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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.
 
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April 4, 2020

Controlling Spring Diseases in Asparagus

Asparagus season is just around the corner and now is a good time to review important diseases.

Wet soil conditions are ideal for Phytophthora and Pythium development. To help reduce potential losses, especially in fields with low spots or fields that are poorly drained soils, or more importantly, in fields with a history of either disease apply Orondis Gold (oxathiapiprolin + mefenoxam (FRAC groups 49 + 4) at 4.8 to 9.6 fl oz/A, Ridomil Gold 4SL (mefenoxam, 4) at 1.0 pt/A, or Ultra Flourish 2E/A (mefenoxam, 4) at 2.0 pt/A, or MetaStar 2E (metalaxyl, 4) at 2.0 qt/A over beds just before first harvest. For new plantings, apply the same after planting or after crown covering. Do not apply Orondis Gold, Ridomil, Ultra Flourish, or MetaStar one day prior to harvest or illegal residues may result. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Vegetable Crops Tagged With:
April 3, 2020

Coronavirus Education Materials In Indigenous Languages, Dialects and Spanish

Our colleague, Gene McAvoy of Florida Cooperative Extension (a Rutgers grad and currently president of our National Assoc of County Ag Agents) shared this reference that you might find useful.

These resources were gathered by the Rural Women’s Health Project, with thanks to
Evelyn Moraga in Guatemala, Dr. Laura Gonzalez at the University of Florida, her
colleagues at CEPIADET in Oaxaca Mexico and CIELO in Los Angeles. They are committed to getting these materials out to all of those residing in the U.S., no matter their country of origin or mother language. If ou have materials to be added to this list, please contact us at: rwhp@cafl.com.

Together, we will get through this.

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Fruit, Vegetable Crops
April 3, 2020

Farms Are Considered Essential During The Virus Outbreak

Wes Kline and I have been fielding questions about whether farms will be closed down. Our answer is, “NO!” for the following reasons.

Agricultural is considered an essential industry by the state and federal governments.  Agricultural workers are also considered essential. Your workers should not have an issue going to work. What you need to do is train your workers on proper hand washing and try to give as much space between workers as possible. Remember 6 ft between individuals should be maintained where practical. The New Jersey Department of Agriculture has the latest information from the state at https://www.nj.gov/agriculture/. Our https://onfarmfoodsafety.rutgers.edu/ website has a series of factsheets and articles related to agriculture, including many in Spanish. This website is updated regularly so check to see what is new.  Remember: 

  • Agricultural operations are considered essential. 
  • Farmer’s markets are specifically exempt from being closed in the executive order.
  • Nurseries and greenhouses can operate.  

What should an operation do to protect their workers and themselves? 

  1. Repeated handwashing for 20 sec. This means as soon as people report to work, when they take breaks, when they use bathroom facilities, etc. This is not a time to make fun of handwashing – promote it!  Hand sanitizers can be used if hands are not soiled. The better option is to wash hands then apply hand sanitizers. The sanitizer should be at least 60% alcohol. 
  2. If you have more than one crew keep them separated. Have them work separately, take breaks separately and eat separately. Do not mix a crew once they are working together. If in a packinghouse clean and sanitize all equipment between each crew. 
  3. Clean and sanitize break and eating areas before being occupied and before each time they are used. 
  4. Space everyone 6 feet apart or as far as possible. This is difficult if a crew is riding a transplanter but do the best you can. Social distancing inside a labor camp with a common bunk room may be a challenge. Consider installing temporary/permanent screens/walls between bunks, separating bunks as far as space allows, or divide bunks into individual beds if practical/possible. 
  5. If workers wear gloves, they must be single use and replaced frequently. 
  6. What about masks?  Cloth masks are acceptable, but they should be laundered daily.  If masks are purchased, they should be replaced at least daily and more frequently if dirty. 
  7. Should worker’s temperatures be taken at the beginning of the day?  No, this is not recommended unless medical personnel carry out the operation.  You need to know what the reading means, that the correct thermometer was used, etc.  

Lead by example – Farm owners and supervisors must do the same thing that you expect your workers to do! 

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Field, Forage & Livestock, Fruit, Vegetable Crops
April 2, 2020

Letter Template for Food/Agriculture Critical Employees

There have been several calls today regarding a form letter required for farm laborers to travel to NJ farms during the current COVID-19 shut down. A draft Letter for Employee Travel Related to Critical Infrastructureis available from the New Jersey Department of Agriculture (this is in pdf format that must be retyped onto your company letterhead). The version, EmployeeTravelRelatedtoCriticalInfrastructure, is in a format that you can copy and paste onto your own letterhead and insert the appropriate company and representative information.

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Fruit, Vegetable Crops
April 2, 2020

Vegetable Disease Update – 4/2/20

  • White rust and Anthracnose have been reported in spinach in southern New Jersey this week.
  • Symptoms of white rust include yellow lesions on the upper leaf surface and white blister-like pustules on the underside of the leaf. Generally, the upper surface of the leaves remain chlorotic, however in advanced stages, white lesions may form on the upper side of the leaf. White rust caused by Albugo occidentalis is an oomycete, or ‘water mold’, and its development is favored by cool, wet weather with extended periods of leaf wetness. Spinach leaf surfaces must remain wet for at least 2 to 3 hours or longer to allow infection to occur, with the optimum temperature for spore germination at 54°F. The disease develops most rapidly during periods of cool, humid nights and mild daytime temperatures.
  • Anthracnose in spinach is caused by Colletotrichum dematium. Symptoms of anthracnose are small, circular, water‑soaked lesions on young and older leaves. Lesions enlarge, turn brown to tan in color, and become thin and papery. In severe cases, lesions coalesce and result in severe blighting of foliage. Diagnostically, tiny black fruiting bodies (acervuli) which look like small black hairs form profusely in diseased tissue and are a characteristic feature of the disease. The presence of acervuli distinguishes anthracnose from Cladosporium and Stemphylium leaf spot diseases, which also form circular lesions on infected spinach.
  • Importantly, the fungicides to control White rust will be different for those used to control Anthracnose in spinach
  • Anthracnose crown rot, caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, has been reported in strawberry this week. Symptoms of anthracnose crown rot include the “marbling” of the crown tissue.  Cutting the crown lengthwise reveals white and reddish brown streaks, creating a marbled effect, with a dry rot-like appearance. Initial symptoms include plant stunting and flagging of young leaves due to lack of water. Initially plants wilt in the heat of the day, which is often over-looked as drought or heat stress. In advanced infections, the entire plant will die.
  • For more information on White rust, Anthracnose in spinach, and Anthracnose crown rot control in strawberry please the 2020/2021 Mid-Atlantic Commercial Vegetable Production Recommendations guide.  The new guide is now available FREE on-line or can be purchased in hardcopy form through your county agricultural office in New Jersey. The complete 2020/2021 Vegetable Production Recommendations guide or specific sections can be downloaded depending on your production needs.
Filed Under: Vegetable Crops Tagged With: , ,
March 31, 2020

Selling Rutgers Plant Varieties? How to Get Your Business on the “Where to Buy” List

The COVID-19 shutdown has lead to a surge of interest in planting home vegetable gardens this spring according to this NY Times article. The Rutgers NJAES Rediscover the Jersey Tomato program provides a list of markets where people can buy Rutgers 250 tomato seedlings and other popular Rutgers varieties of tomatoes, strawberries, basil, habanero peppers, dogwoods, and more for planting, as well as produce grown from these varieties. NJ residents will soon be looking for outlets to buy Rutgers varietal seedlings and produce. (See link below if you would like to grow any of these varieties for plant sales.)

To be included on the 2020 list of where people can buy Ramapo, Rutgers 250, or the new Scarlet Sunrise transplants and/or tomatoes, and other Rutgers breeds, you can e-mail information about your business to: njfarmfresh@njaes.rutgers.edu by April 24, 2020. Please put “Commercial Plant Sales” in the e-mail subject line and provide the following information:

  • business name
  • contact name
  • address
  • phone number
  • e-mail
  • web address
  • county
  • indicate whether Rutgers 250, Ramapo and/or Scarlet Sunrise tomato transplants and/or tomatoes will be for sale and/or other Rutgers breeds and approximate availability dates (we also list Moreton and KC-146 tomato availability, so please indicate if you carry these varieties also).

For more information on the availability of Rutgers NJAES tomato seeds and POP materials for commercial production and sales, go to: 

https://breeding.rutgers.edu/commercial-grower 

For information on all Rutgers NJAES plant varieties, go to: 

https://breeding.rutgers.edu 

 

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Fruit, Vegetable Crops