Based on our degree-day (DD) model for Sparganothis fruitworm, first eggs hatch at about 895 DD (see chart). As of June 27, Sparganothis has accumulated 991.5 DD (using April 15 as biofix). This indicates that eggs have started to hatch, and fruit will become susceptible to infestation since larval injury to fruit usually begins after the eggs hatch. According to our model, peak flight should have occurred about a week ago (around June 20). Insecticide applications are usually recommended 10-14 days after peak flight (i.e., June 30-July 4). Most beds should be close to the end of bloom. If trap counts have been high, growers should consider treatment by the end of next week (depending on the variety and time of winter flood removal) to prevent damage to berries. If spraying when bees are present, your option is to use an insect growth regulator (IGR), such as Confirm or Intrepid, or the diamide Altacor. Our “standard” recommendation has been, however, to wait until bees are removed to apply an insecticide. Your post-bloom options include the organophosphate Diazinon, the diamides Altacor, Verdepryn, or Exirel, the spinosyn Delegate, or the IGR Intrepid. Timing of insecticide application is critical; so, if needed, do not wait too long to manage this pest.
Archives for June 2021
NEWA Disease and Insect Forecasting System
The NEWA (Network for Environment and Weather Applications) website managed by the New York state Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program can be found at http://newa.cornell.edu/. The website is easy to use and offers weather data as well as insect and disease forecasting (e.g., P-days for Early blight and BlightCast for Late Blight in potato, and Tom-Cast DSV’s for Early blight, Septoria leaf spot and Anthracnose fruit rot in tomatoes. Just click on the map and scroll down to New Jersey and chose a weather station within the closest proximity to your operation. Once you choose a location a new webpage will appear with the different forecasting options to choose from. Clicking on the potato early blight will automatically generate daily and accumulative P-day values for you for that location. Remember once 300 P-days are accumulated, spray programs for early blight control should be initiated. Clicking on either tomato or potato Late blight will bring up a table which will provide daily rainfall, average temperature, hours above 90% RH and daily and accumulative DSV values for that location. One important thing to remember for the disease forecasting is to track the accumulation of DSV or P-day values based on when you transplanted tomatoes or when potatoes emerged on your farm.
To track the progress of Late blight in the US you may also visit http://usablight.org/
Grasshopper 4th instar in ready to harvest wheat
June 26, 2021
A field of ready to harvest wheat was observed infested with 4th to 5th star grasshopper nymphs in Salem County. While waiting for positive identification from entomologists familiar with the differences in the nymp identification, these nymphs appear to be differential grasshoppers (Melanoplus differentialis). The uniform yellowish color of nymphs observed, is an indication the population is quite high. Lesser populations tend to be more green in color. Additional fields of wheat, corn and soybean on the same farm all had nymphs present but were not at economic threshold yet.
Visual counts observed walking into the field were more than 4 as they hopped away fro
m a square foot area, repeated in multiple locations. This confirms the population is very high. The threshold for nymph stage grasshopper populations causing economic injury is 15 – 20 per square yard. (Four or more per square foot; nine square feet in a yard = more than 20 per square yard = high infestation.)
Because grasshoppers move from preferred forbs like alfalfa and hay fields, and field edges, into cereal crops it is recommended each cereal grain field not yet ready to harvest due to high moisture content be observed to assess thresholds.
When grasshopper nymph levels are this high, the damage to unharvested cereal grains can be concernin if the adult phase coincides with near ready moisture crops, because their feeding can clip the dried grain head stem and both phases chew on seed head grains.
There is no standard for the level of clipped seed heads per say. Monitoring is the best method to determine if harvest will resolve the issue or if a foliar insecticide is needed to protect the grain quality and yield.
The active ingredient Rynaxypyr (Chlorantraniliprole, IRAC 28) found in Dupont insecticide Coregen and FMC’s insecticide Prevathon are labeled for foliar application of grasshoppers in multiple vegetable, field and forage crops.
“Growers can make a foliar application of Prevathon insect control by ground, air or overhead sprinkler chemigation. It has a short re-entry interval of four hours, a favorable worker protection standard profile and a short PHI.” – FMC website, https://ag.fmc.com/us/en/insecticides-miticides/prevathon-insect-control
Once wheat is harvested, grasshoppers will fly to corn and soybean and alfalfa regrowth. Japanese beetles were present in these crops but currently at low levels. Feeding damage may be misidentified as japanese beetle damage when it is actually an indication of grasshopper pressure building. Nymphs were present in adjacent corn and soybean fields but at low levels.
Monitor soybean and young corn fields closely for signs of adult grasshopper feeding through August. Note that a dense swarm of differential and two-striped field crop grasshoppers can destroy the leaf area of a crop in just a few hours.
The following links have useful identification and detailed management recommendations for various stages of grasshoppers on various crop stages of development. The soybean research link shows the defoliation thresholds in soybeans.
Identification https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgi6De5NDIw
Identification https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgi6De5NDIw
Identification http://idtools.org/id/grasshoppers/factsheet.php?name=13190
Economic importance http://idtools.org/id/grasshoppers/factsheet.php?name=13190
New Jersey species in 2005 https://njaes.rutgers.edu/pubs/publication.php?pid=fs290
Coragen label http://www.cdms.net/ldat/ld8KF045.pdf
Soybean reasearch https://soybeanresearchinfo.com/soybean-pest/grasshoppers/
Prevathon label https://ag.fmc.com/us/en/insecticides-miticides/prevathon-insect-control
Additional Vaccination Opportunities Across the State This Weekend
Last Friday, Governor Murphy announced that the State has reached the goal of having 70% adults fully vaccinated. Meanwhile, many areas across New Jersey still see vaccination rate below 70%. In addition to the Atlantic City rodeo event announced yesterday, the NJ Dept of Health shared these additional vaccination events/sites that will occur throughout the state this weekend:
- The Mobile Command Center (vaccination van) will be in Irvington on Saturday 6/26, at Irvington Park, Lyons Avenue and Grove Street, from 10:30AM to 1:30PM
- In Trenton on Saturday 6/26 there will be COVID-19 vaccines, music, giveaways, and a lot of fun at 416 Bellevue Avenue, Trenton, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Vaccine clinic at Rodeo in Atlantic City on Sunday 6/27 at Surf Stadium, 545 North Albany Avenue, Atlantic City, 3PM to 7PM.
Additionally, this weekend and early next week, there will be pop-up vaccination sites in Trenton, Camden, Ewing, Woodbridge, Long Branch, Lakewood, Hackensack, and Paterson.
Saturday 6/26, Grateful for the Shot pop-up clinics –
- Ewing Township, 10am to 1pm – Faith Deliverance Cathedral Church, 15 Keswick Ave, Ewing Township, NJ 08638
- Woodbridge Township, 1pm-4pm – Muslim Community of New Jersey, 15 South Second Street Fords, NJ 08863
- Long Branch City, 10am-12pm – St. Michael’s Roman Catholic Church, 800 Ocean Avenue, Long Branch, NJ 07740
- Lakewood, 9am-5pm – Lakewood Town Square, Clifton Avenue & Third Street, Lakewood, NJ 08701
Sunday 6/27, Grateful for the Shot pop-up clinics –
- Trenton, 9am to 11am – Parish of Our Lady of the Angels, 540 Chestnut Ave Trenton, NJ 08611
- Hackensack, 2pm to 5pm – Redeemed Christian Church of God The King’s Court, 81 Trinity Pl, Hackensack, NJ 07601
- Orange Township, 11am to 3 pm – First Shiloh Baptist Church, 424 Main St, City of Orange, NJ 07050
Monday 6/28, Grateful for the Shot pop-up clinics –
- Paterson City, 4pm to 7pm – Templo Shalom, 586 Main St, Paterson, NJ 07503
Tuesday 6/29, Grateful for the Shot pop-up clinics –
- Paterson City, 3pm to 6pm – Calvary Baptist Church, 575 E 18th St, Paterson, NJ 07514
Free Vaccinations at Atlantic City Rodeo Event – Sunday, June 27
On Sunday, June 27, there will be a free COVID-19 vaccination event during a rodeo being held at the Surf Stadium (545 North Albany Ave, Atlantic City). No appointments are needed and walk-ups are welcome. Both Pfizer for those ages 12 and older (1st and 2nd doses) and J&J for those 18 and older will be available. No ID documentation is required and there will be no impact on immigration status. More details are available in the attached flyers (in English and Spanish) that can be printed, posted and/or handed out for you, your family and farm employees.
COVID-19 vaccines are safe, effective and free. Get vaccinated!
New Jersey Farmland Preservation Seeking New Applications for State Acquisition Program
New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Douglas H. Fisher recently announced that the New Jersey Farmland Preservation Program is accepting new applications for farm owners wishing to permanently preserve their land. The State Agriculture Development Committee (SADC), the agency that administers the program, is accepting new applications through its State Acquisition Program in which landowners coordinate directly with the SADC office to preserve their farms.
If you are interested in exploring preservation, the SADC acquisition regional coordinators are ready to help.
- Stefanie Miller (covers Hunterdon county) stefanie.miller@ag.nj.gov
- Amy Mandelbaum (covers Atlantic, Cape May, Burlington, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean, Camden, Gloucester counties) amy.mandelbaum@ag.nj.gov
- Katie Mazzella (covers Salem, Cumberland counties) katie.mazzella@ag.nj.gov
- Rachel DeFlumeri (covers Bergen, Morris, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, Warren counties) rachel.deflumeri@ag.nj.gov.
You may also call the SADC’s main number at 609-984-2504 or visit the SADC’s website at www.nj.gov/agriculture/sadc/farmpreserve/.
Click to access 2021.6.21SADCAnnouncesSeekingDirectEasementApplicationsFINAL.pdf