- Downy mildew, Alternaria leaf spot, Cercospora leaf spot, Black rot, and Clubroot have been reported in broccoli in southern New Jersey. All growers of fall-planted cole crops need to scout fields on a daily basis initiate preventative programs.
- Cucurbit downy mildew has been reported on cucumber (6/16/21), cantaloupe (6/22/21) and pumpkin (8/27/21) in southern New Jersey. All cucurbit growers need to scout all cucurbit crops on a regular basis. For more information on CDM and its control please click here. To track the progress of CDM please visit the CDM forecasting website.
- Phytophthora blight is being reported in pepper and cucurbit crops. For more information on Phytophthora blight control please click here.
- Pepper anthracnose is being reported in southern New Jersey. For more information on pepper anthracnose please click here.
- No reports of Late blight in the region. To track the progress of Late blight in the US please click here.
- Cucurbit powdery mildew has been reported on summer squash, butternut, and spaghetti squash as we are now headed into the fall. Please scout fields on a regular basis and initiate a preventative fungicide program if you haven’t already done so. For more information on CPM control please click here.
- Bacterial leaf spot (BLS) continues to be reported on bell and non-bell peppers in southern New Jersey. For more information on our continuing survey for BLS and copper resistance detection in tomato and pepper please click here.
- For an update on Dickeya dianthicola research in potato please click here.
- The 2020/2021 Commercial Vegetable Production Recommendations Guide is available for free online.
- 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.
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Vegetable Disease Update – 9/09/21
Vegetable IPM Update 09/08/21
Sweet Corn
Note: IPM technicians returning to their studies, as well as adverse weather have caused temporary gaps in data collection. This is particularly true in the counties of Hunterdon, Middlesex and Somerset. Please read the associated text below carefully for interpretation of the maps.
Corn earworm (CEW) moth captures from both trap types remain at high levels!!. Despite cooler evening temperatures suppressing catches slightly, blacklight and pheromone traps indicate the presence of a large population. Both trap types throughout the state are in agreement as to spray schedules (see below). Check this publication weekly for CEW status. The number of pheromone traps deployed is much lower, resulting in much broader color bands on the map. It is also important to understand that pheromone traps are more sensitive than blacklight traps, and thresholds are adjusted to account for the higher catches typical of this trap type. Silking corn is at extreme risk of CEW infestation at this time. On the blacklight map (left), green areas represent a 3-day silk spray schedule. Blue and white areas on the blacklight map should be considered outliers, and disregarded at this time. On the pheromone map (below right), red represents a 3 day spray schedule. Green areas on the pheromone map should be disregarded at this time, as this is largely due to gaps in data collection. Be sure to access information from this publication in the upcoming weeks to determine how frequently you should treat silking sweet corn to protect it from CEW infestation.
The highest nightly blacklight trap catches of CEW for the week ending 09/08/21 are as follows:
East Vineland 9 | Downer 7 | New Egypt 5 |
Green Creek 9 | Georgetown 7 | Hackettstown 4 |
Cinnaminson 7 | Allentown 6 | Medford 4 |
Crosswicks 7 | Farmingdale 6 | Allamuchy 3 |
The highest nightly pheromone trap catches of CEW for the week ending 09/08/21 are as follows:
Green Creek 177 | Woodstown 36 | Springdale 24 |
Allamuchy 74 | Monroeville 34 | East Vineland 18 |
Eldora 46 | Beckett 31 | Elm 17 |
Tabernacle 36 | Crosswicks 27 | Califon 12 |
Silking Spray Schedules*:
South – 3 days
Central – 3 days
North – 3 days
*These recommendations are based on regional catches. Adhere to tighter spray schedules if indicated by local trap catches. Synthetic pyrethroids alone should NOT be used for corn earworm (CEW) protection on silking corn, or for fall armyworm (FAW) management at any stage. Control with these materials is very inconsistent. Utilize materials in IRAC groups 5 and 28, or combination products that include IRAC group 28 for best control. See the Sweet Corn section of the 2020-21 Commercial Vegetable Production Guide for selections.
Northern corn leaf blight (NCLB) is now appearing in more fields throughout northern NJ (see photo at left). This fungal disease can increase in severity with longer dew periods that typically occur in August-September. Storm systems forecast for late this week will increase occurrence and spread of this disease. Lesions may form on husks, making them unsightly. Heavy infections can result in reduced ear size. When scouting, note the presence of these lesions, particularly if they first appear in whorl stage sweet corn. Fungicides may be required to limit infections. Useful materials include fungicides in FRAC codes 3,7 and 11, and may be found in the Sweet Corn section of the 2020-21 Commercial Vegetable Recommendations.
Cole Crops
Fall plantings of cole crops are well underway at this time, and are frequently infested by imported cabbageworm (ICW) and diamondback moth (DBM) larvae. At this time, cabbage looper (CL-photo at left) and cross striped cabbage worm (CSCW-photo at right) are also causing injury to these crops.
Check 5 consecutive plants each in 10 random locations throughout the planting. Consider treating if caterpillars are found on 10% or more plants that are in the 0-9 true leaf stage. From 9-leaf to the early head stage (in broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage) infestations up to 20% may be tolerated. Once heads begin to form, a 5% threshold should be observed to protect the marketable portion of the plant. For leafy greens such as collards and kale, 10% plants infested is the threshold throughout.
Some populations of DBM are resistant to carbamate and synthetic pyrethroid insecticides. The lack of DBM control with these insecticides has been noted in NJ previously. It is important to distinguish between common cole crop pests for this reason. DBM larvae grow to a length of approximately 0.5”, and taper toward both ends (see photo at right). These caterpillars thrash violently when disturbed. Newer chemistries that specifically target caterpillar pests are effective against DBM as well as all other caterpillar pests of cole crops, including beet armyworm (BAW-see photo at left), another species with exhibiting pyrethroid resistance. These materials include (active ingredient – trade name (IRAC* code)):
Spinosad/Spinetoram – Entrust(OMRI)/ Radiant (5)
Chlorantraniliprole – Coragen (28)
Cyantraniliprole – Exirel (28)
Peppers
Pepper weevil –
Two farms were found to have infested peppers in East Vineland this past week. The populations appear to be fairly low but farmers will have to decide if there is an economic benefit for spraying for the weevil considering the time of year and current prices. With cooler temperatures, the life cycle for the weevil will take longer to complete.
A new fact sheet is now available for anyone interested in monitoring for pepper weevils on their own: FS1330: Monitoring and Management of Pepper Weevil in New Jersey (Rutgers NJAES).
Beet armyworm (BAW) captures have declined in southern NJ pheromone traps. This pest can attack peppers, and growers and scouts should check for the presence of heavily damaged leaves near terminal growth on pepper plants. BAW larvae will be found in the area of damage. As yet, no injury has been reported.
The highest nightly pheromone trap catches of BAW for the week ending 09/08/21 are as follows:
Woodstown 4 | Hammonton 1 |
Folsom 1 | Pedricktown 1 |
Pumpkins and Winter Squash
Cucurbit downy mildew (CDM) is active in all parts of the state. For regional information on this important disease, see the Cucurbit Downy Mildew Forecast webpage: http://cdm.ipmpipe.org/. This forecast has NJ at low risk of further infection as a result of transport events through Tuesday 9/07. However, a severe rain event is again forecast for our area Wednesday (9/08) evening, and all growers should be on high alert. As of Friday 8/27, CDM has been detected on pumpkins in Morris County. It is advisable that all growers treat preventively for CDM on all potential host crops. CDM symptoms on the upper leaf surface include yellow areas that rapidly turn necrotic (photo at far left). Signs of dark sporulation on the lower leaf surface may be found in close association with leaf veins (photo at near left).
For a list of effective materials and fungicide rotations, see the Pumpkin/Winter Squash section of the 2020-21 Commercial Veg. Recs.
Recent wet weather has resulted in increased incidence of Plectosporium blight on pumpkins and winter squash. This fungal disease causes stems and petioles to develop dry, white lesions that coalesce, causing stems to become brittle (photo at far right). Fruit may also be affected (photo at near right). Protectant fungicides should be used with EVERY fungicide application. Materials in FRAC grp. 11 may also be of some use against Plectosporium blight. See the Pumpkin/Winter Squash section of the 2020-21 Commercial Veg. Recs. for a list of useful materials.
Unfortunately, recent extreme rain events have caused flare-ups of Phytophthora fruit rot (see photo at left), with significant crop loss occurring in a number of fields. There is no effective form of chemical control for this disease at this stage. Growers are now beginning to remove fruit from fields. Avoid harvesting fruit in and near areas showing obvious signs of Phytophthora. Fruit that may appear solid in the field can develop rot while in bins, resulting in more damaged fruit.
Melon aphid (see photo at left) populations may be present in pumpkin and winter squash fields. This aphid builds to heavy populations that result in the deposition of sticky droppings on the surface of fruit (see photo at right). If melon aphids appear in more than one sample site in a 10 site sample, consider treating to minimize the appearance of droppings. Insecticides effective at managing this pest are found in the Pumpkin and Winter Squash section of the Commercial Vegetable Production Recommendations.
Brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB)
BMSB blacklight trap catches have remained low this past week, and no map will appear in this addition.
Disease management recommendation for fall planted strawberry plugs
Kathy Demchak, Senior Extension Associate, from Penn State University and Dr. Mengjun Hu, Small Fruit Pathologist, from the University of Maryland have published an excellent article on disease management recommendations for fall planted strawberry plugs. Please click here for more information.
Vegetable Disease Update – 9/03/21
- Phytophthora blight is being reported in pepper and cucurbit crops. For more information on Phytophthora blight control please click here.
- Pepper anthracnose is being reported in southern New Jersey. For more information on pepper anthracnose please click here.
- Cucurbit downy mildew has been reported on cucumber (6/16/21), cantaloupe (6/22/21) and pumpkin (8/27/21) in southern New Jersey. For more information on CDM and its control please click here. To track the progress of CDM please visit the CDM forecasting website.
- No reports of Late blight in the region. To track the progress of Late blight in the US please click here.
- Cucurbit powdery mildew has been reported on summer squash, butternut, and spaghetti squash as we are now headed into the fall. Please scout fields on a regular basis and initiate a preventative fungicide program if you haven’t already done so. For more information on CPM control please click here.
- Bacterial leaf spot (BLS) continues to be reported on bell and non-bell peppers in southern New Jersey. For more information on our continuing survey for BLS and copper resistance detection in tomato and pepper please click here.
- For an update on Dickeya dianthicola research in potato please click here.
- The 2020/2021 Commercial Vegetable Production Recommendations Guide is available for free online.
- 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.
National Farm Safety and Health Week: September 19-25, 2021
September precedes one of the busiest and most dangerous seasons of the year in agriculture – fall harvest time. For this reason, National Farm Safety and Health Week (NFSHW) is recognized annually during the third week of September. The theme this year is “Farm Safety Yields Real Results”.
AgriSafe will host two FREE webinars each day during NFSHW to highlight new technology, discuss incident prevention, and inform your decision-making and conversations. The webinars will feature discussion on each of the daily topics. Visit The National Education Center for Agricultural Safety website to register (scroll down to ‘Webinars’). Note that the webinar times are posted for Central Daylight Time.
Take an active role in keeping yourself and others safe this harvest season. Plan to join in on a webinar, encourage others to do the same, and take to social media to spread the message: “Farm Safety Yields Real Results”. Stay tuned to the Rutgers Agriculture and Natural Resources Facebook page for content to share each day during NFSHW!
Food Safety for Flooded Farms
Flood waters can carry microbial and chemical contaminants that can be harmful to humans. Food crops should be assessed to determine if they have been affected by flooding surface water sources including rivers, lakes, or streams. These waters are the highest risk for contaminants. The biggest question to ask is has the edible portion of the crop been exposed to these waters? There is no way to ensure that food crops that have come in contact with contaminated flood waters are safe to eat. Food crops that have been exposed to flood waters should be destroyed so they do not enter market channels. For more information and guidance on how to handle crops and fields that have been flooded visit the Produce Safety Alliance Food Safety for Flooded Farms resource.