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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June 6, 2018

IPM Update 6/06/18

Sweet Corn

European corn borer (ECB) moths continue to be captured in black light traps, but numbers are low overall.  Activity has shifted northward, with the highest activity now from Mercer County northward (see ECB map).   Despite these low adult numbers, IPM technicians have reported dramatic increases in feeding in whorl stage plantings in the central and northern counties.  Numbers of infested plants have reached 40% in the Somerville area, and 30% near Sparta in Sussex County.  In many cases, nearby farms exhibit little or no feeding in similar stage sweet corn, so these elevated infestation rates can be highly localized.  [Read more…]

Filed Under: Organic Production, Vegetable Crops
May 31, 2018

Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Gloucester County Has New Office Location

County Agricultural Agents, Michelle Infante-Casella and Hemant Gohil have a new office location in Gloucester County. The Rutgers Cooperative Extension (RCE) Office in Gloucester County relocated last week. The new location is now at the Shady Lane County Complex, 254 County House Road, Clarksboro, NJ 08020. The entrance is on the right side of the main 3-story brick building, under the numbers 254; follow the sidewalk with gray brick pavers.

Front-side of a building

Entrance to the RCE of Gloucester County Offices down the sidewalk on the right.

The office also has a new phone number and Agricultural Agents and other staff can be reached at 856-224-8040 (Agriculture and Natural Resources is extension 1). This new complex provided by Gloucester County offers more office space and multiple options for educational programs. To the left side of the complex is a 4-classroom building, formerly the Gloucester County Fire Academy, that is now operated by Rowan College of Gloucester County, that can be utilized for extension education and other county-related events. The main office building has 3 conference rooms for small group meetings. RCE will still have access to the main auditorium at the former facility in Clayton. For more information about Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Gloucester County see http://gloucester.njaes.rutgers.edu.

Filed Under: Blueberry, Commercial Ag Updates, Cranberry, Disease Forecasting, Field, Forage & Livestock, Food Safety, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Nursery, Organic Production, Plant Diagnostic Lab, Strawberry, Tree Fruit, Turf, Uncategorized, Vegetable Crops, Wine Grape
May 30, 2018

IPM Update 5/30/18

Sweet Corn

Increasing numbers of European corn borer (ECB) moths have been captured this past week, but still relatively few moths overall.  At present, the highest activity is on the Cumberland-Atlantic border, with minor concentrations in Salem and northern Burlington counties (see ECB map). As early sweet corn plantings progress through whorl and pre-tassel stages, feeding from this pest may be detectable.  Look for the characteristic “shot-hole” type of feeding (photo at right) and consider treating when infested plants exceed 12% in a 50 plant sample.

 

The highest nightly trap catches of ECB for the week ending 5/30/18 are as follows:

East Vineland   2 Centerton   1 Eldora   1
Allentown   1 Cinnaminson   1 Medford   1
Belvidere   1 Crosswicks   1 South Branch   1
Califon   1 Denville   1 Woodstown   1

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Organic Production, Vegetable Crops
May 30, 2018

Vegetable Disease Update – 5/30/18

  • Downy mildew was confirmed on pea last week. The cool, damp weather the past week has been ideal for downy mildew development on spring crops.
  • Soft rot, caused by Pectobacterium spp., was detected on planted potato seed last week in southern New Jersey.
  • Bacterial leaf spot in romaine lettuce was found in the past week.
  • The heavy rains and damp, cool weather have been ideal conditions for early-season damping off caused by Pythium and Phytophthora as well as downy mildew development on spring greens. Growers should continue to scout on a regular basis and remain proactive in their fungicide programs as long as current weather patterns continue.
  • Cucurbit downy mildew has been reported on cucumber as far north as central North Carolina this week.
  • No Late blight has been reported in region to date.
Filed Under: Vegetable Crops
May 23, 2018

IPM Update 5/23/18

Sweet Corn

The black light trap network is nearly complete at this time.  To date, no corn earworm (CEW) have been captured.  Increasing numbers of European corn borer (ECB) moths have been captured this past week, although numbers are still quite low.  At present, the highest activity is in portions of northern Burlington and northwestern Ocean counties (see ECB map).  This pest poses little threat at this time, as the earliest sweet corn plants are only just reaching suitable size to support larvae.

The highest nightly trap catches of ECB for the week ending 5/23/18 are as follows:

Allentown   1 Dayton   1 New Egypt   1
Centerton   1 Jobstown   1
Croswicks   1 Medford   1

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Organic Production, Vegetable Crops
May 16, 2018

IPM Update 5/16/18

Sweet Corn

IPM Program personnel are currently finishing deployment of the black light trap network in New Jersey.  At present, we are approximately 70% operational and have begun to monitor traps.  To date, no corn earworm (CEW) have been captured.  The low numbers of European corn borer (ECB) moths that have been caught do not allow us to produce a map image.  As numbers increase, look for population maps of ECB, CEW and CEW catches from pheromone traps in this weekly publication.

The highest nightly trap catches of ECB for the week ending 5/15/18 are as follows:

Allentown          1              New Egypt          1

Crosswicks          1              Pennington        1

European corn borer egg mass on a pepper leaf.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Organic Production, Vegetable Crops