was a time when selection of a fungicide for brown rot control was based solely on efficacy and cost of the product. However, the brown rot pathogen, Monilinia fructicola, has become resistant to DMI fungicides and to some extent QoI fungicides in many stone fruit growing regions in the eastern United States. This occurrence has underscored the need for a greater degree of integration of different fungicide chemistries as a resistance management strategy. [Read more…]

Singing the Blues

You’ve got to suffer if you want to sing the blues… and some of us in certain parts of the state have been suffering the infernal din of the periodical cicadas since late-May.

Adult periodical cicada. Photo: Kim Greene

Adult periodical cicada. Photo: Kim Greene

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Grasshopper Reports

Over the past few days I have received several reports of large grasshopper populations in several soybean fields.

Initially, grasshoppers tend to occur along field edges and areas near drainage ditches. No economic damage has been reported due to grasshoppers yet, but consider this an early warning to scout fields. There are no good thresholds established for grasshoppers in corn or soybeans. Generally, consider treatment in pre-bloom soybeans if grasshoppers are present and 40% or more defoliation is encountered. When in the pod forming and pod filling stages treatment is recommended with 20% or more defoliation.

Veg IPM Update: Week Ending 7/03/13

Vegetable IPM Report 7-03-13 – Click to View | Download | Print

Current Week’s Pest Maps – Available Maps for the week are highlighted

Red, White, and Brown?

Patch that is! Recent weather conditions have driven the fungus Rhizoctonia solani into overdrive. Brown patch has flared up all over the place just in time for our July 4th celebrations!

Brown patch on colonial bentgrass. Photo: Richard Buckley, Rutgers PDL

Brown patch on colonial bentgrass. Photo: Richard Buckley, Rutgers PDL

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