Most of New Jersey has been plagued by heavy rains and pop-up thunderstorms these past few weeks making conditions ideal for pathogens such as Phytophthora blight (P. capsici) on pepper, eggplant, tomato, and cucurbit crops. Unfortunately, Phytophthora blight can be found on most farms in the southern part of the state. Poor crop rotations with susceptible hosts only make matters worse. The pathogen has an increasing host range that also includes snap and lima beans, and all crops, other than a few resistant bell pepper cultivars, lack any resistance to the pathogen. [Read more…]
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.
Veg IPM Update: Week Ending 6/24/15
Sweet Corn
European corn borer (ECB) adult activity is now very low. Only scattered individuals remain in northern NJ, while the activity in the southwestern part of the state has declined to nearly nothing. The first flight is over in most of NJ. Areas of highest activity is in parts of Morris County (see ECB map). ECB infestations are still present in sweet corn plantings. Feeding in pretassle stage plantings in the 30% range has been found in areas where IPM personnel are operating.Be sure to begin monitoring plantings for ECB feeding while they are still in the whorl stage. Consider treating when the number of infested plants in a 50 plant sample exceeds 12%. Feeding in the whorl stage will appear as numerous small holes (called “shot-hole”) on leaves, with damage present on consecutively younger leaves.
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Veg IPM Update: Week Ending 6/17/15
Sweet Corn
Warmer evening temperatures have resulted in a slight resurgence of European corn borer (ECB) adults in the blacklight network. A residual first generation population remains in northern NJ, while the activity in the southwestern part of the state may represent the beginning of a second flight. The nature of the southern NJ activity should become clear over the next 1-2 weeks. Areas of highest activity include parts of Morris and Gloucester counties (see ECB map). ECB infestations continue to rise in sweet corn plantings. Feeding ranges from single digits to over 50% in areas where IPM personnel are operating.
[Read more…]
Veg IPM Update: Week Ending 6/10/15
Sweet Corn
Catches of European corn borer (ECB) are now in decline through much of the state. Remaining areas of highest activity include parts of Morris and Warren counties (see ECB map).
ECB infestations are now rising in sweet corn plantings. Feeding ranges from single digits to 12% in areas where IPM personnel are operating.
Veg IPM Update: Week Ending 6/3/15
Sweet Corn
Cold temperatures and rain this week have prevented catches of European corn borer (ECB) from rising, and much of the activity represented in the map occurred over the weekend. Areas of highest activity include parts of Hunterdon, Morris and Burlington counties (see ECB map). Low level ECB infestations are present in early sweet corn plantings, and will become more significant with the return of drier weather.
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Wet Weather and Strawberry Fruit Rots
Wet weather is expected to come in during the first part of the week and linger around for most of it. Now that strawberries are in full production growers need to pay close attention to fruit rots such as anthracnose and botrytis. Overipe or unharvested mature berries left in commercial or u-pick fields can act as sources of inoculum for both pathogens. Importantly, both pathogens can develop and spread rapidly under wet, rainy conditions and the appropriate protectant fungicides need to be applied ahead of any inclement weather.
![Botrytis, or grey mold, on mature strawberry fruit. Botrytis can develop and spread rapidly under cool, wet conditions.](https://plant-pest-advisory.rutgers.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Straw-Botrytis-berries-300x169.jpg)
Botrytis, or grey mold, on mature strawberry fruit. Botrytis can develop and spread rapidly under cool, wet conditions.
[Read more…]