Sweet Corn

European corn borer (ECB) adult catches have declined, and are now quite low throughout the state.   The most consistent catches at this time range from southwestern Burlington County through Cumberland County (see ECB map).  The earliest sweet corn plantings are now silking in southern NJ, and are approaching full tassel in some northern sites.  Feeding percentages are still very low (to 4% in central counties), but growers should expect that eggs are now hatching, and larval infestations could appear on all corn whorl stage and older.  Be sure to begin monitoring the earliest plantings for ECB feeding while they are still in the whorl stage. Consider treating when the [Read more…]

• Late blight (US23) was reported on potato on the Eastern Shore last week. All tomato and potato growers in the region should scout on a regular basis.
• Cucurbit downy mildew has been reported on cucumber as far north as central North Carolina this past week.
• Pythium root rot has been reported on a number of transplanted crops this past week.

Sweet Corn

European corn borer (ECB) adults are being captured with more frequency in the northern half of the state now, but overall, catches are low.  Highest activity is now found in Cumberland and Morris counties with local hotspots elsewhere  (see ECB map).  The earliest sweet corn plantings are now the right size to support ECB larval infestations. Scouts have not reported seeing adults flying in plantings (a phenomenon that usually precedes larval infestations).  However, within the next week or so we should begin to see feeding in the most advanced plantings. Be sure to begin monitoring the earliest plantings for ECB feeding while they are still in the whorl stage. Consider treating when the number of infested plants in a 50 plant sample exceeds 12%.  Feeding in the whorl stage will appear as numerous small holes (called “shot-hole”) on leaves, with damage present on consecutively younger leaves. [Read more…]

Sweet Corn

European corn borer (ECB) adults are being captured with more frequency now, but most captures remain limited to the southwestern portion of the state (see ECB map), although scattered individuals have been captured as far north as Morris County.  Warmer nights for the rest of this week may result in increased catches for the next several days.   Most early sweet corn plantings are too young to support ECB larval infestations. However, over the next two weeks we could begin to see feeding in the most advanced plantings. Be sure to begin monitoring the earliest plantings for ECB feeding while they are still in the whorl stage.  [Read more…]

• No new reports of Late blight in the region this past week.
• Cucurbit downy mildew has been reported on cucumber as far north as south-central Georgia.
• Septoria leaf spot has been reported in Parsley.
• Anthracnose fruit rot is being reported in strawberry.
• Botrytis is being reported in greenhouse tomatoes and in strawberries fields. The weather the past few weeks has been ideal for its development in a multitude of crops. Growers need to scout on a regular basis and incorporate Botrytis specific fungicides into their weekly maintenance sprays as long as the current weather pattern remains the same.
• Transplant health – transplants that have yet to be put in the field and that are showing signs of stress via the lack of fertility and water to keep them to size can become predisposed to a multiple of opportunistic fungal and bacterial pathogens. Growers need to pay close attention to and adjust fertility and watering programs on a daily basis and consider preventative fungicide applications.