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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NJ Commercial Vegetable Production Recommendations
Rutgers Weather Forecasting - Meteorological Information important to commercial agriculture.
Private Applicators: NJDEP August Mailing of 2023 Invoices & Recertification Credit Status
Vegetable IPM Update 8/12/22 -CEW Status
Attention: There have been significant increases in CEW moth catches in pheromone traps in parts of the state during the past 2 days. At this time, these increases are largely in southwestern NJ, although elevated catches have occurred as far north as Warren County.
Noteworthy Sweet Corn catches include:
Eldora (Cape May)- 187/night
Green Creek (Cape May) – 183/night
Jones Island (Cumberland)- 133/night
Allamuchy (Warren) – 64/night
Peppers:
E. Vineland – 33/night
Blacklight and pheromone networks are indicating a 3-day silk spray schedule in much of the state. All growers in south and central counties should be on 3-day silk spray schedules for sweet corn. Cape May, Cumberland, Atlantic and Salem County growers are especially at risk of infestation if strict spray schedules are not observed. Growers in the northern counties should be on 3-4 day schedules, as recommended by local traps. The current population continues to be a serious economic threat. It is important to use effective materials to manage this pest on silking corn. Insecticides in the IRAC 28 class (Coragen, Besiege, Exirel) and IRAC 5 (Radiant, Blackhawk, Entrust (OMRI approved)) remain among the most useful insecticides against CEW.
Silking Spray Schedules*:
South – 3 days
Central – 3 days
North – 3-4 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.
Vegetable IPM Update 08/10/22
Sweet Corn
European corn borer (ECB) moth catches remain stable at low levels throughout the state. ECB population maps will resume if second flight catches rise to high enough numbers. Only occasional feeding in sweet corn has been detected by field personnel.
The highest nightly trap catches of ECB for the week ending 08/10/22 are as follows:
| Blairstown 1 | Downer 1 | Milltown 1 |
| Califon 1 | Farmingdale 1 | New Egypt 1 |
| Cinnaminson 1 | long Valley 1 | Oldwick 1 |
| Dayton 1 | Matawan 1 | Sergeantsville 1 |
Postharvest Backflow Prevention Strategies for Produce Farms
Listen to Wes Kline discuss how to build a one-way street for water in produce packinghouses. The fundamentals of water distribution, the FSMA PSR, and practical ways of implementing backflow prevention are covered. Click on the image below to access the YouTube video.
Pepper anthracnose ALERT: 08-09-22
Pepper anthracnose has been confirmed in southern New Jersey. For more information on its control please click here.
Vegetable Disease Update: 08-08-22
- Cucurbit downy mildew has been reported ONLY on cucumber in southern, central, and northern New Jersey. For more information on CDM control please click here. To follow the progress of CDM in the US please click here.
- The foliar and fruit rot phase of Buckeye rot in tomato has been reported.
- 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.
- Viruses in pepper and tomato have been reported at an unusually high rate this summer.
- Bacterial leaf spot is being reported in pepper and tomato. More more information on BLS control please click here. Rutgers is still surveying tomato and pepper fields throughout the state to help determine the makeup of the bacterial population and for copper resistance development!
- Basil downy mildew has been confirmed in New Jersey. All basil growers are encouraged to scout on a daily basis. To track and report BDM occurrence please click here. For information on the control of BDM in the greenhouse or the field please click on the hyperlinks.
- Phomopsis leaf blight has been reported in annual strawberry. For more information please see this Extension publication by Louws et al. at NCSU.
- Collar rot has been reported in tomato. Please click here for more information.
- Rhizoctonia root rot has been reported in summer squash. Click here for more information.
- White mold has been reported in tomato and Southern blight in pepper in southern new Jersey this past week. Click here for more information.
- Powdery mildew has been reported in cucurbit crops. For more information on the control of CPM please click here.
- 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 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.
