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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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NJ Commercial Vegetable Production Recommendations
Rutgers Weather Forecasting - Meteorological Information important to commercial agriculture.
USDA Secretary Perdue Issues Statement on Disaster & Trade-Related Assistance
Basil downy mildew confirmed in southern New Jersey – ALERT 6/30/20
Basil downy mildew has been confirmed in field-grown basil and sweet basil being sold in ‘box store’ retail establishments in southern New Jersey. All basil growers are encouraged to scout their fields on a daily basis and begin preventative fungicide programs in BDM-susceptible and DMR varieties.
For more information on controlling BDM in the field-grown basil please click here.
For more information on controlling BDM in the greenhouse please click here.
To track the progress of BDM in the US please click here.
Basil downy mildew sporulating on the underside of an infected leaf.
IPM Update 6/12/19
Sweet Corn
European corn borer (ECB) moths catches have declined to nearly nothing over the past week (see map at left). Feeding percentages have increased, and should peak over the next 5-7 days. As of the weekend, feeding percentages as high as 24% in Cape May and 60% were found in whorl corn in Somerset County, but these numbers seem to be outliers. The majority of feeding is in the 2-14% range throughout much of the state.
Sweet corn emerging tassel with ECB droppings.
Photo: Kris Holmstrom
Growers should scout whorl and pre-tassel stage plantings weekly. Look for the characteristic “shot-hole” type of feeding (photo below at right) and consider treating when infested plants exceed 12% in a 50 plant sample. As plantings proceed to the pre-tassel stage, ECB larvae may be found in emerging tassels (see photo at left). It is a good idea to treat individual plantings as they move into the full tassel/first silk stage one time. This eliminates any ECB larvae that have emerged with the tassels as they begin to move down the stalk to re-enter near developing ears.
Useful insecticides for this particular application include synthetic 
pyrethroids (IRAC Grp 3), spinosyns (including OMRI approved Entrust) IRAC Grp 5), and diamides such as Coragen (IRAC Grp 28) or materials such as Besiege which include the active ingredient in Coragen. Synthetic pyrethroids alone should NOT be used for corn earworm (CEW) protection on silking corn. Control with these materials is very inconsistent.
The highest nightly trap catches of ECB for the week ending 6/12/19 are as follows:
| Califon 1 | Milford 1 |
| Hillsborough 1 | Pedricktown 1 |
| Medford 1 | South Branch 1 |
Tomato Fruit Worm Found in Southern New Jersey
Tomato fruitworm was confirmed in a tomato field in Gloucester County on June 12th. Tomato growers should be applying insecticides to control this pest when monitoring for eggs and small larvae result in seeing any signs of worm activity. There is no economic threshold for tomato fruitworm. When control is needed, it is essential to treat before large numbers of larvae enter fruit, where they are protected from sprays.
When there is fruit present, the tomato fruitworm will complete its larval development inside fruit. Early stage larvae enter the stem end of fruit when it is between 0.75 to 2 inches in diameter. During development, caterpillars may emerge from one fruit and enter another. Their feeding results in a messy, watery, internal cavity filled with cast skins and feces. Damaged fruit will ripen prematurely. Small larvae are difficult to detect and, thus, may be a problem to find. Any amount of feeding results in unmarketable fruit that will need to be culled at harvest or in the packing shed.
For insecticide recommendations see the 2019 Mid-Atlantic Commercial Vegetable Production Recommendations: https://njaes.rutgers.edu/pubs/commercial-veg-rec/tomatoes.pdf
Vegetable Disease Update – 6/10/19
- Phytophthora blight has been reported on pepper.
- Southern blight was reported on tomato last week in southern New Jersey.
- Bacterial leaf spot has been found on cabbage in southern New Jersey.
- Cucurbit downy mildew has been reported as far north as South Carolina.
- There have been no reports of late blight in the region to date.
- The 2019 Fungicide Resistance Management Guide for Vegetable Crops in the mid-Atlantic Region is now available for FREE online.
- For more information on controlling these and other important diseases please see the 2019 Mid-Atlantic Commercial Vegetable Production Guide. The guide is available for FREE online by following the links on the Plant and Pest Advisory website. Hardcopies of the 2019 guide can be purchased through your local county Extension office.
IPM Update 6/05/19
Sweet Corn
European corn borer (ECB) moths catches have declined somewhat over the past week. Overall this flight was very low, and appears to be on the way out. The majority of moth activity at this time is along the Delaware Bay Shore (see map at left). Feeding percentages should increase for the next 2 weeks, as eggs that have been deposited hatch. As of this week, feeding percentages as high as 8-10% were found in whorl corn in Burlington County. It is likely that feeding has exceeded the 12% threshold in many southern NJ plantings.
Sweet corn emerging tassel with ECB droppings.
Photo: Kris Holmstrom
Growers should scout whorl and pre-tassel stage plantings weekly. Look for the characteristic “shot-hole” type of feeding (photo below at right) and consider treating when infested plants exceed 12% in a 50 plant sample. As plantings proceed to the pre-tassel stage, ECB larvae may be found in emerging tassels (see photo at left). It is a good idea to treat individual plantings as they move into the full tassel/first silk stage one time. This eliminates any ECB larvae that have emerged with the tassels as they begin to move down the stalk to re-enter near developing ears.
Useful insecticides for this particular application include synthetic pyrethroids (IRAC Grp 3), spinosyns (including OMRI approved Entrust) IRAC Grp 5), and diamides such as Coragen (IRAC Grp 28) or materials such as Besiege which include the active ingredient in Coragen. Synthetic pyrethroids alone should NOT be used for corn earworm (CEW) protection on silking corn. Control with these materials is very inconsistent.
The highest nightly trap catches of ECB for the week ending 6/05/19 are as follows:
| Allentown 1 | Crosswicks 1 | Jones Island 1 | Pennington 1 |
| Califon 1 | Folsom 1 | Medford 1 | South Branch 1 |
| Centerton 1 | Georgetown 1 | New Egypt 1 | Woodstown 1 |
