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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July 19, 2022

FDA Proposes Compliance Date Extension for Pre-Harvest Agricultural Water Requirements

On July 18, 2022 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking to extend the compliance dates for the pre-harvest agricultural water provisions as outlined in the recent 2021 agricultural water proposed rule.

The 2021 agricultural water proposed rule, if finalized, will require farms to conduct annual systems-based agricultural water assessments to determine and guide appropriate measures to minimize potential risks associated with pre-harvest agricultural water. The FDA is now proposing extended compliance dates for those proposed pre-harvest requirements and is also providing clarifying information about the enforcement discretion policy for the harvest and post-harvest agricultural water requirements.

The supplemental rulemaking proposes to establish the following compliance dates for the pre-harvest agricultural water requirements for covered produce other than sprouts:

  • 2 years and 9 months after the effective date of a final rule for very small businesses;
  • 1 year and 9 months after the effective date of a final rule for small businesses; and
  • 9 months after the effective date of a final rule for all other businesses.

Note:  These compliance dates only go into effect when the rule is finalized which we have no information when that will occur!

Compliance Dates for Harvest and Post-Harvest Agricultural Water Requirements

The 2021 pre-harvest agricultural water proposed rule did not propose substantive changes to the harvest and post-harvest agricultural water requirements in the Produce Safety Rule; however, the FDA recognizes that prior to the proposal, stakeholders did not have clarity on whether FDA might propose to change the harvest and post-harvest agricultural water requirements. In addition, the FDA recognizes that adequate training and technical assistance are needed to fully recognize the benefits of the harvest and post-harvest requirements. Therefore, we intend to continue enforcement discretion for the harvest and post-harvest agricultural water requirements of the Produce Safety regulation until the following dates:

  • January 26, 2025, for very small businesses;
  • January 26, 2024, for small businesses; and
  • January 26, 2023, for all other businesses.

We are reopening the comment period only with respect to the proposed compliance dates for the pre-harvest agricultural water provisions until September 19, 2022. Comments should be submitted to docket FDA-2021-N-0471 on Regulations.gov.

As has been done with other FSMA rules, the FDA plans to take an “educate before and while we regulate” posture as we begin implementing the harvest and post-harvest requirements. For the first year of compliance, the FDA intends to work closely with state, other regulatory, and industry partners to advance training, technical assistance, educational visits and on-farm readiness reviews to prepare both growers and state regulators for implementing these provisions prior to initiating routine inspections verifying compliance. The FDA will provide further communications as additional resources become available.

Additional Information

 

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Food Safety, Fruit, Vegetable Crops
July 19, 2022

Pumpkin Pollination and Weather Conditions

With high temperatures this week and predicted for next week, there are concerns about pollination of pumpkin and other crops. Flower bud abortion can occur if temperatures are in the high 70’s at night or in high 90’s during the day for several consecutive days. Heat stress causes other issues with plant functions and plant health. However, for crops that need pollination, it is especially stressful when hot and dry weather conditions occur.

Honeybees, bumblebees, squash bees, and many other solitary bees will pollinate pumpkin flowers. Pumpkin flowers only live a few hours after blooming and then go limp and close. Therefore, they must be pollinated during the brief window when they are open. It is important to keep adequate soil moisture during pollination to help foster flower health, pollen quality, and good pollen acceptance by the stigma. Pollination cannot occur if the buds and flowers don’t form properly. Irrigation is recommended, as well as other plant health maintenance practices to keep pumpkin roots, vines, flowers and fruit growing properly during this heat wave and throughout the season.

Some other factors to consider in the future to ensure adequate pollination include:

1. Keep plant populations at recommended rates to not have excessive foliage. The nice thing about pumpkin vines is once they cover the ground, they make for good weed competition. However, too much leaf cover and high plant densities can hinder pollinators from locating flowers under the canopy. Additionally, too much foliage causes plants to remain wet for longer periods of time, encouraging fungal diseases.

2. Do not rely solely on native bee populations and investigate hive rentals to accentuate populations of pollinators.

3. Excessive plant growth in response to higher-than-recommended nitrogen applications can also delay flowering and fruit set. Therefore, do not over-fertilize pumpkins. This is true for all growth stages, but especially before fruit set.

4. Besides poor plant/flower quality, drought can lead to a higher than normal male/female flower ratio, resulting fewer pumpkins per plant.

For more information about pollination see the 2022/2023 Mid-Atlantic Commercial Vegetable Recommendations pages 27-33.

Filed Under: Organic Production, Vegetable Crops Tagged With:
July 19, 2022

Edema development in brassica crops

Edema is often expressed as off-color swellings or galls that appear on leaves and stems. Edema develops when epidermal cells hold excessive water due to a slowing of evapotransporation when hot, muggy days are followed by cooler, wetter weather. Edema develops because the plant takes in more water (due to a high soil moisture content) faster than it can get rid of it through evapotranspiration causing cells to rupture which results in the blistering of the leaves. Edema is strictly caused by environmental factors and can appear whenever these conditions are met. Properly monitor soil conditions, irrigation cycles, and the weather to avoid over irrigating on warm, hot early spring days, especially when quick cold fronts/temperature drops and cloudy weather are expected.

Symptoms of edema on collard leaf. Note the off-color appearance of leaf surface.

Symptoms of edema on top side of
collard leaf.
Note the off-color appearance of leaf surface.

Edema, bottom side of collard leaf. Note the irregular, 'corky appearance caused bythe rupture of leaf cells.

Edema, bottom side of collard leaf.
Note irregular, “corky” appearance due to leaf cell rupture.

Filed Under: Vegetable Crops Tagged With:
July 18, 2022

Recovering from hail damage

squash hail

Squash transplants destroyed by hail.

Parts of New Jersey have been hit with heavy rain this past week and more is expected over the next few days. Remember, the wounds on stems, leaves, and fruit of vegetable plants created by hail damage opens the plant up to fungal and bacterial infections. Hail, on most occasions, comes down in narrow streaks so one part of a field may be heavily damaged while another part may look completely untouched.  For operations who have been hit with hail, growers need to carefully walk fields and assess the amount and severity of damage done. Growers should also carefully inspect for any damage in transplant trays that may be waiting outside prior to transplanting.

In order to reduce the chances for bacterial and fungal infections, growers should consider applying a disinfestant, such as Oxidate or OLF. Remember, products such as Oxidate, only kill what they come into direct contact with and should be applied as a stand alone between a standard weekly protectant fungicide program.

Filed Under: Vegetable Crops Tagged With:
July 17, 2022

Controlling Root Knot Nematode in New Jersey

The Root Knot Nematode does show up from time to time in vegetable production in New Jersey. Fortunately, for New Jersey, the distribution and damage done by the Root Knot Nematode is no where near the levels seen in regions further south of the state. There are two species involved, the Northern Root Rot Nematode (Meloidogyne hapla) and the Southern Root Rot Nematode (Meloidogyne incognito) and both species have been found in the state. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Vegetable Crops Tagged With:
July 16, 2022

Identifying and controlling Botrytis in high tunnel and greenhouse tomato production

Botrytis, or gray mold, caused by the fungus, Botrytis cinerea, can cause significant losses in high tunnel and greenhouse tomato production if not controlled properly. The pathogen can rapidly spread during periods when structures are closed and when relative humidity remains high for long periods of time. This often occurs when outside weather remains cool and damp while heating is needed. Gray mold is favored by temperatures from 64° to 75°F and requires only high humidity (not leaf wetness) to become established. The pathogen has a large host range and once established in an enclosed structure it can be very difficult to control (UMASS). The fungus can survive/overwinter as mycelia or sclerotia in plant debris and in organic soil matter (NCSU).

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Vegetable Crops Tagged With: , , ,