Cucurbit downy mildew has been reported on cucumber in Central New Jersey. This is the first report of CDM this growing season in the state. All cucumber and cantaloupe fields need to be scouted on a daily basis and preventative fungicide programs need to be initiated. For more information on CDM and its control please […]
Continue reading...Preparing for cucurbit downy mildew in 2025
In 2004, cucurbit downy mildew re-emerged in the US with a vengeance causing significant losses in cucurbit production. In most years prior to this, concern for CDM control was minimal, since the pathogen arrived late in the growing season (in more northern regions), or the pathogen caused little damage, or never appeared. After 2004, with […]
Continue reading...Controlling Phytophthora blight in cucurbit plantings in 2025
As the summer heats up in New Jersey, the control of Phytophthora blight in cucurbit plantings can be extremely difficult (even with the use of fungicides) as hot, wet weather has set in these past few weeks. Mitigating losses to Phytophthora blight in cucurbit crops begins with long crop rotations, where recommendations suggest crop rotations […]
Continue reading...Vegetable Disease Update – 7/10/25
Cucurbit downy mildew has been reported (7/11/25) on cucumber in central New Jersey. For more information on CDM and its control please click here. Early blight has been reported in tomato. Bacterial leaf spot (BLS) has been reported in bell and non-bell pepper. For more information on BLS please click here. Tobacco Streak Virus and […]
Continue reading...Phytophthora and Pythium control during wet weather
Most of New Jersey has been wet making current conditions ideal for pathogens such as Phytophthora and Pythium. Unfortunately, Pythium cottony leak and Phytophthora blight can be found on most farms in the southern part of the state. Poor crop rotations with susceptible hosts only make matters worse. The Phytophthora pathogen has an increasing host […]
Continue reading...Bacterial leaf spot, copper resistance, hot water seed treatment, and viruses
Copper resistance in bacterial leaf spot of tomato and pepper crops has been detected at a high level in New Jersey the past few summers. While not surprising, copper resistance has been known to develop for decades now. Copper applications for the control of bacterial diseases in many crops has been a mainstay for decades […]
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