Rutgers University | New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station | Pesticide User Responsibility

June 22, 2021

Cucurbit Downy Mildew Alert – Cantaloupe – 6/22/21

Cucurbit downy mildew has been confirmed on cantaloupe in southern New Jersey. This is the first report of CDM on cantaloupe and the second this growing season. CDM was confirmed on cucumber on 6/16/21. All cucumber and cantaloupe growers should scout on a daily basis and initiate a preventative fungicide program. CDM has also been confirmed on cucumber in Ontario, Canada this week. Remember, some CDM isolates fall into Clade I which predominately infect watermelon, pumpkin, and squash, where other CDM isolates in Clade II predominately infect cucumber and cantaloupe.

For more information on CDM, the clades, and CDM control please click here.

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June 18, 2021

Cucurbit Downy Mildew Alert – Cucumber – 6/16/21

Cucurbit downy mildew has been confirmed on cucumber in southern New Jersey. This is the first report of CDM in the state and region this growing season. All cucumber and cantaloupe growers should scout on a daily basis and initiate a preventative fungicide program. CDM has also been confirmed on cucumber in Ontario, Canada this week. Remember, some CDM isolates fall into Clade I which predominately infect watermelon, pumpkin, and squash, where other CDM isolates in Clade II predominately infect cucumber and cantaloupe.

For more information on CDM, the clades, and CDM control please click here.

Filed Under: Vegetable Crops Tagged With:
June 16, 2021

Cucurbit Downy Mildew Alert – 6/16/21

Cucurbit downy mildew has been confirmed on cucumber in southern New Jersey. This is the first report of CDM in the state and region this growing season. All cucumber and cantaloupe growers should scout on a daily basis and initiate a preventative fungicide program. Remember, some CDM isolates fall into Clade I which predominately infect watermelon, pumpkin, and squash, where other CDM isolates in Clade II predominately infect cucumber and cantaloupe.

For more information on CDM, the clades, and CDM control please click here.

Filed Under: Vegetable Crops Tagged With:
June 9, 2021

Destroying cucurbit plantings after harvesting is a must to help mitigate downy mildew

It’s a little early in the season but now is a good time to start thinking about ways to help mitigate cucurbit downy mildew pressure later on. All cucurbit fields, especially cucumber and other summer squash fields should be destroyed immediately after the last harvest to help limit potential inoculum sources for cucurbit downy mildew, especially in later plantings.

For a review of CDM control please click here.

To track the progress of CDM on your phone or PC please visit the CDM forecasting website.

Filed Under: Vegetable Crops Tagged With:
May 31, 2021

Cucurbit downy mildew forecasting website up and running for 2021

For cucurbit growers who have been using the CDMpipe website the past few years to track the progress of cucurbit downy mildew in the US, a new website was relaunched for the 2020 growing season. Anyone can visit the new website by clicking here. Please take the quick survey to help our colleagues out! To receive alerts please click on the Alerts tab at the top of the page!

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May 24, 2021

Preparing for cucurbit downy mildew

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 significant losses at stake, and with very few fungicides labeled for its proper control, CDM became a serious threat to cucurbit production. Importantly, at the time, cucumber varieties with very good levels of CDM resistance were no longer resistant, suggesting a major shift in the pathogen population. Research done over the past 15 years has led to a better understanding of the pathogen. Recent research has determined that the CDM falls into two separate clades: Clade I and Clade II. [Read more…]

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