Rutgers University | New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station | Pesticide User Responsibility

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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May 24, 2017

Veg IPM Update: Week Ending 5/24/17

Sweet Corn

Warmer weather has resulted in the first consistent European corn borer (ECB) catches.  The highest catches have occurred in southern Hunterdon County (see map at left), although there have been low, but steady catches elsewhere, including northern Cumberland and central Morris counties.  As yet, feeding has been very limited, with only single-digit infestation rates on whorl corn found in Mercer County.  With continued moderate temperatures, expect feeding in whorl stage corn to increase significantly over the next week.  Check 5 plants each in 10 random locations for a 50 plant sample.  Look  for “shot-hole” injury (see photo at right), and  consider treating when the number of infested plants in a 50 plant sample exceeds 12%.

 

The highest nightly ECB catches for the previous week are as follows:

Sergeantsville  4 Denville   1
South Branch   3 East Vineland  1
Allentown  1 Eldora   1

 

A few corn earworm (CEW) continue to appear in blacklights throughout the state. These individuals indicate that there was limited overwintering of this pest in NJ, but are of little concern in the absence of silking sweet corn.

Cole Crops

IPM personnel continue to observe infestations of crucifer flea beetle.  These beetles can build to high populations quickly, especially where wild mustard and related cruciferous weeds are common.  Extreme feeding on small transplants can cause irreversible damage if not controlled promptly. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Vegetable Crops Tagged With: ,
May 20, 2017

Vegetable Disease Update – 5/20/17

  • Sunscald injury is being reported on newly transplanted crops with the excess heat this past week.
  • Downy mildew has been reported as far north as Northern Florida on multiple cucurbit crops.
  • Dickeya dianthicola has been confirmed in Dark Red Norland potato seed in New Jersey. This is the first report of Dickeya in NJ this growing season. Dickeya diathicola has also been reported in potato in VA and FL this year.
  • Pectobacterium wasabiae (soft rot or Blackleg) has been confirmed in ‘Red Pontiac’, ‘Kennebec’, and ‘Adirondack Blue’ potato seed in New Jersey this spring.
Filed Under: Vegetable Crops
May 17, 2017

Veg IPM Update: Week Ending 5/17/17

Sweet Corn

The arrival of warmer temperatures should improve corn growth considerably.  This same weather could bring on the first consistent European corn borer (ECB) catches, although this has not yet happened.  No ECB were captured in blacklight traps this week.  As the population develops, look for maps to be published in the weekly IPM Update.  There were several corn earworm (CEW) captured in blacklights located in New Egypt, Folsom and Woodstown this past week, however these individuals are of little concern in the absence of silking sweet corn.

Cole Crops

IPM personnel continue to observe infestations of crucifer flea beetle.  These beetles can build to high populations quickly, especially where wild mustard and related cruciferous weeds are common.  Extreme feeding on small transplants can cause irreversible damage if not controlled promptly. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Vegetable Crops Tagged With: ,
May 12, 2017

Vegetable Disease Update – 5/12/17

  • Cucurbit downy mildew has been found as far north as central Florida on cucumber, watermelon, summer and winter squash.
  • Pythium has been reported in a number of newly transplanted crops.
  • With the cooler nights the past few days, cold injury may begin to appear in newly transplanted crops. In pepper, symptoms of cold injury will appear in new growth and look similarly to a mosaic virus infection.
  • Best management practices for Dickeya dianthicola in potato have been updated and can be found on the University of Maine’s Extension website located here.
  • An article on by Dr. Amy Charkowski (Colorado State University) on managing Dickeya dianthicola in potato on the University of Wisconsin’s Vegetable Crop Update (May 3, 2017) can be found here.
  • There will be a Dickaya and Pectobacterium Summit in Bangor, Maine this November. Information can be found here.
Filed Under: Vegetable Crops Tagged With:
May 10, 2017

Veg IPM Update: Week Ending 5/10/17

Sweet Corn

Cold temperatures are slowing corn growth considerably.  The same weather is also delaying the onset of pests like the European corn borer (ECB).  No ECB were captured in blacklight traps this week.  As the population develops, look for maps to be published in the weekly IPM Update.

Cole Crops

Although cold weather and heavy rains have suppressed them, IPM personnel continue to observe infestations of crucifer flea beetle.  These beetles can build to high populations quickly, especially where wild mustard and related cruciferous weeds are common.  Extreme feeding on small transplants can cause irreversible damage if not controlled promptly. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Vegetable Crops Tagged With: ,
May 3, 2017

Veg IPM Update: Week Ending 5/03/17

Sweet Corn

The Vegetable IPM blacklight trap network is nearly complete.  With limited numbers of traps having been checked, only one European corn borer (Allentown, Mercer County) and one corn earworm (Old Bridge, Middlesex County) have been recorded.  As sweet corn is currently in the seedling stage, neither of these catches represent a threat.  As catches become more consistent, maps of the adult populations of these two pests will be published in the weekly IPM Update.

Cole Crops

With warm, sunny days, IPM personnel have discovered a number of heavy infestations of crucifer flea beetle.  These beetles can build to high populations quickly, especially where wild mustard and related cruciferous weeds are common.  Extreme feeding on small transplants can cause irreversible damage if not controlled promptly. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Vegetable Crops Tagged With: