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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August 15, 2018

IPM Update 08/15/18

Sweet Corn

European corn borer (ECB) moth catches in black light traps remain very low.  The second flight is weak, with many traps catching no individuals.  Feeding signs in whorl corn have been exceptionally low.  There will be no map in this edition.  Second generation feeding is often obscured by fall armyworm (FAW) feeding.  Once plants hit full tassel, any ECB larvae present will move downward on the stalk and re-enter the plant near the area where ears are forming.  This can result in direct injury to the ear.  Growers should consider an insecticide application at the full tassel stage to target ECB larvae as they migrate downward.  This application can eliminate larvae that have escaped any earlier insecticide applications. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Organic Production, Vegetable Crops
August 13, 2018

Vegetable Disease Update – 8/13/18

  • Cucurbit downy mildew has been confirmed on cucumber, butternut squash, and pumpkin in NJ this growing season. Recent weather has been ideal for its development. All cucurbit growers should scout their fields on a regular basis and consider adding a downy mildew specific fungicide to their weekly maintenance sprays.
  • CDM has been reported in giant pumpkin and cantaloupe in MD this past week, and in acorn, summer squash, watermelon and butternut squash as far north as North Carolina to date.
  • Cucurbit powdery mildew is being reported.
  • The 2018 FRAC Table for Cucurbit Downy and Powdery Mildew Control in the mid-Atlantic Region can be found and downloaded for FREE here and is essential for developing control strategies for both diseases.
  • There have been no new reports of late blight in the region.
  • Basil downy mildew is being reported. Recent weather has been ideal for its development. For more information on Rutgers newly-released DMR sweet basils Obsession, Devotion, and Thunderstruck please click here. Follow the Rutgers Basil Downy Mildew Breeding Program on Instagram at #RutgersBasil
  • Bacterial leaf spot and Phytophthora blight have been reported in pepper and cucurbit crops.
  • Remember, copper applications on hot days with high relative humidity can cause phytotoxicity on a number of crops.
  • Cercospora leaf spot has been reported on swiss chard and beets.
Filed Under: Vegetable Crops
August 10, 2018

Corn Earworm Control in Sweet Corn

In the past, pyrethroid insecticides did very well against corn earworm. But in recent years we have seen the decline in the effectiveness of pyrethroids due to the development of resistance in the earworm population.  Farmers who rely heavily on these insecticides run the risk of crop loss.

Pyrethroids (IRAC group 3A) can still be used but must be in rotation with materials from other chemical groups, especially groups 5 and 28.  Examples of some of these other insecticides include Lannate LV (group 1), Besiege (groups 3A, 28), Blackhawk 36 WG (group 5), Radiant SC (group 5) and Coragen 1.67 SC (group 28).

To prevent the development of insecticide resistance and provide for the best pest control, rotate the insecticide groups in your spray program.  Do not rely on a single chemistry (mode of action) otherwise crop loss may occur.

Filed Under: Vegetable Crops
August 8, 2018

IPM Update 08/08/18

Sweet Corn

European corn borer (ECB) moth catches in black light traps remain very low.  The second flight is proving to be very erratic, with some locations getting low numbers of moths while other regional traps catch none.  There will be no map in this edition.  Second generation feeding is often obscured by fall armyworm (FAW) feeding.  Once plants hit full tassel, any ECB larvae present will move downward on the stalk and re-enter the plant near the area where ears are forming.  This can result in direct injury to the ear.  Growers should consider an insecticide application at the full tassel stage to target ECB larvae as they migrate downward.  This application can eliminate larvae that have escaped any earlier insecticide applications. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Organic Production, Vegetable Crops
August 7, 2018

RAREC Vegetable Twilight Meeting and Research Tour

Wednesday, August 22, 2018, 4:00 pm (meet at the shelter near the parking lot)

Rutgers Agricultural Research & Extension Center

121 Northville Rd., Bridgeton, NJ (Upper Deerfield)

Tomato tasting will be at the picnic shelter and the wagon tour will leave at 4:30 pm to visit the trials

Taste the new fresh market tomato breeding lines – Tom Orton, PhD, Specialist in Vegetables

Evaluation of Bell pepper varieties and breeding lines for Bacterial Leaf Spot and Phytophthora Blight Management – Wes Kline, PhD, County Agricultural Agent

Cover crop in watermelon, weed trials in cantaloupe, summer squash and cucumber – Thierry Besancon, PhD, Extension Weed Specialist for Specialty Crops

Basil downy mildew fungicide control trial – Andy Wyenandt, PhD, Specialist in Vegetable Pathology

Basil downy mildew variety trial featuring new Rutgers bred Varieties Devotion DMR, Obsession DMR, and Thunderstruck DMR – Andy Wyenandt, PhD, Specialist in Vegetable Pathology

Basil trial featuring an organic and conventional basil downy mildew control program with new Rutgers DMR lines vs downy mildew susceptible lines. – AJ Noto, Graduate Student, Department of Plant Biology

Basil downy mildew breeding and chilling tolerance trial update – Robert Mattera, Graduate Student, Department of Plant Biology

Sweet Corn demonstrating the differences/effectiveness of Non-Bt, Providence Bt, and Attribute II Bt varieties for resistance to Corn Earn Worm and Fall Army Worm – Joe Ingerson-Mahar, PhD, Vegetable IPM Coordinator

Evaluation of Yacon as a Potential New Specialty Crop for New Jersey Farmers – Rick VanVranken, Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Atlantic County and Peter Nitzsche, Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Morris County

Fresh market tomato breeding lines and tomato tasting – Tom Orton, PhD, Specialist in Vegetables

Pesticide Credits Available                                                                                          Units

10                        Demonstration & Research                                                                  2
1A                       Agricultural Plant                                                                                   10
PRIV                    Private Applicator Exam                                                                         10

Filed Under: Vegetable Crops
August 3, 2018

Vegetable Disease Update – 8/3/18

  • Cucurbit downy mildew has been confirmed on cucumber, butternut squash, and pumpkin in NJ this growing season. Recent weather has been ideal for its development. All cucurbit growers should scout their fields on a regular basis and consider adding a downy mildew specific fungicide to their weekly maintenance sprays. CDM has been reported in cantaloupe in MD this past week, and in acorn, summer squash, watermelon and butternut squash as far north as North Carolina to date.
  • The 2018 FRAC Table for Cucurbit Downy and Powdery Mildew Control in the mid-Atlantic Region can be found and downloaded for FREE here.
  • There have been no new reports of late blight in the region.
  • Basil downy mildew is being reported. Recent weather has been ideal for its development. For more information on Rutgers newly-released DMR sweet basils Obsession, Devotion, and Thunderstruck please click here.
  • Bacterial leaf spot and Phytophthora blight have been reported in pepper and cucurbit crops.
  • Wind damage has been reported in eggplant, pepper, and cucurbit crops.
Filed Under: Vegetable Crops