- Cucurbit downy mildew has been reported on cucumber in New Jersey. For more information on CDM control please click here.
- There have been no reports of Late blight in potato or tomato in the region to date. To follow the progress of Late blight in the US please click here.
- Bacterial leaf spot has been reported in pepper. More more information on BLS control please click here. Rutgers is surveying tomato and pepper fields throughout the state this summer to help determine the makeup of the bacterial population and for copper resistance development.
- Powdery mildew has been reported in cucurbit crops. For more information on the control of CPM please click here.
- Southern blight has been reported on pepper.
- Bacterial canker has been reported in tomato. For more information on diagnosing important tomato diseases please click here.
- Phytophthora blight has been reported on pepper. For more information on controlling Phytophthora blight please click here.
- For information on diagnosing important pepper diseases please click here.
- The 2022/2023 Commercial Vegetable Production Recommendations Guide is available for free online or for sale in hardcopy form at many County offices.
- For a quick review on managing fungicide resistance development using tank mixes and fungicide rotations, and information on FRAC group 4, FRAC group 7, and FRAC group 3 and FRAC group 11 fungicides please click on hyperlinks.
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.
June 30, 2023 Andy Wyenandt
Vegetable Disease Update: 06-30-23
June 28, 2023 Kris Holmstrom
Vegetable IPM Update 6/28/23
Sweet Corn
Low numbers of European corn borer (ECB) moth activity has declined to very low levels in areas where blacklight traps are operating in the northern and central counties. Feeding in whorl and pre-tassel stage corn has increased only slightly over the past week, with many plantings exhibiting no ECB injury at all. While ECB has become something of a local phenomenon in NJ, growers should not assume that feeding is below economic levels in their area.
Look for the characteristic “shot-hole” type of feeding (photo below at right) and consider treating when infested plants exceed 12% in a 50 plant sample. As plantings proceed to the pre-tassel stage, ECB larvae may be found in emerging tassels (see photo at left). It is a good idea to treat individual plantings as they move into the full tassel/first silk stage one time. This eliminates any ECB larvae that have emerged with the tassels as they begin to move down the stalk to re-enter near developing ears.
Useful insecticides for this particular application include synthetic 
pyrethroids (IRAC Grp 3), spinosyns (including OMRI approved Entrust) IRAC Grp 5), and diamides such as Coragen or Vantacor (IRAC Grp 28) or materials such as Besiege which include the active ingredient in Coragen. Synthetic pyrethroids alone should NOT be used for corn earworm (CEW) protection on silking corn. Control with these materials is very inconsistent.
The highest nightly trap catches of ECB for the week ending 6/28/23 are as follows:
| Califon 1 | Sergeantsville 1 |
| Pennington 1 | South Branch 1 |
| Princeton 1 |
June 21, 2023 Kris Holmstrom
Vegetable IPM Update 6/21/23
Sweet Corn
Low numbers of European corn borer (ECB) moths remain active in areas where blacklight traps are operating in the northern and central counties, although feeding in whorl and pre-tassel stage corn is low and sporadic in occurrence. The highest feeding levels are in southern Hunterdon and Monmouth counties. ECB injury around 20% of plants infested has been found in those areas recently. While ECB has become something of a local phenomenon in NJ, growers should not assume that feeding is below economic levels in their area. It is typical for feeding percentages to rise as the moth catch declines. We expect feeding to increase for the next 1-2 weeks before peaking.
Look for the characteristic “shot-hole” type of feeding (photo below at right) and consider treating when infested plants exceed 12% in a 50 plant sample. As plantings proceed to the pre-tassel stage, ECB larvae may be found in emerging tassels (see photo at left). It is a good idea to treat individual plantings as they move into the full tassel/first silk stage one time. This eliminates any ECB larvae that have emerged with the tassels as they begin to move down the stalk to re-enter near developing ears.
Useful insecticides for this particular application include synthetic pyrethroids (IRAC Grp 3), spinosyns (including OMRI approved Entrust) IRAC Grp 5), and diamides such as Coragen or Vantacor (IRAC Grp 28) or materials such as Besiege which include the active ingredient in Coragen. Synthetic pyrethroids alone should NOT be used for corn earworm (CEW) protection on silking corn. Control with these materials is very inconsistent.
The highest nightly trap catches of ECB for the week ending 6/21/23 are as follows:
| Bellemeade 1 | Oldwick 1 |
| Califon 1 | Pennington 1 |
| Clinton 1 | Sergeantsville 1 |
| Lawrenceville 1 | South Branch 1 |
June 21, 2023 Meredith Melendez
Webinar: Managing Food Safety Risks in Hydroponic Operations
Incorporate food safety into your hydroponics setup and worker training.
August, 17, 2023 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. Free!
Register online
You will get the link to sign on or call in a few days before the event.
Hydroponic growers use a variety of methods to grow, harvest, and pack produce. This webinar will focus on general best practices in the hydroponic growing environment to reduce the risk of human pathogen growth and spread.
This webinar will focus on risk assessment and management through:
1. Appropriate worker training
2. Evaluation of growing and harvest processes
3. Identification of food contact surfaces
4. Development of a cleaning and sanitation process
June 14, 2023 Kris Holmstrom
Vegetable IPM Update 6/14/23
Sweet Corn
Low numbers of European corn borer (ECB) moths continue to be captured in a few of the remaining blacklight traps in the northern and central counties, although feeding in whorl and pre-tassel stage corn is low and sporadic in occurrence. The highest feeding levels are in southern Hunterdon County. ECB injury over 12% of plants infested has been found in that area recently. While ECB has become something of a local phenomenon in NJ, growers should not assume that feeding is below economic levels in their area. It is typical for feeding percentages to rise as the moth catch declines. We expect feeding to increase for the next 1-2 weeks before peaking.
Look for the characteristic “shot-hole” type of feeding (photo below at right) and consider treating when infested plants exceed 12% in a 50 plant sample. As plantings proceed to the pre-tassel stage, ECB larvae may be found in emerging tassels (see photo at left). It is a good idea to treat individual plantings as they move into the full tassel/first silk stage one time. This eliminates any ECB larvae that have emerged with the tassels as they begin to move down the stalk to re-enter near developing ears.
Useful insecticides for this particular application include synthetic pyrethroids (IRAC Grp 3), spinosyns (including OMRI approved Entrust) IRAC Grp 5), and diamides such as Coragen or Vantacor (IRAC Grp 28) or materials such as Besiege which include the active ingredient in Coragen. Synthetic pyrethroids alone should NOT be used for corn earworm (CEW) protection on silking corn. Control with these materials is very inconsistent.
The highest nightly trap catches of ECB for the week ending 6/14/23 are as follows:
| Allamuchy 1 | Hillsborough 1 | Sergeantsville 1 |
| Bellemeade 1 | Pennington 1 | South Branch 1 |
| Clinton 1 | Port Murray 1 | |
| Farmingdale 1 | Princeton 1 |
June 13, 2023 Andy Wyenandt
Cucurbit Downy Mildew Alert – Cucumber – 6/13/23
Cucurbit downy mildew has been confirmed on cucumber in Atlantic County in southern New Jersey. This is the first report of CDM in the state and region this growing season. All cucumber and cantaloupe growers should scout on a daily basis and initiate a preventative fungicide program immediately. All other cucurbit plantings need to be scouted on a regular basis. CDM was last confirmed on cucumber and butternut squash in coastal South Carolina. Remember, some CDM isolates fall into Clade I which predominately infect watermelon, pumpkin, and squash, where CDM isolates in Clade II predominately infect cucumber and cantaloupe.
For more information on CDM, the clades, and CDM control please click here.
Cucurbit downy mildew sporulating on the underside of an infected cucumber leaf.
