- Dickeya sp., an aggressive form of Black leg, has been confirmed on potato in New Jersey in 2016. Symptoms of Dickeya infection look similar to Black leg infection and can cause significant rot above ground (stems and foliage) and below ground (tubers). All potato growers should scout on a regular basis and report any suspect plants or fields.
- There have been no new reports of cucurbit downy mildew.
- With the cool, prolonged wet weather, basil downy mildew may become active in greenhouses or high tunnels that have been closed up to retain heat. Appropriate venting to keep relative humidity low and leaf wetness to a minimum is critically important to keep the pathogen from sporulating and spreading rapidly.
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 1, 2016 Andy Wyenandt
Vegetable Disease Briefs – 5/1/16
May 1, 2016 Andy Wyenandt
Vegetable Disease Update – 5/1/16
Cabbage
Damping-off – To help control losses due to damping-off pathogens apply Ridomil Gold (mefenoxam, FRAC code 4) at 1 to 2 pt/A, MetaStar (metalaxyl, 4) see label, or azoxystrobin at 0.40 to 0.80 fl oz 2.08SC/1000 row ft (for Rhizoctonia only), or Ridomil Gold at 1.0 to 2.0 pt/A 4SL plus azoxystrobin at 0.40 to 0.80 fl oz 2.08SC/1000 row ft. in a band up to 7 in. after seeding. To help control damping-off pathogens in Collards and Kale only: Apply Uniform (mefenoxam + azoxystrobin, 4 + 11) at 0.34 fl oz 3.66SE/1000 ft row. For more information please see 2016 New Jersey Commercial Vegetable Production Recommendations Guide.
April 27, 2016 Rick VanVranken
Vegetable Growers’ Twilight 4/28 6PM East Vineland Fire Hall
Vegetable growers are invited to Rutgers spring South Jersey Integrated Crop Management Twilight meeting tonight, 4/28/2016, 6–9 PM, located at the East Vineland Fire Hall on Landis Ave. (across from Savoy Restaurant).
The program offers 2 Core and 4 Cat 1A and PP2 pesticide re-certification credits, using drones on farms, [Read more…]
April 19, 2016 Andy Wyenandt
Damping-off: Identifying and Controlling Early-season Pathogens
It is extremely important to know which pathogen is causing damping-off problems and which fungicide to properly apply. The key to controlling damping-off is being proactive instead of reactive. Always refer to the fungicide label for crop use, pathogens controlled, and application rates.
Damping-off is caused by a number of important vegetable pathogens and is very common during the spring. Damping-off can kill seedlings before they break the soil line (pre-emergent damping-off) or kill seedlings soon after they emerge (post-emergent damping-off). Common pathogens that cause damping-off include Pythium, Phytophthora, Rhizoctonia and Fusarium spp.
Control of damping-off depends on a number of factors. First, is recognizing the conditions which may be leading to the problem (i.e., weather/greenhouse growing conditions) and second, identifying the pathogen causing the problem.
Conditions Favoring Damping-off
Although all four pathogens are associated with damping-off, the conditions which favor their development are very different. In general, Phytophthora and Pythium are more likely to cause damping-off in cool, wet or overwatered soils that aren’t allowed to dry out due to cloudy weather or cooler temperatures. Conversely, Rhizoctonia and Fusarium are more likely to cause damping-off under warmer, drier conditions especially if plug trays are kept on the dry side to help reduce transplant growth. [Read more…]
April 15, 2016 Andy Wyenandt
Vegetable Disease Briefs – 4/15/16
- Late blight has been reported in Florida and South Carolina on tomato. To track the season-long progress of Late blight in the US please visit (http://usablight.org/)
- There has been isolated reports of cucurbit downy mildew on watermelon and cucumber in southern Florida. To track the season-long progress of cucurbit downy mildew in the US please visit (http://cdm.ipmpipe.org/)
April 14, 2016 Andy Wyenandt
Controlling Purple Spot in Asparagus
Purple spot, caused the soil-borne fungus, Stemphylium vesicarium, can cause problems during cool, wet spring weather. 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 weather conditions.
Purple spot in asparagus (Photo by Mary Hausbeck, Michigan State University)
Heavy purple spot infection during the summer will lead to premature defoliation which will decrease carbohydrate reserves for the next production season. Control of purple spot can be difficult because of management issues (i.e., the need for fall mowing and/or removing, burying, or burning of old fern material in the field) and because fungicides can’t be applied during the harvest season. Growers who had pre-mature defoliation issues last year may expect problems this spring. Controlling purple spot begins with preventative fungicide applications during summer and fall by reducing infections to ferns and stalks. Weekly scouting and timely fungicide applications once fern stalks are full size should be done. Apply and rotate azoxystrobin at 6.2 to 15.5 fl oz 2.08F/A or chlorothalonil at 2.0 to 4.0 pt/A.
Organic asparagus growers, as well as conventional growers, need to take appropriate preventative measures to help reduce inoculum loads by completely removing, or by chopping and burying old fern material at the end of each growing season. Remember, any plant material that is infected and left to overwinter in the field may act as a source of inoculum the next growing season. For more information on organic asparagus production please see ATTRA’s Organic Asparagus Production.
