Organic Farm Advisory

The Plant & Pest Advisory serves NJ growers by reporting on important pests and recommending responses that are grounded in reproducible trials.

Articles in this section contain information helpful to the NJ commercial organic grower.

Sharing organic practice trial results between land-grant universities is a cost effective way to create a common knowledge base built on the strengths of individual programs. In the sidebar, find institutions with programs in organic agriculture which augment knowledge developed at the Rutgers New Jersey Ag Experiment Station.

Rutgers Cooperative Extension Field Guides: These concise guides help with decision making from pre-planting to harvest. For each crop listed, learn what pests to proactively look for as the season progresses, how to look for them, and when to take action.

Field Guide List

July 28, 2022

Special IPM Update – Fall Armyworm Alert

Sweet Corn – Fall Armyworm

As of Wednesday (7/27) evening, significant fall armyworm (FAW) infestations were found in whorl stage sweet corn in Cape May County.  These infestations were nearing 50% of plants infested, and are an indication that all sweet corn growers in southern NJ should be checking fields regularly for signs of FAW feeding.  This pest often hits earliest and hardest in coastal areas, and new infestations have been detected up the coast to Monmouth County.  Northern infestations have been much lower, and very recent.

Look for extensive foliar feeding in sweet corn ranging from seedling to pre-tassel stage.   FAW create large volumes of droppings that often cover larvae while feeding in the whorl.  Untreated infestations can result in severely stunted plants.  Consider treating when FAW feeding alone, or in combination with European corn borer exceeds 12%.  Insecticides in the IRAC 28 class (diamides) and IRAC 5 class (spinosyns) work well against FAW.

Filed Under: Field, Forage & Livestock, Organic Production, Vegetable Crops
July 27, 2022

Vegetable IPM Update 07/27/22

Sweet Corn

European corn borer (ECB) moth catches continue to be extremely low around the state, although there has been some increase in adults in southern traps.   ECB population maps will resume if second flight catches rise to high enough numbers.

The highest nightly trap catches of ECB for the week ending 07/27/22 are as follows:

Allentown   1 Jones Island   1 Oldwick   1
Eldora   1 Medford   1 Tabernacle   1
Elm   1 Milltown   1
Georgetown   1 New Egypt   1

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Organic Production, Vegetable Crops
July 25, 2022

Pesticide Applicators Seminar – Credits Available

Over the past two years in-person trainings for pesticide applicators to obtain recertification credits have been a challenge. To educate licensed pesticide applicators and help them to receive credits, a 3-hour seminar will be held on Tuesday, October 18, 2022 from 9:00AM to 12:00PM at the Rutgers Cooperative Extension office in Gloucester County, 254 County House Rd, Clarksboro, NJ 08020. The meeting will be in the Sullivan Room auditorium. Attendees can enter through the ramp on the far right side of the main building. 

Presenter: Michelle Infante-Casella, Agricultural Agent

Schedule:
9:00 AM……………..Pesticide Storage Facilities and Pesticide Disposal

10:00 AM……………Pesticide Record Keeping, Notification, and Posting

10:30 AM……………Insect Identification and Life Cycles for Proper Control Strategies in Landscapes, Turf, and Farm Fields

11:00 AM…………….Weed Identification: Annuals and Perennials: Know Your Weeds in Landscapes, Turf and Farm Fields

11:30 AM…………….Common Plant Diseases of Major Crop/Plant Groups

12:00 PM …………….Pesticide Credits and Adjourn

The following credits have been assigned by NJ DEP:
3 – CORE Credits 
3 – PP2 Credits 
3 – 3A Credits 
3 – 3B Credits 
3 – 1A Credits 

Call 856-224-8040 ext. 1 or email jmedany@co.gloucester.nj.us to pre-register or for more information.

There is a $50.00 fee per participant. Only checks or cash will be accepted. Please make checks payable to “Rutgers the State Univ. of NJ”

Pre-registration is appreciated, and walk-in participants are welcome and can pay at the door. To find more information see: https://go.rutgers.edu/Oct18PesticideSeminar

 

 

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Field, Forage & Livestock, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Organic Production, pesticide credits, Plant Diagnostic Lab, Vegetable Crops Tagged With:
July 24, 2022

Temporary Seasonal help needed for the Rutgers Vegetable IPM Program

There are still positions available for seasonal, temporary worker(s) for the Rutgers Vegetable IPM program.  The work entails checking insect traps and doing some field scouting with farms in southern New Jersey (Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, Atlantic, Cumberland, and Salem counties).  There will be on-the-job

Corn earworm pheromone trap

training.  Hourly wages are up to $20/hour, depending upon experience and/or areas of study.  Applicants must have vehicles and will be reimbursed for mileage.  For more details and to fill out an application, please go to https://jobs.rutgers.edu/postings/158384

Filed Under: Field, Forage & Livestock, Organic Production, Vegetable Crops
July 20, 2022

Vegetable IPM Update 07/20/22

Sweet Corn

European corn borer (ECB) moth catches continue to be extremely low around the state.   We are in between adult generations at this time.  ECB population maps will resume if second flight catches rise to high enough numbers.

The highest nightly trap catches of ECB for the week ending 07/20/22 are as follows:

Allentown   1 Old Bridge   1
Dayton   1 Sergeantsville   1
Hillsborough   1 South Branch   1

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Organic Production, Vegetable Crops
July 19, 2022

Pumpkin Pollination and Weather Conditions

With high temperatures this week and predicted for next week, there are concerns about pollination of pumpkin and other crops. Flower bud abortion can occur if temperatures are in the high 70’s at night or in high 90’s during the day for several consecutive days. Heat stress causes other issues with plant functions and plant health. However, for crops that need pollination, it is especially stressful when hot and dry weather conditions occur.

Honeybees, bumblebees, squash bees, and many other solitary bees will pollinate pumpkin flowers. Pumpkin flowers only live a few hours after blooming and then go limp and close. Therefore, they must be pollinated during the brief window when they are open. It is important to keep adequate soil moisture during pollination to help foster flower health, pollen quality, and good pollen acceptance by the stigma. Pollination cannot occur if the buds and flowers don’t form properly. Irrigation is recommended, as well as other plant health maintenance practices to keep pumpkin roots, vines, flowers and fruit growing properly during this heat wave and throughout the season.

Some other factors to consider in the future to ensure adequate pollination include:

1. Keep plant populations at recommended rates to not have excessive foliage. The nice thing about pumpkin vines is once they cover the ground, they make for good weed competition. However, too much leaf cover and high plant densities can hinder pollinators from locating flowers under the canopy. Additionally, too much foliage causes plants to remain wet for longer periods of time, encouraging fungal diseases.

2. Do not rely solely on native bee populations and investigate hive rentals to accentuate populations of pollinators.

3. Excessive plant growth in response to higher-than-recommended nitrogen applications can also delay flowering and fruit set. Therefore, do not over-fertilize pumpkins. This is true for all growth stages, but especially before fruit set.

4. Besides poor plant/flower quality, drought can lead to a higher than normal male/female flower ratio, resulting fewer pumpkins per plant.

For more information about pollination see the 2022/2023 Mid-Atlantic Commercial Vegetable Recommendations pages 27-33.

Filed Under: Organic Production, Vegetable Crops Tagged With: