Vegetable Crops - Weekly update

Wayne County IPM weekly vegetable crop report -8/25/2008

• Cole Crops - Cabbageworm and flea beetle counts are to the point of needing attention in many fields.

• Sweet corn -   Corn earworm traps are still at 0, but European corn borer traps show the flight is taking place.   We are also finding fall armyworm in both the whorl of non-silking corn and ears of silking corn For now, all silking sweet corn should remain on a 5-7 day spray schedule up to 6 days prior to harvest.  If the corn earworm moth flight starts soon, a tighter spray schedule may be needed.

• Vine Crops - Diseases are the main concern at this point.  Powdery mildew, anthracnose, angular leaf spot, alternaria and target spot are showing up in most plantings. Downy mildew (click for more information) is being found in Holmes, Wayne and Medina counties on cucumbers, muskmelons and some pumpkins.  Watermelons can be put on a protective spray schedule with Bravo or manzate for now, but all other vine crops should be on a spray schedule using both preventative and curative fungicides.  

• Tomatoes - Growers should continue to spray for early blight and bacterial diseases (if present) on a 7-10 day schedule up to withing 2 weeks of harvest.

• Peppers - Since cornborers are again in flight, pepper fields should be on a 7-10 days spray schedule for control of the corn borer.  Aphid populations have been light so far.

• Eggplant - Potato beetles and flea beetles are causing light to moderate damage.  Potato leafhoppers and spider mites have caused yellowing of some plants and should be sprayed for if high populations are evident.

• Beans - Bean leaf beetles are causing moderate leaf damage.  Leafhoppers are also causing pod damage.