- 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.
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 20, 2017 Andy Wyenandt
Vegetable Disease Update – 5/20/17
May 17, 2017 Kris Holmstrom and Joe Ingerson-Mahar
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…]
May 12, 2017 Andy Wyenandt
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.
May 10, 2017 Kris Holmstrom and Joe Ingerson-Mahar
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…]
May 3, 2017 Kris Holmstrom and Joe Ingerson-Mahar
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…]
April 27, 2017 Andy Wyenandt
Controlling Purple Spot in Asparagus
Like clockwork, purple spot has appeared in some asparagus plantings during mid- to late-April for the past 3 years. Purple spot, caused the soil-borne fungus, Stemphylium vesicarium, can cause problems during cool, wet spring weather (much like we have had over the past week or so). Symptoms, just like its name, include numerous, sunken oval-shaped spots on spears during the harvest season and more importantly on ferns and stalks during the summer months as long as conditions are ideal for its development. Often, purple spot will disappear as quickly as in appears on spears during the spring production season depending on the local weather conditions. As soon as the weather becomes dry and warm (as it appears for the weekend), expect purple spot to disappear. [Read more…]
