Rutgers Cooperative Extension
The crew of the Plant Diagnostic Laboratory are always on the hunt for new and exciting examples of plant damage. Last week, out walking her dog, Sabrina Tirpak our Principle Technician and photographer happened upon a red maple with these amazing red leaf spots.
Dramatic leaf spots caused by the ocellate maple gall midge, Acericecis ocellaris. Photo: Sabrina Tirpak, Rutgers PDL
Just like clockwork and in time to thrill your mother for Mothers Day, the telia of the fungus Gymnosporangium juniperi-virginianae appeared on area junipers.
Telia of Gymnosporangium juniperi-virginianae on Eastern red cedar. Photo: Richard Buckley, Rutgers PDL
An unexpected sample walked into the laboratory at the end of last week. Net blotch, which is caused by the fungus Drechslera dictyoides, was subsequently diagnosed on a sample of turf-type tall fescue.
Net blotch leaf lesions on tall fescue. Photo: Sabrina Tirpak, Rutgers PDL
Downy mildew was identified in Knock Out® rose samples submitted to the Plant Diagnostic Lab from a south-Jersey nursery this week. Knock Outs®, which have few problems, have been a favorite in New Jersey landscapes in recent years. Unfortunately, it seems this plant has met its Achilles’ heel.
Downy mildew on Double Knock Out® rose. Photo: Sabrina Tirpak, Rutgers PDL
This week annual bluegrass weevils (ABW) came home to roost on the Rutgers Turf Farm in North Brunswick. I am quite sure they have been rooting around here for some time – I’ve heard reports of adult weevils in pitfall traps as early as late-February – but enough of them appeared on Wednesday to get the attention of the graduate students and farm staff working the plots.
Annual bluegrass weevil adults. Photo: Sabrina Tirpak, Rutgers PDL
If you have boxwoods on your property, bend over and take a listen. No, you haven’t suddenly become the plant whisperer! What you are hearing is not the boxwood talking, but the late-stage larvae of the boxwood leafminer, Monarthropalpusi flavus. It literally sounds like the snap, crackle and pop of a bowl of rice cereal. [Read more…]
