- Cucurbit downy mildew has been reported on cucumber in southern New Jersey. This is the first report in the state this growing season. For a review of CDM control please click here. To track the progress of CDM on your phone or PC please visit the CDM forecasting website.
- Cucurbit powdery mildew season is here. For a review of CPM control strategies please click here.
- No reports of Late blight in region. To track the progress of Late blight in the US please click here.
- Aerial stem rot has been reported on potato in southern New Jersey. The pathogen is an opportunistic bacterium in the field which infects vines that have been damaged by wind and heavy rains.
- There have been a few reports of Southern blight (Sclerotinia rolfsii) on tomato and pepper. Southern blight is much more common in vegetable areas south of the state where summer temperatures remain hotter (above 90°F) for longer periods of time. Like white mold, caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, it can survive in the soil for many years. Symptoms of Southern blight include infection at the base of the stem at the soil-line. The resulting infection will girdle the plant causing wilt and death. The fungus will produce white, cottony mycelium and very small, spherical sclerotia which are often have a white to tannish, brown color as they mature. For more information on Southern blight from NCSU please click here.
- Collar rot caused by Alternaria has been reported on processing tomato in New Jersey. It is the same pathogen that causes Early blight in tomato. Tomato growers who have not switched to more specific fungicides for Early blight and anthracnose fruit rot control should consider doing so. For more information from NCSU please click here.
- Bacterial wilt has been reported in tomato in New Jersey.
- Rhizoctonia root and crown rot has been reported on sugar beet in southern New Jersey. For more information from the University of Idaho please click here.
- Bacterial leaf spot has been reported in pepper. For more information on BLS and copper resistance please click here.
- Pepper anthracnose is a serious problem in all bell and non-bell peppers, especially in fields with a history of the disease. For more information on controlling pepper anthracnose please click here.
- Phytophthora blight has been reported in pepper and cucurbit crops. For more information please click here.
- Basil downy mildew (BDM) has been reported in southern New Jersey on BDM susceptible sweet basil. All growers are encouraged to initiate preventative fungicide programs on DMR and non-DMR basil. For control options and to follow the progress of BDM in the US on your phone or PC please click here.
- Downy mildew has been reported in kale seedlings in a hydroponic greenhouse in PA. As a note, kale and related crops should be scouted on a regular basis. For more information on downy mildew in brassica crops from UMASS-Amherst please click here.
- Bacterial canker has been reported in fresh-market tomato. For a review of bacterial canker in tomato please see report by Dr. Sally Miller at The Ohio State University by clicking here.
- Diplodia leaf streak, a fungal disease, was identified in sweet corn this past week. Symptoms include the development of numerous pycnidia which produce conidia within the lesions on infected corn leaves. For nice reviews, please see report by Dr. Kiersten Wise and colleagues from the University of Kentucky and report by Dr. Steve Johnson at the University of Maine.
- White mold, caused by Stromatina cepivorum, has been reported in garlic. For more information, please see report by Crystal Stewart and Frank Hay from Cornell University.
- Angular leaf spot has been reported in summer squash. Look for angular lesions delimited by leaf veins and ‘shotholes’ in infected leaves that develop after periods of hot, dry weather.
- Bacterial leaf spot has been reported in sweet basil. BLS of sweet basil is a relatively new disease of basil in the US. The bacterium has a large host range and can survive and overwinter in the soil on infested plant debris. Disease development is favored by hot, humid, rainy weather. Periods of hot, dry weather will help mitigate disease development.
- With the on and off again heavy rains we have been getting, along with warmer weather, all growers should consider applying at-transplanting fungicides for root rot control. Please click here to see these articles.
- 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.
- For more information on the control of the diseases mentioned above please see The 2020/2021 Commercial Vegetable Production Recommendations Guide which is available for free online! With many county offices running reduced hours or being closed this is the easiest way to obtain the newest recommendations.
Vegetable Crops Edition
Seasonal updates and alerts on insects, diseases, and weeds impacting vegetable crops. New Jersey Commercial Vegetable Production Recommendations updates between annual publication issues are included.
Subscriptions are available via EMAIL and RSS.
Quick Links:
NJ Commercial Vegetable Production Recommendations
Rutgers Weather Forecasting - Meteorological Information important to commercial agriculture.
July 8, 2020 Andy Wyenandt
Vegetable Disease Update – 7/8/20
July 8, 2020 Pat Hastings
NJDEP Notice: Delayed Processing of Applications and Other Requests Due to July COVID-19 Furloughs
NJDEP Notice posted July 7, 2020. Pesticide information excerpt courtesy of NJAES Please be advised that a large number of DEP staff are required to take intermittent furlough days throughout the month of July. The Bureau of Licensing and Registrations remains committed to assisting the public and will continue to process applications and other requests […]
July 7, 2020 Rick VanVranken
RCE Agents Offer Marketing Tips With Del State U & USDA Northeast Climate Hub
Webinar Postponed ’til Fall!
Due to technical issues and low enrollment, this webinar has been postponed by the organizers and will be rescheduled for the fall.
Register here today (7/7/20) by 11pm!
Webinar: Part 2 in a series
Emergency Preparation & Dealing with COVID-19 on Farms: Alternative Marketing Strategies to Stay in Business
Wednesday, July 8, 2020
Time: 12 – 1:15 PM
Use the link below to register by July 7, 2020, 11 PM EST. The Zoom link to the webinar will be e-mailed to all registered attendees prior to the webinar.
[link removed]
Small farmers and extension agents working with small farmers will learn best practices for communicating with consumers and meeting their demands.
Participants will learn how to:
- Use available resources to market your products
- Reach out to consumers online
- Use alternative marketing strategies to sustain and grow businesses
- Use online business opportunities for farm sales
Attendees will learn about available resources to help them manage logistics of the Covid-19 health crisis on their farms. Presenters will share information and solutions from the experts and answer questions from participants. Like the first webinar in this series, this meeting will address common problems most farmers are facing, what they are planning to do to stay in business and how well their plans are working. The webinar series also summarizes how extension programs can assist farmers through this difficult time.
Agenda (Q&A session after each presentation)
| 12 – 12:05 PM | Welcome & Introduction | Gulnihal Ozbay & Jason Challandes, DSU; Erin Lane, USDA Northeast Climate HUB |
| 12:05 – 12:25 PM | “Know Your Customers Know Your Prices” |
Richard VanVranken, Professor & County Extension Department Head (Small Farms & Farm Marketing), Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Atlantic County, New Jersey |
| 12:25 – 12:45 PM | “Meeting Customer Demands for Agricultural Products In response to the Covid-19 Pandemic” |
Stephen Komar, Associate Professor & Agriculture & Natural Resources County Agent II, County Extension Department Head (Plant and Animal Agriculture), Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Sussex County, New Jersey |
| 12:45 – 1:05 PM | “Online logistics and considerations with Direct Sales Models during Covid-19” | William J. Bamka, Associate Professor & Agriculture & Natural Resources County Agent II, County Extension Department Head of Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Burlington County in New Jersey, Crop Production and Agritourism |
| 1:05 – 1:15 PM | Closing Remarks & Information on Webinar Evaluation |
Dr. Ozbay and Ms. Lane |
This webinar series is moderated by Delaware State University Cooperative Extension (Dr. Gulnihal Ozbay) & USDA Northeast Climate Hub (Erin Lane). Webinar hosts are Ms. Megan Pleasanton & Mr. Jason Challandes (DSU Cooperative Extension).
July 6, 2020 Andy Wyenandt
Cucurbit Downy Mildew Alert – 7/6/20
Cucurbit downy mildew (CDM) has been reported on cucumber in southern New Jersey (Salem County). This is the first report of CDM this growing season in the state. All cucumber and cantaloupe growers are encouraged to scout fields on a daily basis and begin preventative CDM fungicide programs if already not initiated. Presently, there is no need to initiate spray programs on other cucurbit crops in New Jersey.
For up-to-date information on CDM and its control please click here.
To track the progress of CDM in the US please click here.
July 2, 2020 Michelle Infante-Casella
Governor Signs Permit Extension Act: NJDEP Water Certifications Extended 1 Year
Governor Murphy signed The Permit Extension Act (A3919/S2346) this week, which extends certain permits during the COVID-19 emergency. Agricultural Certifications issued by the DEP are included in this extension, so any Agricultural Certification which expired on or after March 9, 2020 will be extended.
Any complete new, renewal or modification application already submitted to the DEP will continue to be reviewed and issued for the full five-year term.
Any Certification holder who received the first renewal reminder which contained the pre-filled application form does not need to do anything at this time. The DEP will forward you a new pre-filled application once the extension period is over.
“COVID-19 extension period” means the period beginning March 9, 2020 and continuing for as long as a public health emergency, pursuant to the “Emergency Health Powers Act,” P.L.2005, c.222 (C.26:13-1 et seq.), or a state of emergency, pursuant to P.L.1942, c. 251 (C.App.A.9-33 et seq.), or both, that has been declared by the Governor in response to COVID-19, is in effect.
Please be advised that annual water diversion reports were required to be submitted to the DEP by February 28, 2020 and are not extended due to the passage of this Bill. The DEP is issuing reminders to those who failed to submit this information in accordance with their Certification. Continue to log diversion amounts and submit your reports in accordance with the deadlines in your Certification.
Rutgers Cooperative Extension is working very closely with the DEP’s Bureau of Water Allocation & Well Permitting to resolve any ongoing issues and concerns. The Bureau is aware that many renewal applications are awaiting the Ag Agent review and signature. With the extension act, these renewal applications are being extended as mentioned above.
Some RCE Offices remain closed or with minimal access at this time. Call your local Rutgers Cooperative Extension office for specific information. In addition, during the month of July, staff in the NJ Department of Agriculture and the NJ DEP personnel are furloughed, and response times will be slowed, so please be patient during these challenging times.
July 2, 2020 Andy Wyenandt
Update on cucurbit downy mildew and its control
Cucurbit downy mildew (CDM) has been confirmed on cucumber in southern New Jersey; in southwest and southeast Michigan this past week and as far north as Edgecombe County in northern North Carolina this week; and on watermelon and cantaloupe as far north as southern South Carolina this growing season. This is the first report of CDM in the mid-Atlantic region this growing season For those growers in the region this means there are two geographic areas where CDM may be coming into the region, from the west and from the south.
In 2004, cucurbit downy mildew re-emerged in the US with a vengeance causing significant losses in cucurbit production. In most years prior to this, concern for CDM control was minimal, since the pathogen arrived late in the growing season (in more northern regions), or the pathogen caused little damage, or never appeared. After 2004, with significant losses at stake, and with very few fungicides labeled for its proper control, CDM became a serious threat to cucurbit production. Importantly, at the time, cucumber varieties with very good levels of CDM resistance were no longer resistant, suggesting a major shift in the pathogen population. Research done over the past 15 years has led to a better understanding of the pathogen. Recent research has determined that the CDM falls into two separate clades: Clade I and Clade II. Some CDM (Pseudoperonospora cubensis) isolates fall into Clade I which predominately infect watermelon, pumpkin, and squash, where CDM isolates in Clade II predominately infect cucumber and cantaloupe. Research suggests that isolates in Clade II can quickly become resistant to specific fungicides (NCSU). Most cucumber varieties are resistant to Clade 1 isolates, but there is no resistance currently available for Clade 2 isolates. For pickling cucumber the varieties, Citadel and Peacemaker, are tolerant to clade 2 isolates. For slicing cucumbers, the varieties SV3462CS and SV4142CL are tolerant to Clade 2 isolates. All organic and greenhouse growers are encouraged to use tolerant varieties since chemical control options are very limited (NCSU). An extended list of cucumber varieties with CDM resistance from the University of Florida can be found here. For the past decade, researchers from around the US have been closely monitoring and forecasting the progress of CDM through a website hosted by NCSU. The CDMpipe website is currently in the process of an upgrade and will now be hosted by Penn State University. All cucurbit growers are encouraged to sign up to the CDMpipe website to help them know what cucurbit crops are being infected (and where) and to follow the forecasting to know where the pathogen may move to next. As a note, in recent years, CDM control with certain fungicides has varied significantly depending on the cucurbit host and geographic region. This is extremely important since two clades of the pathogen are potentially present (affecting host range) as well as having a potential impact on control strategies. How do you know which clade may be present on your farm? Follow the reports. If CDM is mostly present in cucumber crops as it works its way up the east coast, then you are most likely to see it infect cucumber and cantaloupe on your farm first. Scout your fields regularly, especially if CDM is in the immediate region. Pay very close attention to symptom development and on what cucurbit crop(s) you see it on, this is especially important if you grow more than one cucurbit crop. Like cucurbit powdery mildew, once CDM arrives in the region preventative fungicide applications are necessary.
Fungicides for CDM control
Loss of efficacy in the control of CDM has also been documented in FRAC code 4 (mefenoxam), FRAC code 11 fungicides (azoxystrobin), FRAC code 28 (propamocarb HCL), and FRAC code 43 (fluopicolide) in the mid-Atlantic region and elsewhere. Insensitivity to fluopicolide (43) and propamocarb HCL (28) have been reported in multiple states (Thomas et al., 2018). In some cases, individual isolates of CDM were insensitive to both chemistries. Recent research in Michigan in a three year field study using pickling cucumber determined that cyazofamid (21), (ametoctradin, 45 + dimethomorph, 40), (zoxamide, 22 + mancozeb, M03), mancozeb (M03); chlorothalonil (M05), and oxathiapiprolin (49) alone or in a premix provided the best level of control (Goldenhar & Hausbeck, 2019). In a recent study evaluating different fungicide chemistries in field trials done in different states (OH, NY, & SC) determined that propamocarb HCL (28), cymoxanil + famoxadone (27 + 11), and fluopicolide (43) were ineffective in 1 or 2 states during both years of the trial (Keinath, Miller, & Smart, 2019). In one year of the study, famoxadone (11), dimethomorph (40), cymoxanil (21), and mancozeb (M03) were ineffective for CDM control (Keinath, Miller, & Smart, 2019). In bioassay studies done during this trial, cyazofamid (21), oxathiapiprolin (49) suppressed CDM >80%.
Most fungicides labeled for the control of CDM are at-risk for resistance development because of the specific modes of action. These include Ranman (cyazofamid, FRAC code 21), Gavel (zoxamide, 22 + mancozeb, M03), Zing! (zoxamide, 22 + chlorothalonil, M05); Curzate (cymoxanil, 27), Previcur Flex (propamocarb HCL, 28), Forum/Revus (dimethomorph, 40), Zampro (ametoctradin, 45 + dimethomorph, 40), Orondis Opti (oxathiapiprolin, 49 + chlorothalonil, M05), and Orondis Ultra (oxathiapiprolin, 49 + mandipropamid, 40). Importantly, just like with cucurbit powdery mildew control, there are a number of CDM fungicides with different modes of action from different FRAC codes to chose from. As noted in the paragraph above, the efficacy of individual fungicide chemistries may vary significantly by state or region. Thus, growers need to scout their cucurbit fields on a weekly basis, note the efficacy, or lack thereof, they are seeing in the field, and incorporate the use of as many different FRAC groups as possible to help mitigate fungicide resistance development.
Fungicide programs for CDM control
An example of a fungicide program for CDM control in the mid-Atlantic region might look like this, where a CDM specific fungicide from a different FRAC group is used on weekly basis:
A – B – C – D – E
where A= Gavel (zoxamide, 22 + mancozeb, M03); B= Orondis Opti (oxathiapiprolin, 49 + chlorothalonil, M05); C= Ranman (cyazofamid, FRAC code 21); D= Orondis Ultra (oxathiapiprolin, 49 + mandipropamid, 40); E= Curzate (cymoxanil, 27)
Not all of the fungicides listed above are labeled for all cucurbit crops. Some fungicides, such as the Orondis products have limited number of applications. Growers will need to refer to local recommendations and the label for crop specifics. Remember, the label is the law.
A protectant fungicide such as chlorothalonil or mancozeb should be added (if not already included) to the tank mix with each high-risk fungicide to reduce selection pressure and to help control other important diseases such as anthracnose and plectosporium blight. All growers should follow use recommendations on labels and avoid overusing one mode of action, even if it works well. If loss of efficacy is present, the grower should avoid using that particular fungicide (FRAC group) for CDM control the rest of the growing season.
Growers should remember that fungicides specifically labeled for CDM control won’t control CPM, and fungicides labeled for CPM control won’t control CDM. Therefore, carefully following the disease monitoring and forecasting website, choosing varieties with CDM resistance, paying close attention to host crops, scouting fields on a regular basis, noting fungicide efficacy, and following proper fungicide resistant management guidelines remain critically important for successful CDM control.
For more information on the specific fungicides recommended for CDM control on cucurbit crops please see the 2020/2021 Mid-Atlantic Commercial Vegetable Production Recommendations.
