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.

Field Guide List

April 17, 2019

Allium leaf miner update: 09/20/19

Allium Leaf Miner

Allium leaf miner (ALM) feeding/egglaying scars were detected in chives and scallions near Princeton (Mercer Co.), NJ on Friday of this week.  This indicates that the second (fall) flight of these flies is now underway, and damage is occurring.

Allium leafminer oviposition scars on onion

Photo: Sabrina Tirpak. Allium leafminer oviposition scars on onion

Growers should consider initiating the control method of their choice at this time.  Affected crops include chives, scallions, garlic, onions and leeks.

Floating row covers, kept on until the second flight ends will help minimize access to plants.  Insecticide applications targeting adults may be helpful as well, although frequency of applications is uncertain.  Spinosyn materials (Radiant, Entrust (OMRI approved)), pyrethroids (Mustang Maxx, Warrior), and pyrethrin materials (Pyganic (OMRI approved)), neonicotinoids (Scorpion, Venom) and the insect growth regulator Trigard are labeled for miner control.

Adult activity and observations of feeding will be reported on in the IPM Update as they occur.  At this time, all growers should respond to the second adult generation.  We will attempt to identify the end of the second flight so that growers know when the risk of infestation has abated.

 

 

 

Filed Under: Organic Production, Vegetable Crops Tagged With: , ,
April 10, 2019

Veg IPM Update: Allium leaf miner 04/10/19

Allium Leaf Miner

Allium leaf miner (ALM) feeding was detected in one commercial planting of chives near Lawrenceville, NJ on Tuesday of this week.  Degree-day accumulations at this site were 46.5, base 50 F as of Tuesday.  Sticky traps at this same site yielded no flies.  Additionally, trap and inspection sites at Milford (Hunterdon Co. (garlic)), and Oldwick (Hunterdon Co. (garlic and chives)), had neither feeding signs nor flies on sticky cards.

Allium leafminer oviposition scars on onion

Photo: Sabrina Tirpak. Allium leafminer oviposition scars on onion

Within the week, another monitoring site near Hackettstown (Warren Co.) will be added.    Reasonable spring weather that we are now experiencing is conducive to the development of the first adult generation.  Growers should consider initiating the control method of their choice at this time.  Affected crops include chives, scallions, garlic, onions and leeks.

Floating row covers, kept on until the first flight ends will help minimize access to plants.  Insecticide applications targeting adults may be helpful as well, although frequency of applications is uncertain.  Spinosyn materials (Radiant, Entrust (OMRI approved)), pyrethroids (Mustang Maxx, Warrior), and pyrethrin materials (Pyganic (OMRI approved)), neonicotinoids (Scorpion, Venom) and the insect growth regulator Trigard are labeled for miner control.

Adult activity and observations of feeding will be reported on in the IPM Update as they occur.  At this time, all growers should respond to the onset of the first adult generation.  We will attempt to identify the end of the first flight so that growers know when the risk of infestation has abated.

 

 

 

Filed Under: Organic Production, Vegetable Crops Tagged With: , ,
February 27, 2019

Register Now for the North Jersey Commercial Vegetable and Fruit Grower Meetings

North Jersey Commercial Vegetable Growers Meeting

February 28, 2019

North Jersey Commercial Fruit Growers Meeting

March 7, 2019

Hunterdon County Complex

314 State Rt. 12, Building #1

Flemington, NJ 08822

For registration and program details contact Cynthia Triolo at 973-285-8306 or ctriolo@co.morris.nj.us

Filed Under: Fruit, Organic Production, Strawberry, Tree Fruit, Vegetable Crops
February 4, 2019

SAVE THE DATE!

North Jersey Commercial Vegetable Grower Meeting

February 28, 2019

&

North Jersey Commercial Fruit Grower Meeting

March 7, 2019

 

Hunterdon County Complex

314 State Route 12, Bldg. #1

Flemington, New Jersey 08822

8:30 am – 4:00 pm

Detailed program and registration details forthcoming

 

Questions? Please contact: Cynthia Triolo (Morris County Cooperative Extension) at 973.285.8306 or ctriolo@co.morris.nj.us

Or

Kim Frey (Hunterdon County Cooperative Extension) at 908-788-1339 or kfrey@co.hunterdon.nj.us

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Fruit, Organic Production, Tree Fruit, Vegetable Crops
January 23, 2019

Spotted Lanternfly Basics Webinars

In conjunction with the New York State IPM Program and the Department of Agriculture and Markets, the Northeastern IPM Center will host a collection of webinars, titled “Spotted Lanternfly Basics.” Each webinar will focus on, and be tailored to, a specific commodity group:

Spotted Lanternfly Basics for Grape and Apple Industries (Feb. 26, 2019, 1:00 p.m.). Registration link: https://cornell.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_d_3KfxQ9SuKHyhk6pM7NCA

Spotted Lanternfly Basics for Hops, Berry, and Vegetable Growers (Feb. 26, 2019, 10:00 a.m.). Registration link: https://cornell.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ONViZLocSBCOKIv-sjoZVg

Spotted Lanternfly Basics for Christmas Tree Growers (Mar. 4, 2019, 10:00 a.m.). Registration link: https://cornell.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_7eehVeBvSBOgM3aTXOtaew

Spotted Lanternfly Basics for Nursery, Greenhouse, and Landscape Industries (Mar. 4, 2019, 1:00 p.m.). Registration link: https://cornell.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_u5mYQOHMSESWFcNoftt2Nw

All webinars will follow a similar format that covers spotted lanternfly biology, identification, and hosts, monitoring and management strategies, and a regulatory update. While the content may be relevant to audiences throughout the Northeast, management practices covered will be specific to New York. Participants will be encouraged to ask questions.

For more information and registration links, go to:

http://neipmc.org/go/mYey

Filed Under: Blueberry, Cranberry, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Nursery, Organic Production, Strawberry, Tree Fruit, Turf, Vegetable Crops, Wine Grape Tagged With: ,
October 4, 2018

IPM Update – Hawaiian beet webworm 10/04/18

Hawaiian Beet Webworm infestations now present in southern and central NJ counties.

Hawaiian beet webworm moth on spinach

Hawaiian beet webworm moth on spinach

Infestations of Hawaiian beet webworm were reported on in last weeks’ IPM Update as occurring in southern NJ counties.  As of Tuesday of this week, similar infestations were discovered as far north as Mercer County.  As of Thursday, none were discovered in Morris or Hunterdon counties, although sampling has  been minimal there.

The moths of this pest are easily found in weed patches; especially those containing galinsoga or pigweed.  Moths hide beneath leaves, but readily fly when the weeds are disturbed.  As mentioned last week, this pest attacks spinach, chard, and the foliage of beets and sugar beets as well as crops in the amaranth family.  In processing spinach, the larvae (photo below) may be a contaminant issue.  At this time, it is advised that growers of these crops in the southern and central counties inspect fields for the presence of adults and larval infestations.  Should these be found, follow the 2018 Commercial Vegetable Production Guide for suggested materials to control webworm on these crops.  In many cases, insecticides in the groups 28 (Coragen) or 5 (Radiant, Entrust (OMRI approved)) are permissible, effective and have short harvest intervals.

Should this pest spread northward, further updates will be published on this site.

Hawaiian Beet Webworm infestations

Hawaiian beet webworm larva on Swiss chard

 

 

 

Filed Under: Organic Production, Vegetable Crops