Rutgers Cooperative Extension
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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White mold, or lettuce drop, caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, has been reported. White mold can cause serious losses in lettuce and other susceptible crops if left uncontrolled.
White mold on lettuce. Notice the white fungal growth and black sclerotia developing on the base of the stem. The sclorotia can survive in the soil for up to 10 years.
All NJ licensed pesticide applicators, as well as dealers, who store pesticides are required by law to send a copy of their storage inventories with an explanatory cover letter to the local fire company by May 1st each year. [Read more…]
Spear damage in asparagus can be caused by diseases such as Phytophthora spear and crown rot and purple spot. However, other environmental factors during the spring can damage spears as they emerge from the soil.
 Fig. 1. Wind damage of asparagus spears. Notice how all spears are pointed in the same direction |
Wind – Periods of heavy winds during emergence will cause spears to bend.
Winds can cause one side of the spear to dry out quicker than the other causing the spear to bend and point in the direction of the prevailing wind. An asparagus planting is suffering from wind damage if most of the bent spear heads in the bed are pointing in the same direction (Fig.1). |
Asparagus season is just around the corner and now is a good time to review important diseases. With the long, wet spring we’ve encountered this year many fields have been extremely wet for long periods of time.
These types of soil conditions are ideal for Phytophthora and Pythium development. To help reduce potential losses, especially in fields with low spots or fields that are poorly drained soils, or more importantly, in fields with a history of either disease apply Ridomil Gold 4SL (mefenoxam, 4) at 1.0 pt/A, or Ultra Flourish 2E/A (mefenoxam, 4) at 2.0 pt/A, or MetaStar 2E (metalaxyl, 4) at 2.0 qt/A over beds just before 1st harvest. For new plantings, apply the same after planting or after crown covering. Do not apply Ridomil or MetaStar one day prior to harvest or illegal residues may result. [Read more…]
Sign up for pepper weevil monitoring with the Rutgers IPM Team. Our base fee is $450 per farm and $100 per trap deployed. If we are already doing insect trapping or field scouting at a farm, then the only additional cost is for the weevil pheromone traps. We suggest that one trap be set in a high traffic area near the packing shed and then at least one trap per field.
For more information or to sign up for weevil monitoring, contact Joe Ingerson-Mahar, phone – 856-889-5718, or email, mahar@aesop.rutgers.edu
For the past two years we have had two NE-SARE grants and a grant from the Charles and Lena Maier Fund, New Jersey Vegetable Growers Association, to study the movement of pepper weevil within New Jersey and how it arrives here. This article summarizes our findings and what the situation is for 2014. [Read more…]
With the wet spring we’ve had thus far, it’s easy to see the potential for Pythium and Phytophthora problems to develop once transplanting begins.
Unlike in the past, there currently are a number of good options for early season control of these pathogens, it just takes a little bit more planning ahead of time.
Options for pre-transplant applications include a Ranman (cyazofamid, 21) drench one week before transplanting for Pythium in tomatoes; as well as Previcur Flex (propamocarb HCL, 28) for the suppression of Pythium and Phytopthora in tomatoes and peppers. Phosphite fungicides, such as ProPhyt, Rampart, and K-Phite (FRAC code 33) can also be applied as a pre-transplant drench in the greenhouse on many crops. [Read more…]
