Archives for April 2021

April 21, 2021

Allium leaf miner update: 04/21/21

Allium Leaf Miner

Allium leaf miner (ALM) feeding/egg laying scars continue to increase in chive plantings near Milford, Hunterdon County and Lawrenceville, Mercer County as of this Tuesday.  Chives in home gardens in central Morris County and southern Cape May County were also found to be infested this past weekend, with adults actively flying in plants.  The first (spring) flight of these flies appears well underway.  Yellow sticky cards have captured low, but consistent (range 1-5/card/week) numbers of adults in Hunterdon and Mercer County plantings.  Foliar insecticide applications temporarily suppress catches on the cards.  Growers throughout the state should assume there is egg laying activity in their area currently.

Damaged plantGrowers should consider initiating (continuing) the control method of their choice at this time.  Affected crops include chives, scallions, garlic, onions and leeks.  Look for neat rows of white spots descending from the upper tips of allium leaves (see photo at left).  Initial injury often occurs on the tallest leaves.  Under warmer, less breezy conditions, adults may be seen near the tips of leaves (see photo of adults at lower right).  Click on photos to enlarge the images.

Floating row covers, kept on until this flight ends will help minimize access to plants.  Insecticide applications targeting adults may be helpful as well, although weekly sprays have not stopped foliar injury.  Spinosyn materials (Radiant, Entrust (OMRI approved)), pyrethroids (Mustang Maxx, Warrior), neonicotinoids (Scorpion, Venom), the diamide Exirel (section 2ee recommendation) and the insect growth regulator Trigard are labeled for  leaf miner control.Damaged plant

Adult activity and observations of feeding will be reported on in the IPM Update as they occur.  At this time, all growers should continue to respond to the first adult generation.  We will attempt to identify the end of the first flight so that growers know when the risk of infestation has abated.

 

 

 

Filed Under: Organic Production, Vegetable Crops Tagged With: , ,
April 21, 2021

Communicating the Value of COVID-19 Vaccines With Your Farm Employees

CDC COVID-19 Vaccine Posters available in multiple languages – “Vaccines (shots) are one of the tools we have to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.”

In an effort to increase participation in the COVID-19 vaccination program among farm workers, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), through the national Extension Foundation, is working with Cooperative Extension across the country to help spread the word about the importance of getting vaccinated. Rutgers Cooperative Extension Director Brian Schilling has enlisted a team of County Agents and Specialists to answer the call from the CDC to participate in this EXCITE program. Through a variety of communications channels we will be providing informational posters and other educational materials in several appropriate languages that you can hand out or post in locations where your workers can easily read them (like on or near your Worker Protections Standards bulletin boards or in your labor camps).

“Vaccines (shots) are one of the tools we have to fight the COVID-19 pandemic” posters from the CDC are now available on the COVID-19 page of the Rutgers NJAES On-Farm Food Safety website <https://onfarmfoodsafety.rutgers.edu/covid-19-information/> with the direct links to these multiple language editions:

You can also share this Spanish language video <https://wecandothis.hhs.gov/un-rayo-de-esperanza> from the US Dept. of Health and Human Services with your workers to help explain where they can get more information about COVID-19 vaccines. There are several other informational videos available at https://wecandothis.hhs.gov/filter/format/Video, as well as posters/fliers from https://wecandothis.hhs.gov/filter/format/Poster%20%E2%80%93%20Flyer (mostly English), and factsheets at https://wecandothis.hhs.gov/filter/format/Fact%20Sheet.

EXCITE PNG

Filed Under: Blueberry, Commercial Ag Updates, Cranberry, Field, Forage & Livestock, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Nursery, Strawberry, Tree Fruit, Turf, Vegetable Crops, Wine Grape Tagged With: , , , , ,
April 20, 2021

Tree Fruit IPM Report for April 20, 2021

Tree Fruit Phenology:

Tree Fruit Phenology remains about normal. In southern counties most peach orchards are at petal fall. Redhaven was at approximately full bloom on 4/12, and 90% petal fall on 4/20. Plums are past petal fall and pears are at late bloom to petal fall. Red Delicious is at full bloom. Sweet cherries are at full bloom to late bloom and tart cherries are in bloom. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Tree Fruit Tagged With: , , , , , ,
April 20, 2021

New Harmonized and Harmonized Plus+ standards go into effect May 1

This is the time of year when growers start to think about scheduling there USDA Harmonized and Harmonized Plus+ Audits.  There have been changes to both audits which take affect May 1.  Growers should download the latest versions from https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/auditing/gap-ghp/harmonized.  The Harmonized Audit is version 2 dated February 8, 2021 and the Harmonized Plus+ with the same date is version 3.  If anyone is still getting the GAP/GHP audits there are no changes.

There are changes to both the Harmonized and Harmonized Plus+.  New questions for the Harmonized Audit include:  G-8.2, G-10.7, G-12.1, G-12.2, P-3.1, P-8.2 and P-8.4.  Amended questions include: G-3.2, G-10.1, G-10.3, G-10.6, G-10.8, G-10.10, G-10.12, G-10.16 and G-10.19.  All of these apply to the Harmonized Plus+ in addition to four new questions:  F-8.2.c, P-6.5.a, P-3.1.a and P-9.4.a.  Two questions were also amended:  G2.2.2 and G-6.1.a.

Other than the new questions which must be reviewed and addressed in the food safety plan there are certain things audits will be stressing this year.  One is G-3.2 related to documentation and protection of those documents.  Documents must be maintained for two years and be available for review.  The one document which has not been assessed in the past is the portable toilet record.  This year they will be checking for it.  There are two ways growers can comply.  First make sure the starting and ending dates are on your contract for the portable toilets.  Also, take a picture of the log inside the toilet door at least at the end of the season.  It may make sense to do it mid-season and at the end.  Maintain those photos with your other documents.

The second is F-8.2 related to cleaning and sanitizing equipment, vehicles, tools and utensils and their storage.  There needs to be a schedule for those activities and records must include the date and method of cleaning and sanitizing.  One thing that gets overlooked at times are knives for field harvesting of vegetables and herbs.  These must be included, and the auditors will be looking for the logs this year.

Example templates are being updated on the Food Safety website https://onfarmfoodsafety.rutgers.edu/ that will include most of what would be needed for an audit.  These can be modified to fit any operation.

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Food Safety, Fruit, Vegetable Crops
April 19, 2021

What to Look for At Bloom: Cankers of Stone fruit.

Bacterial Spot is a key pest of Peach, Nectarine and Plum and in some years like 2019 can cause significant losses. It is caused by the bacterium Xanthomonas arbicola pv. pruni. Bacterial spot cankers that cause tip dieback (commonly called Black Tip) are often difficult to distinguish from cankers caused by other peach diseases. Other cankers that may appear during bloom are caused by the blossom blight phase of brown rot, and constriction canker. Black tip usually appears during or just after bloom. Typical symptoms are a gradual blackening of the tip with dead tissue moving down the twig and is often observed on highly susceptible cultivars (Fig. 1). Tip die back may also occur from abiotic factors such as frost. Tip die back from frost is often accompanied by blind wood usually 6-8 inches below the tip where leaves and flowers have fallen off after being killed by a freeze.

Scared onion

Fig. 1 Tip die back likely bacterial spot or spring frost.

In some cases the twig may appear healthy and a shoot begins growing from the tip only to die back after leafing out and flowering. This is often a symptom of late winter/early spring infections of constriction canker. Many times a bud that was infected in the fall and never leafed out may be found just below the new shoot that is dying. This usually a good clue that constriction canker is the cause. These symptoms may be more prevalent in old trees that have a history of the disease (Fig. 2).

Allium Leaf Miner

Fig. 2 Tip die back possibly caused by constriction canker.

Tip cankers such as these may be accompanied by cankers on flower buds lower down the on the twig typically associated with blossom blight or constriction canker, or they may appear alone. Spring cankers from bacterial spot that form around flower buds are less commonly seen in our region. In cases like this it is difficult to diagnose the disease early on, especially where symptoms are randomly found at low levels or are mixed in appearance. The only thing that can be done is to note the trouble blocks and watch to see what develops. Blossom blight and constriction canker will eventually develop unique symptoms. Bacterial spot lesions will eventually show on the leaves. If you see black tip cankers forming during bloom its not a bad idea to assume its bacterial spot and include copper or oxytetracycline with your blossom blight sprays.

 

Filed Under: Tree Fruit Tagged With: , , ,
April 15, 2021

Nursery and Landscape Pest Scouting Guide: 150-250 Growing Degree-days and Boxwood Blight Risk ( currently = low risk )

Nursery and Landscape Pest Scouting Guide 150-250 GDD50:

Please print or download these resources (click on them): 

Remember:

  • To determine your local growing degree-days, please review this post “Obtaining your local growing degree-day information”
  • The information provided in the downloads gives scouting GDD50 ranges (in growing degree days, base 50F) for specific insect pests harming nursery crop production and maintenance. It is important to note that these GDD50 are not exact, rather provide a range of GDD and subsequent calendar dates that can be used to scout for, and treat for, insect pests.
  • This document supports scouting, it does not replace it. Keeping good notes on pest development will help dial in scouting and treatment efforts at your local level.
  • Forecasting predictions (GDD50 accumulation) for calendar dates of multiple regions of New Jersey (S,N,C) are provided.
  • If you need more information, OR you are regularly seeing specific pest development stages at growing degree-days different than those listed here, please contact Tim Waller at twaller@njaes.rutgers.edu

GREAT RESOURCE from Steve Rettke: “Landscape Pest Notes: Some Early Spring Insects/Mites”

 

Projected GDD50 accumulation as of 4/15/2021
Region Location 4/15/21 1-Apr 1-May 1-Jun 1-Jul Aug. 1st
Southern Upper Deerfield (NJ50) 141 75 230 636 1314 2156
Central Howell / Freehold (NJ10) 94 67 165 513 1135 1929
Northern High Point (NJ59) 50 21 56 268 721 1327
Forecast: NOAA NCEP Coupled Forecast System model version 2 (CFSv2) forecast system (3.5 months) (USPEST.ORG)

 

Pest Scouting – Growing Degree-day Ranges (150-250 GDD50)
CROP TYPE Common Name Scientific Name GDD Min (50F) GDD Max (95F) Reference Developmental / Target Stage
Malus, Prunus, many Eastern tent caterpillar Malacosoma americanum 90 190 2 Larvae treatment before tents apparent (near 150-GDD50)
Elm, Service berry Woolly elm aphid Eriosoma americana 121 246 2 (6) Control target
Conifer Hemlock woolly adelgid Adelges tsugae 150 150 RU Eggs and 10% hatch
Conifer Spruce spider mite Oligonychus ununguis 150 175 4 1st egg hatch
Conifer Spruce needleminer Endothenia albolineana 150 200 4 1st larvae active
Conifer Balsam gall midge Paradiplosis tumifex 150 300 4 Adults laying eggs
Witchhazel, River birch Spiny witchhazel gall aphid Hamamelistes spinosus 171 – 6 Control target
Birch Birch leafminer Fenusa pusilla  190 290 RU Larvae (1st generation)
Conifer Spruce spider mite Oligonychus ununguis 190 363 RU Immatures/Adults
Honeylocust Honeylocust pod gall midge Dasineura gleditchiae 192 229 RU Larvae
Holly Holly leafminer Phytomyza ilicis 192 290 RU Egg hatch
Holly *Native holly leafminer Phytomyza ilicicola 192 298 2 Egg hatch
Rhododendron Rhododendron borer Synanthedon rhododendri 192 298 2 Typical treatment window
Larch Larch sawfly Pristophora erichsonii 192 299 2 Typical treatment window
Andromeda Andromeda lacebug Stephanitis takeyai 192 303 RU Adults
Rhododendron Rhododendron gall midge Clinodiplosis rhododendri 192 363 RU Larvae
Willows, Cottonwood, Poplar Imported willow leaf beetle Plagiodera versicolora 192 448 RU Larvae/Adults
Privet Privet thrips Dendrothrips ornatus 192 618 2 Typical treatment window
Lilac, ash, privet, many Lilac / Ash Borer Podosesia syringae 200 299 RU Adults – 1st Treatment
Spruce Spruce budworm Choristoneura fumiferana 200 300 5 Larvae
Elm Elm leafminer Fenusa ulmi 215 240 5 Adult emergence
Wild and cultivated roses Roseslug sawfly Endelomyia aethiops 230 – 6 Egg hatch / early instars
Deciduous, many Hawthorn lacebug Corythucha cydoniae 239 363 RU Nymphs/Adults
Conifer Arborvitae leafminer Argyresthia thuiella 245 360 RU Larvae Treatments
Prunus American plum borer Euzophera semifuneralis 245 440 5 Adult flight, egg laying
Boxwood Boxwood mites Eurytetranychus buxi 245 600 RU All Stages
Lilac Lilac leafminer Caloptilia syringella 246 363 5 Larvae Treatments
Holly Holly leafminer Phytomyza ilicis 246 448 RU Larvae Treatment
Yew Taxus mealybug Dysmicoccus wistariae 246 618 RU Adults/Crawlers
Conifer Pine sawflies (Red-headed) Neodiprion lecontei 246 1388 RU Larvae (1st generation)
Boxwood Boxwood leafminer Monarthropalpusi flavus 249 – 6 Adult emergence
Conifer Eastern spruce gall adelgid Adelges abietis 250 310 5 egg hatch, galls begin forming (not a control target)
References RU Rutgers Cooperative Extension – IPM Notes
2 http://ccetompkins.org/resources/using-growing-degree-days-for-insect-management
3 https://extension.psu.edu/ipm-basics-for-christmas-trees#section-2
4 https://www.canr.msu.edu/ipm/agriculture/christmas_trees/gdd_of_conifer_insects
5 https://www.agriculture.nh.gov/publications-forms/documents/landscape-pests.pdf
6 https://extension.umd.edu/ipm/pest-predictive-calendar-landscapenursery
7 https://www.canr.msu.edu/ipm/agriculture/christmas_trees/gdd_of_landscape_insects

 

Boxwood Blight risk-model information, considerations, and links:

Boxwood Blight Risk Assessment as of 4/15/2021
Region Location CODE 15-April 16-April 17- April 18-April 19-April
Southern Upper Deerfield NJ50 Low  Very Low  Very Low  Very Low  Very Low 
Central Howell / Freehold NJ10 Low  Very Low  Very Low  Very Low  Very Low 
Northern High Point NJ59 Very Low  Very Low  Very Low  Very Low  Very Low 
Please check your local boxwood blight risk at (https://uspest.org/risk/boxwood_app)

 

Considerations:

Become a Boxwood Blight Advocate to receive quarterly updates (through the Horticultural Research Institution)

Filed Under: Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Nursery, Turf Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,