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 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:
April 27, 2017

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…]

Filed Under: Organic Production, Vegetable Crops Tagged With: ,
April 27, 2017

Controlling Strawberry Fruit Rots – 2017

Anthracnose fruit rot of strawberry

Anthracnose Fruit Rot of Strawberry

Fruit rots in strawberry can cause significant losses if not recognized early and controlled. The use of good cultural practices such as keeping fields weed-free and promoting good drainage, long crop rotations, and preventative fungicide applications are critical.

Pathogens such as anthracnose, gray mold (Botrytis), and leather rot (Phytophthora) can become systemic problems in strawberry plantings once established. All three fungal diseases are soil-borne and once in fields can be difficult to manage over the lifetime of the planting.

The use of mulch (matted rows) to prevent/reduce soil splashing and keeping fruit from coming into direct contact with the soil surface can be beneficial in organic production systems where conventional fungicides cannot be used. Use of long crop rotations and staying away from areas of the farm with known instances of any of these pathogens is also important. Remember that same species of Colletotrichum that causes fruit rot in pepper and other crops can also infect strawberry.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Organic Production, Vegetable Crops Tagged With: ,