Rutgers Cooperative Extension
Bacterial leaf scorch (BLS) season is officially upon us. Over the last 7 to- 10 days, I have been seeing increasing numbers of red oaks in central New Jersey exhibit the tell-tale symptoms of the disease.
Irregular leaf scorch due to Xylella infection. Photo: Richard Buckley, Rutgers PDL
Everybody keeps asking me “any gray leaf spot yet?” And I answer, “why yes, but not where you think.” Gray leaf spot was diagnosed last week on samples of Hakonechloa that were submitted from a central New Jersey nursery grower.
Gray leaf spot on Japanese Hakone grass. Photo: Sabrina Tirpak, Rutgers PDL
Wow, what a difference a few weeks make! I was just checking out our nematode post from earlier this season and it started with comments on how mild the weather has been. There is nothing like a foot of rain and a couple weeks of 95+ºF heat to change our tune.
Lance nematode damage. Photo: Joe Gulotti, Cavaliers Country Club
The recent stretch of unusual rainy weather raises the potential of mycotoxin contamination in small grains, and other field or forage feed crops. Grain growers may be affected by price discounts and/or restricted markets. Mycotoxin contamination in animal feed and forage can lead to feed refusal, reduced productivity (reduced production of eggs, milk, and weight gain), reproduction problems (disrupted heat cycles, early embryonic death, abortion) impaired health, and in severe cases, death.
The NJ Department of Agriculture’s Division of Plant Industry Plant Laboratory offers concerned growers and producers services to test for mycotoxins: Aflatoxin, DON/Vomitoxin, Fumonisin, Ochratoxin, T-2 Toxin, and Zearalenone.
Sample Submission Form information. For questions or more information, please call (609) 406-6939.
Samples of boxwood infected with the fungus Cylindrocladium pseudonaviculatum, the cause of boxwood blight, have been confirmed by the Rutgers Plant Diagnostic Laboratory and the New Jersey Department of Agriculture Laboratory in recent days. This is the first report of the disease is New Jersey.
Boxwood blight leaf lesion. Photo: Sabrina Tirpak, Rutgers PDL
You’ve got to suffer if you want to sing the blues… and some of us in certain parts of the state have been suffering the infernal din of the periodical cicadas since late-May.
Adult periodical cicada. Photo: Kim Greene
