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 11, 2015

Audit Ready: Equipment Maintenance Records

tractorThe harmonized audit requires a listing of equipment (2.7.1) that has the potential to come into contact with the crop, and for each piece of equipment a maintenance record.
Just how detailed of a record do they want?

Anytime there is a repair, cleaning, or fluid change there should be a record of this task.  The auditor will look at the equipment for signs that there could be a issue, such as an oil or fluid leak under the equipment.  If they see an issue they will then ask to see the maintenance record for that piece of equipment.  This falls under the “are in good repair and are not a source of contamination of produce” section of standard 2.7.2.  Remember, this is only for equipment that will go out into the field or production area.

Filed Under: Food Safety, Fruit, Vegetable Crops
August 6, 2015

Audit Ready: Handling Unwritten Policies

Writing Your PlanIn both the GAPs and Harmonized audits there are standards that focus on policies, yet the checklist does not indicate that a written policy is required.

You can choose to not write these policies in your plan but you and your employees need to be prepared to answer questions from the auditor about these policies.  Your answer to the auditor needs to be the same as your employees; they will verify this!

If the auditor does not find the policy or the employee answer satisfactory, you will receive a “CAN” (corrective action needed).

Filed Under: Food Safety, Fruit, Vegetable Crops
August 5, 2015

Vegetable IPM Quick Update

There has been little change in the corn earworm (CEW) situation over the past week. Very few individuals have been captured north of Camden County.

For silking sweet corn, the following spray schedules are warranted.
Silking Spray Schedules:
South – 3-5 days
Central –4-6 days
North – 6 days

Filed Under: Vegetable Crops
August 2, 2015

Vegetable Disease Briefs – 8/2/15

  • There have been no new reports of late blight in New Jersey since 7/8 although it has been reported in other States in the region. To track late blight in the US please visit http://usablight.org/
  • Cucurbit downy mildew has been reported on cucumber in New Jersey and on cucumber and butternut squash. All cucurbit growers should include downy as well as powdery mildew specific fungicides in their weekly maintenance sprays. To track the progress of CDM in the US please visit http://cdm.ipmpipe.org/.
  • Bacterial leaf spot is being reported on pepper and tomato. There is evidence that BLS race 6 and/or 10 is present in New Jersey this season. Samples have been submitted for confirmation.
  • Basil downy mildew remains active across the region.

 

Filed Under: Vegetable Crops
July 29, 2015

Vegetable Twilight Meeting & Research Tour

Date: Thursday, August 20, 2015, 5:30 p.m.

Location: Meet at the trailer near parking lot
Rutgers Agricultural Research & Extension Center
121 Northville Road, Bridgeton, NJ (Upper Deerfield)

Agenda

  • 5:30: Taste the new tomato breeding lines that will be released soon and tour the tomato plots
    Tom Orton, PhD, Specialist in Vegetables
    Check out a mobile market/portable cooler trailer with CoolBot™’s alternative to high cost refrigeration units
    Rick VanVranken, Agricultural Agent Atlantic County
  • 6:00: *Summer/Winter Squash and Cucumber fungicide evaluations for Downy and Powdery Mildew Control
    C. Andrew Wyenandt, PhD, Specialist in Vegetable Pathology
  • 6:30: Advances in breeding lines and fungicide evaluation for basil Downy Mildew Control
    Rob Pyne, Graduate Student, Rutgers and C. Andrew Wyenandt, PhD
  • 7:00: Fungicides for controlling Phytophthora Blight control in cucurbits
    C. Andrew Wyenandt, PhD
  • 7:30: Evaluation of Bell Peppers cultivars and breeding lines for Phytophthora tolerance
    C. Andrew Wyenandt, PhD
  • 8:00: *Slicing and pickling cucumber variety evaluation for yield and Downy Mildew tolerance
    Wes Kline, PhD, Agricultural Agent
  • 8:30: Phomopsis Blight control in eggplant
    C. Andrew Wyenandt, PhD

*The cucurbit studies are funded in part through the Charles E. and Lena Maier Fund, the Vegetable Growers Association of New Jersey and the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Vegetable Crops
July 29, 2015

Veg IPM Update: Week Ending 7/29/15

Sweet Corn

ECB 7-29-2015

Click to View

European corn borer (ECB) adult activity is stable, with low level activity in parts of the state now. This is the beginning of the second adult flight. Areas of highest activity are still along the Delaware Bay Shore and in central Morris County (see ECB map), but areas between should fill in over the next week.

As always, consider treating when the number of infested plants in a 50 plant sample exceeds 12%. Any planting remaining at or above threshold as it proceeds to full tassel should be treated, as this is the last stage at which ECB larvae will be exposed and vulnerable to insecticidal sprays.

See the 2015 Commercial Vegetable Recommendations Guide for insecticide choices.
[Read more…]

Filed Under: Vegetable Crops