For over a decade, basil downy mildew (BDM) has caused significant losses in basil grown in organic and conventional field and greenhouse production across the United States. At the time of its introduction, there were very few fungicides labeled for its control making it nearly impossible to grow a successful crop in many areas of the country. [Read more…]
Organic Farm Advisory
The Plant & Pest Advisory serves NJ growers by reporting on important pests and recommending responses that are grounded in reproducible trials.
Articles in this section contain information helpful to the NJ commercial organic grower.
Sharing organic practice trial results between land-grant universities is a cost effective way to create a common knowledge base built on the strengths of individual programs. In the sidebar, find institutions with programs in organic agriculture which augment knowledge developed at the Rutgers New Jersey Ag Experiment Station.
Rutgers Cooperative Extension Field Guides: These concise guides help with decision making from pre-planting to harvest. For each crop listed, learn what pests to proactively look for as the season progresses, how to look for them, and when to take action.
Vegetable IPM Update 7/05/23
Sweet Corn
European corn borer (ECB) moth activity is extremely low in areas where blacklight traps are operating in the northern and central counties. Feeding in whorl and pre-tassel stage corn has increased slightly over the past week, but only in a few areas. 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 7/05/23 are as follows:
Allentown 1 | Hillsborough 1 |
Asbury 1 | Milford 1 |
Bellemeade 1 | Lawrenceville 1 |
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 |
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 |
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
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 |