Plastic mulch and trickle irrigation are expensive.
Re-using the mulch for a second crop after the first can be an effective way to spread the cost.
[Read more…]
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.
Subscriptions are available via EMAIL and RSS.
Quick Links:
NJ Commercial Vegetable Production Recommendations
Rutgers Weather Forecasting - Meteorological Information important to commercial agriculture.
May 7, 2014 Brad Majek
Weed Control in Re-Used Plastic Mulch
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May 7, 2014 Kris Holmstrom and Joe Ingerson-Mahar
Veg IPM Update: Week Ending 5/07/14
Vegetable IPM Report 5-07-14 – Click to View | Download | Print
Current Week’s Pest Maps – Available Maps for the week
Pepper Weevil Trap Catch Map
Rutgers Cooperative Extension IPM personnel are currently deploying blacklight trap and insect pheromone trap networks throughout the state. Statewide sampling will commence shortly, and as soon as target pests begin to appear, insect data will be published in the Plant and Pest Advisory and on the NJAES website @ http://tinyurl.com/njaes-ipm-maps
Pest populations of European corn borer (ECB), corn earworm (CEW) and brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) from blacklight samples will be posted in table and in map format. Additionally, adult CEW populations from a pheromone network in southern NJ will be posted in both formats. Pepper weevil trap catches from southern NJ will be posted in map format. Beet armyworm (BAW) adult populations from a southern NJ pheromone network will be posted in table form beginning in mid-July.
May 7, 2014 Kris Holmstrom
Understanding Combination Insecticide Products
When using blended products:
- Know the pest that you need to control.
- Use an appropriate insecticide that will do the job with as little negative impact as possible.
- Avoid broad spectrum insecticides when possible.
- Avoid using redundant materials.
Over the past decade, the number of vegetable insecticides (both commercial products and insecticide classes) has increased significantly. Included in these are a number of materials with novel modes of action (MOA), and high degrees of pest specificity. For example, some newer materials have efficacy against caterpillars only, while others may control caterpillars and some fly larvae. Other examples are detailed in the chart, Combination Insecticide Products for Commercial Vegetable Crops. This article clarifies the options in the Commercial Vegetable Recommendations so that growers may make more informed choices as to the most useful product for specific pests. [Read more…]
May 5, 2014 Andy Wyenandt
2014 Potato and Tomato Reports Available
The 2014 Potato and Tomato Reports are now available! Just scroll over the Vegetable Crops tab on the Plant and Pest Advisory homepage and links for each report will appear.
Like in years past, both reports will be updated twice a week for those interested in timing their fungicide applications according to Tom-Cast and Blightcast from NEWA information. Real-time updates can also be obtained by going directly to the NEWA site, selecting the nearest weather station to your farm operation, and clicking on the appropriate model. It is that simple! As always, should Late Blight appear in our region sometime this season a PPA Alert will be sent out to those signed up.
May 5, 2014 Andy Wyenandt
Basil Downy Mildew Reported – NJ 5/5/14
Basil downy mildew was reported in a greenhouse in Virginia last week. The first question I asked myself was, “How can that be?”
Basil downy mildew on overwintered sweet basil plant.
Note symptoms on leaf top side and downy mildew spores on leaf underside.
The infected plants in question, roughly 12 mature potted sweet basil plants, were just a few plants that were left over from last fall and carried over the winter in a non-heated high tunnel on benches with heated mats and row cover. The heated mats and row cover were for protecting other crops. Interestingly, the basil did not freeze out, somehow managed to survive the winter without much heat, and produce downy mildew spores once the outside temperatures rose.
[Read more…]
May 1, 2014 Andy Wyenandt
Strawberry Fruit Rots
Anthracnose Fruit Rot of Strawberry
Pathogens such as anthracnose, gray mold (Botrytis), and leather rot 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.
