Listen to Wes Kline discuss how to build a one-way street for water in produce packinghouses. The fundamentals of water distribution, the FSMA PSR, and practical ways of implementing backflow prevention are covered. Click on the image below to access the YouTube video.
Archives for August 2022
Pepper anthracnose ALERT: 08-09-22
Pepper anthracnose has been confirmed in southern New Jersey. For more information on its control please click here.
Common Backyard Beneficials
Too often, landscape plant managers ignore or confuse beneficial organisms with insect pests and inappropriately apply control materials. This is especially the case with the larvae or immature stages of beneficial insects. An observant and knowledgeable IPM scout needs to learn how to recognize and conserve these “good guys,” so they are not needlessly destroyed. Remember, “we must look before we shoot,” when spraying pesticides and take advantage of natural pest control that works for free!

Home entrance walkway with diverse plantings of numerous species. An ideal setting to attract many beneficial insects. (Photo Credit: Steven K. Rettke, Rutgers Coop. Ext.)
The classical definition of biological control is the use of natural enemies to control insect pests. These natural enemies include predators, parasitoids, and pathogens. Pathogens are microorganisms (bacteria, viruses, fungi, protozoan, and nematodes) that kill pests. Parasitoids are parasites that kill their hosts by their feeding activities. Most parasitoids of landscape pests are wasps and flies. This blog will discuss some of the more valuable ornamental landscape predators.

Over one hundred praying mantids can emerge from a typical sized egg case (ootheca). Although excellent predators, praying mantids are NOT considered to be valuable in the home landscape. (Photo Credit: Steven K. Rettke, Rutgers Coop. Ext.)
Vegetable Disease Update: 08-08-22
- Cucurbit downy mildew has been reported ONLY on cucumber in southern, central, and northern New Jersey. For more information on CDM control please click here. To follow the progress of CDM in the US please click here.
- The foliar and fruit rot phase of Buckeye rot in tomato has been reported.
- There have been no reports of Late blight in potato or tomato in the region to date. To follow the progress of Late blight in the US please click here.
- Viruses in pepper and tomato have been reported at an unusually high rate this summer.
- Bacterial leaf spot is being reported in pepper and tomato. More more information on BLS control please click here. Rutgers is still surveying tomato and pepper fields throughout the state to help determine the makeup of the bacterial population and for copper resistance development!
- Basil downy mildew has been confirmed in New Jersey. All basil growers are encouraged to scout on a daily basis. To track and report BDM occurrence please click here. For information on the control of BDM in the greenhouse or the field please click on the hyperlinks.
- Phomopsis leaf blight has been reported in annual strawberry. For more information please see this Extension publication by Louws et al. at NCSU.
- Collar rot has been reported in tomato. Please click here for more information.
- Rhizoctonia root rot has been reported in summer squash. Click here for more information.
- White mold has been reported in tomato and Southern blight in pepper in southern new Jersey this past week. Click here for more information.
- Powdery mildew has been reported in cucurbit crops. For more information on the control of CPM please click here.
- Bacterial canker has been reported in tomato. For more information on diagnosing important tomato diseases please click here.
- Phytophthora blight has been reported on pepper. For more information please click here.
- The 2022/2023 Commercial Vegetable Production Recommendations Guide is available for free online or for sale in hardcopy form at many County offices.
- For a quick review on managing fungicide resistance development using tank mixes and fungicide rotations, and information on FRAC group 4, FRAC group 7, and FRAC group 3 and FRAC group 11 fungicides please click on hyperlinks.
Tree Fruit IPM Report for August 8, 2022
Peach:
Oriental Fruit Moth: A biofix point for OFM was set on 4/11 in southern counties, and on 4/14 in northern counties. The third generation timings are are over in all regions. Additional treatments should be made if trap captures are over 6 moths per trap.
Insecticide Type | |||
County/Region | Degree Days by 7/28 base 45 | Conventional
2000-2100 2350-2450 |
Diamide
2025–2150 2375-2450 |
Gloucester – Southern | 2437 | 1st –past
2nd –7/26-7/28 |
1st –past
2nd –7/26-7/28 |
Middlesex – Northern | 2394 | 1st –past
2nd –past |
1st –past
2nd –past |
Scale Insects: Second generation crawler emergence has started for both San Jose and White Peach scale and will last well into August. White Peach scale has a third generation in September and San Jose scale may have a third generation in October. Esteem and Centaur are both good scale materials. Esteem and Centaur should be applied at the start of crawler emergence. These materials should only need one application. Other options include: Assail, Belay, Actara (Group 4A): Closer (Group 4C); Sivanto (Group 4D) and the bioinsecticide Venerate. These products may need more than one application, typically 2 applications bracketing peak crawler emergence which should occur between the first and third week of August. Only Venerate has a 0 day PHI, making it useful for blocks near or at harvest. Diazinon is also still labelled for peach and apple: for San Jose Scale, it is labeled at a rate of 1#/100 with a 21 day PHI for both peach and apple; for White Peach Scale it is labeled at a rate of 1.5-2#/100 for post-harvest application only. The label requires 14 days between applications. These products may need more than one application, typically 2 applications bracketing peak crawler emergence which should occur between the first and third week of August.
Apples and Pears:
Diseases: Summer scab, rots and sooty blotch and fly speck are the main targets at this stage. Where scab is present rely primarily on protectant fungicides. Last year Captan plus a phosphorous acid like Prophyt was observed to slow scab development as well as provide good summer disease control.
Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs: Brown Marmorated Stink bugs are present at low to moderate levels in orchards statewide. See the NJ Tree Fruit Production guide for effective materials.
Codling Moth (CM): Timings for the second generation are updated below. A biofix was set for CM on April 25th in southern counties, and May 6 in Northern counties (Middlesex County). Second generation treatments according to the degree day model are now over. Additional treatments should be made if trap captures are over 5 moths/trap. Some orchards have had continuing trap captures above threshold.
Codling Moth Degree Day Timing | ||||||
Application and Insecticide Type | ||||||
County Area | Biofix | Intrepid; Diamides – Altacor, Voliam mixes:
1150-1200 + 1450-1500 DD
|
Cyd-X, Madex
1250 DD + every 7-9 days during brood hatch (later if first spray is an IGR) |
Standard Insecticides – Delegate, Avaunt, OP’s, carbamates, pyrethroids
1250 DD + 1550-1600 DD
|
||
DD | 1150-1200 | 1450-1500 | 1250 | 1250 | 1550-1600 | |
Southern | April 25 | Past | Past | Past | Past | Past |
Northern | May 6 | Past | past | Past | Past | Past |
Scale Insects: For San Jose scale see the peach section above.
Grape
Bunch Rots: Grapes are beginning veraison in southern counties. Disease management continues to focus on downy and powdery mildew and and now also turns to bunch rot management. Refer to the NJ Commercial Grape Production Guide as well as the linked presentation from Dr. Nita in Virginia. Additional information can be found in this linked presentation from Dr. Bryan Hed at Penn Sate.
Grape Berry Moth: The timing for the third generation is past. In some hot summers a fourth generation may occur, however no further treatments should be needed, especially where insecticides are being applied for SLF.
Spotted Lantern Fly: Spotted lantern fly adults are now appearing in vineyards. At this stage it is border treatments with effective materials should be adequate since most adults will be found on vineyard edges and populations will be low. As we move into September adult migration will increase and at that point growers should apply materials with long residual efficacy (refer to the table from Penn Sate below.) More information on biology and control can be found from Penn State.
Tree Fruit Trap Counts – Southern Counties
Weekending | STLM | TABM-A | CM | BMSB | OFM-A | DWB | OFM-P | TABM-P | LPTB | PTB |
4/9/2022 | 2 | 0 | 0 | |||||||
4/16/2022 | 0 | 2 | 3 | |||||||
4/23/2022 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 5 | 0 | 0 | |||
4/30/2022 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 31 | 4 | 0 | 0 | |||
5/7/2022 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 50 | 4 | 0 | 0 | |||
5/14/2022 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 19 | 2 | 0 | 0 | |||
5/21/2022 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 20 | 2 | 7 | 3 | |||
5/28/2022 | 0 | 19 | 3 | 13 | 0 | 11 | 36 | |||
6/4/2022 | 0 | 10 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 13 | 49 | 0 | ||
6/11/2022 | 0 | 9 | 2 | 6 | 36 | 0 | 8 | 47 | 3 | |
6/18/2022 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 62 | 0 | 3 | 13 | 1 | |
6/25/2022 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 4 |
7/2/2022 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 4 |
7/9/2022 | 10 | 4 | 2 | 15 | 6 | 31 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 3 |
7/16/2022 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 5 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 7 |
7/23/2022 | 15 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 2 |
7/31/2022 | 16 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 3 |
8/6/2022 | 10 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 31 | 2 | 0 | 21 | 4 |
Tree Fruit Trap Counts – Northern Counties
Weekending | STLM | TABM-A | CM | BMSB | OFM-A | DWB | OFM-P | TABM-P | LPTB | PTB |
4/9/2022 | ||||||||||
4/16/2022 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |||||||
4/23/2022 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | ||||||
4/30/2022 | 0 | 0 | 2.5 | 0 | ||||||
5/7/2022 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | ||||||
5/14/2022 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | |||
5/21/2022 | 6 | 8 | 4 | 27 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 0 | |
5/28/2022 | 34 | 19 | 3 | 6 | 13 | 1 | 23 | 15 | 0 | |
6/4/2022 | 17 | 21 | 4 | 4 | 11 | 1 | 27 | 17 | 0 | |
6/11/2022 | 22 | 25 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 30 | 9 | 0 | |
6/18/2022 | 66 | 20 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 27 | 7 | 0 |
6/25/2022 | 58 | 21 | 1 | 8 | 8 | 2 | 4 | 22 | 4 | 0 |
7/2/2022 | 55 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 14 | 15 | 2 | 9 | 4 | 1 |
7/9/2022 | 60 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 20 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 1 |
7/16/2022 | 64 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 19 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 3 |
7/23/2022 | 97 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 18 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 |
7/31/2022 | 46 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 13 | 22 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
8/6/2022 | 26 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 20 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 3 |
Pest Event or Growth Stage | Approximate Date | 2022 Observed Date |
Bud Swell (Redhaven) | March 23 +/- 15 Days | March 20 |
1/4″ Green Tip Red Delicious | March 31 +/- 13 Days | March 21 |
Pink Peach (Redhaven) | April 4 +/- 15 Days | March 31 |
Tight Cluster Red Delicious | April 9 +/- 13 Days | March 31 |
Full Bloom Peach (Redhaven) | April 9 +/- 14 Days | April 10 |
Pink Apple (Red Delicious) | April 14 +/- 12 Days | April 14 |
Full Bloom Apple (Red Delicious) | April 22 +/- 11 Days | April 21 |
Petal Fall (Redhaven) | April 22 +/- 10 Days | April 14 |
Petal Fall (Red Delicious) | April 27 +/- 13 Days | May 3 |
Shuck Split (Redhaven) | April 30 +/- 11 Days | April 26 |
Pit Hardening | June 15 +/- 9 Days | June 10 |
Non-Herbicide Nutsedge Management Resources for Specialty Crop Growers
Learn more about the weed nutsedge and appropriate management strategies based on the plants growth preferences and dislikes. These resources can be used to develop a short and long term management plan for nutsedge control. Visit the NJAES Weed Management YouTube playlist for a video presentation or download our nutsedge decision tool fact sheet. These resources are one of a five-part weed management series funded by USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant AM190100.