Cucurbit downy mildew was confirmed on cucumber in northern New Jersey (Warren County) today near Allamuchy. This is the third report of CDM on cucumber in New Jersey this growing season. All cucumber growers in NJ are encouraged to add downy mildew specific fungicides to their weekly maintenance spray programs. All growers should scout cucumber plantings as well as all other cucurbit crops for symptoms. CDM has also been reported on cucumber in MD, DE, and PA. To track the progress of cucurbit downy mildew in the US through the CDMpipe website through NCSU please click here.
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.
July 3, 2017 Andy Wyenandt
Cucurbit Downy Mildew ALERT – 7/3/17
Cucurbit downy mildew was confirmed on cucumber in southern New Jersey (Cumberland County) today. This is the second report of CDM in New Jersey this growing season. All cucumber growers in NJ are encouraged to add downy mildew specific fungicides to their weekly maintenance spray programs. All growers should scout cucumber plantings as well as all other cucurbit crops for symptoms. CDM has also been reported on cucumber in MD, DE, and PA. To track the progress of cucurbit downy mildew in the US through the CDMpipe website through NCSU please click here.
June 28, 2017 Andy Wyenandt
Cucurbit Downy Mildew ALERT – 6/28/17
Cucurbit downy mildew was confirmed on cucumber in southern New Jersey (Salem County) today. This is the first report of CDM in New Jersey this growing season. All cucumber growers are encouraged to add downy mildew specific fungicides to their weekly maintenance spray programs. All growers should scout cucumber plantings as well as all other cucurbit crops for symptoms. CDM was reported late last week in on cucumber in Maryland (Dorchester County). To track the progress of cucurbit downy mildew in the US through the CDMpipe website through NCSU please click here.
April 27, 2017 Andy Wyenandt
Controlling Purple Spot in Asparagus
Like clockwork, purple spot has appeared in some asparagus plantings during mid- to late-April for the past 3 years. Purple spot, caused the soil-borne fungus, Stemphylium vesicarium, can cause problems during cool, wet spring weather (much like we have had over the past week or so). Symptoms, just like its name, include numerous, sunken oval-shaped spots on spears during the harvest season and more importantly on ferns and stalks during the summer months as long as conditions are ideal for its development. Often, purple spot will disappear as quickly as in appears on spears during the spring production season depending on the local weather conditions. As soon as the weather becomes dry and warm (as it appears for the weekend), expect purple spot to disappear. [Read more…]
April 27, 2017 Andy Wyenandt
Controlling Strawberry Fruit Rots – 2017
Anthracnose Fruit Rot of Strawberry
Fruit rots in strawberry can cause significant losses if not recognized early and controlled. The use of good cultural practices such as keeping fields weed-free and promoting good drainage, long crop rotations, and preventative fungicide applications are critical.
Pathogens such as anthracnose, gray mold (Botrytis), and leather rot (Phytophthora) can become systemic problems in strawberry plantings once established. All three fungal diseases are soil-borne and once in fields can be difficult to manage over the lifetime of the planting.
The use of mulch (matted rows) to prevent/reduce soil splashing and keeping fruit from coming into direct contact with the soil surface can be beneficial in organic production systems where conventional fungicides cannot be used. Use of long crop rotations and staying away from areas of the farm with known instances of any of these pathogens is also important. Remember that same species of Colletotrichum that causes fruit rot in pepper and other crops can also infect strawberry.
April 27, 2017 Andy Wyenandt
UMaine to Hold International Potato Disease Summit Nov. 9, 2017
Orono, Maine — Two bacteria threatening the potato industry worldwide will be the focus of a Potato Disease Summit Nov. 9 in Bangor, Maine, convened by the University of Maine.
Plant pathologists, researchers and scientists from The Netherlands, Scotland and five U.S. states will present the latest information on the bacteria — Dickeya and Pectobacterium — that cause blackleg disease, an emerging potato seed problem.
In the past three growing seasons, Dickeya, a bacterial pathogen of potatoes, has caused significant economic losses in seed nonemergence and crop loss nationwide. In addition, an associated pathogen, Pectobacterium, has caused potato crop losses in the field and in storage. The bacteria have caused losses to the potato industry in Europe for an even longer period.
“The University of Maine is responding to this situation by holding an international summit focused on the latest research and what steps are needed to help the potato industry,” says University of Maine President Susan J. Hunter. “As Maine’s only public research university, we are a longstanding partner with the state’s potato industry in addressing its needs, including the growing threat posed by Dickeya and Pectobacterium.”
The Potato Disease Summit, 8 a.m.–5 p.m., Nov. 9 at the Cross Insurance Center, 515 Main St., Bangor, Maine, is designed for scientists, consultants, regulatory officials, and potato seed growers and buyers. It will focus on such topics as current advances in detection and diagnosis of Dickeya; an overview of Pectobacterium in the U.S.; and management of Enterobacteriaceae spread and risk.
The $80 per person fee includes materials, lunch and breaks. Registration deadline is Oct. 2 and is available online: extension.umaine.edu/agriculture/programs/dickeya-and-pectobacterium-summit.
For more information or to request a disability accommodation, contact Steve Johnson, 207.554.4373, stevenj@maine.edu.
