- Neopestalalotiopsis on strawberry has been reported. Please click here to see the report from Penn State University Extension.
- Dickeya dianthicola has been reported in potato in Virginia.
- Botrytis and Anthracnose fruit rot is being reported in strawberry. For more information on controlling these two important diseases please click here.
- Cucurbit downy mildew has been reported on cucumber only as far north as Bamberg, County, GA (south central part of the state). To follow CDM reports in the U.S. please click here. Recent research has shown that oospores of the pathogen can overwinter in the southern US (North Carolina), but overwintering oospores were unable to germinate and cause infection the following spring. For more information please click here.
- Suncald has been reported in newly transplanted pepper fields. For more information please click here.
- Timber rot has been reported in tomato. For more information please click here.
- White rust has been reported in spinach.
- 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.
May 27, 2022 Andy Wyenandt
Vegetable Disease Update: 5-27-22
May 25, 2022 Kris Holmstrom and Joe Ingerson-Mahar
Vegetable IPM Update 5/25/22
Sweet Corn
European corn borer (ECB) moths are now being captured in parts of the state. Numbers are low, and no map will appear in this edition. It remains to be seen whether this first flight will amount to much, but recent years’ catches give no reason to suspect that a large population will develop. Whorl corn is the primary target for egg laying, but as yet, scouts have reported no signs of feeding injury. In northern and central counties, corn plants are not large enough to support ECB larvae. We expect to encounter some level of feeding over the next 2 weeks.
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 5/25/22 are as follows:
| Califon 1 | Georgetown 1 | Pedricktown 1 |
| Crosswicks 1 | Hillsborough 1 | Sergeantsville 1 |
| Dayton 1 | Medford 1 | South Branch 1 |
| Downer 1 | Milltown 1 | Woodstown 1 |
May 24, 2022 Melissa Bravo
Corn emerging. Scout now for black cutworm
On May 3, 2022, Penn State Extension reported a significant number of black cutworm moths in traps in Lebanon and Lancaster County. In general, it takes about 300 growing degree days for the moth larva to emerge and begin cutting corn.
This year, this is coinciding with emergence of field corn. And, of note is the shift in cultural practices this year due to high input costs and low availability resulting in higher than normal late terminated cover crop residue still present in the field as corn is emerging.
According to the Climate Smart Farming Growing Degree Day Calculator provided by Cornell University, as of May 25, Salem County has had 300 growing degrees day accumulated (base 50) since May 3rd.
What to consider:
- Corn after soybeans, corn after wheat and reduced tillage more likely to have higher cut worm issues
- Fields with high rye residue, or weed residue are more likely to have higher cut worm issues
- Fields planted into hay recently terminated
- Fields with higher water table, ponding areas
- If cutworm are about 1 inch long or less; and plants are less than 6 leaf stage; and plants are cut below the soil surface; in these situations likely to see economic injury justifying rescue treatment in that area.
- Economic thresholds are triggered typically when 2% to 3% of the area infested are showing signs of active feeding. But this is an atypical year for cutworm corn economics and producers should factor in all considerations which in general will lower the tolerance to 1% cut or wilted and small larva to 3% cut or wilted in larger larva.
For more information see the following publications: https://extensionpublications.unl.edu/assets/pdf/g1153.pdf
https://entomology.ca.uky.edu/ent59
and, a note about corn economics related to cutworm in https://extension.umn.edu/corn-pest-management/black-cutworm#economic-thresholds%3A-when-to-treat-a-problem-1185760
May 20, 2022 Andy Wyenandt
Anthracnose and Botrytis Control in Strawberries for 2022
Dr. Mengjun Hu, University of Maryland, and Kathy Demchak, Penn State University, have written an extensive article on effective strategies for Botrytis and Anthracnose fruit rot control for the 2022 season.
Managing gray mold (Botrytis) on strawberries is increasingly challenging because of fungicide resistance development, plus a new Botrytis species that is less susceptible to fungicides is becoming common in the mid-Atlantic region. Resistance to certain fungicides is also a problem in management of anthracnose fruit rot. This article describes disease management strategies designed to slow further resistance development, while also providing specifics for managing our two most common fruit rots.
The rest of the article can be accessed and downloaded as a PDF file by clicking on the following link: Botrytis and Anthracnose Mgt Strawberries final.
May 18, 2022 Joe Ingerson-Mahar
Vegetable IPM Update
Due to subnormal temperatures and storms, there has not been enough pest activity to warrant producing maps.
Sweet corn
European corn borer moths have now been trapped in Gloucester and Salem County blacklights. This is the beginning of the first, over-wintering generation of moths whose numbers will increase over the next two to three weeks. The most common strain of corn borers has two generations per year and sometimes a partial third. Corn borers attack a wide range of crops including potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, and others, as well as sweet corn.
May 17, 2022 Megan Muehlbauer
RSVP NOW: North Jersey Fruit and Vegetable Twilight Meeting III
North Jersey Fruit and Vegetable Twilight Meeting III
May 24, 2022
4:30 PM-7:30 PM
Phillips Farms,
91 Crab Apple Hill Road
Milford, NJ 08848
4:30 PM – Registration / Light Refreshments
4:45 PM – Tree and Small Fruit IPM Updates
Dean Polk, Statewide Fruit IPM Agent, Rutgers NJAES
5:15 PM – Farm Tour of Fruit and Early Season Vegetable Production
Jason Phillips, and Marc Phillips, Phillips Farms
5:45 PM – Use of Plant Growth Regulators for Thinning and Branching of Apples
Win Cowgill, Win Enterprises International, LLC, Professor Emeritus, Rutgers NJAES
6:30 PM – Early/Mid-Season Insect Management in Tree Fruit
Anne Nielsen, Associate Extension Specialist in Entomology, Rutgers NJAES
7:00 PM – The remainder of the meeting will be held at the Phillips Farms Market
Address: 564 Milford Warren Glen Rd, Milford, NJ 08848
7:05 PM – Vegetable and Small Fruit Disease Updates
Andy Wyenandt, Specialist in Vegetable Pathology, Rutgers NJAES
7:30 PM – Pesticide Recertification Credits and Adjourn
NJ Pesticide Recertification Credits
4 Units Cat. 10 4 Units Cat. 1A 4 Units Cat. PP2
Please RSVP by 4 PM MONDAY MAY 23 for the meetings with a call to Kim Crommelin at 908-788-1338 or kfrey@co.hunterdon.nj.us
