Month: August 2021

IR-4 Survey for Specialty Crop Growers

Attention Specialty Crop Growers!

IR-4 (https://www.ir4project.org/) is conducting their biannual Specialty Crop Growers & Extension survey to assess what disease, pest, and weed problems growers have a difficult time managing because they do not have sufficient management tools.

If you aren’t familiar with IR-4, we have included a link to their website above to learn more.

The deadline to complete the survey has been extended to September 1, 2021.

If you are a specialty crop grower or an Extension Educator working with growers, please take the time to complete the survey to provide your insight and experiences. You can find the link at: https://www.ir4project.org/ehc/ehc-registration-support-research/env-hort-grower-needs-2/

Building a Self-Help Network of Cooperatives: The Electric Co-op Story

As communities and regions look to innovative models for economic and community development, the cooperative model, and particularly networks of cooperation have emerged as a strategy to build local ownership and wealth. The story of rural electric cooperatives across the United States is a story about the power of self-help networks. Doug Miller of Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives will share how the rural electric co-op community has built connections among local cooperatives, state and national organizations, and co-ops of cooperatives to support over 900 rural electric co-ops serving over 50% of the nation’s landmass.

September 2, 2021, 3:00 p.m. EST, Online

No cost, but registration is required.

Learn more and register for the webinar at https://go.osu.edu/appalachiacooperates

Meet Our Speaker

Doug Miller is the vice president of statewide services for Ohio Rural Electric Cooperatives, Inc., the statewide trade association of Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives, a position he has held since December 2014. On behalf of the 24 Ohio electric distribution cooperatives, Doug oversees safety training & incident prevention, lineman development training, legislative & government affairs, communications & member services, and director & employee training. Doug is a graduate of the University of Toledo and has been in the utility industry for more than 30 years. Prior to his current role, Doug worked at Logan County Electric Cooperative as manager of member services, before assuming the role of CEO, in which he served for 18 years. Doug has been a Touchstone Energy board member for six years and currently holds the office of president.

The Appalachia Cooperates Initiative is a learning network connecting cooperative, community, business, and economic developers and advocates in Central Appalachia. To learn more about the Initiative, connect with us directly by emailing osucooperatives@osu.edu!

We strive to host inclusive, accessible events that enable all individuals, including individuals with disabilities, to engage fully. To request accommodation or for inquiries about accessibility, please contact gardner.1148@osu.edu.

Farm Office Live…August 27

“Farm Office Live” returns August 27, 2021, at 10:00 AM with special appearances by Ben Brown and attorney Robert Moore! Tune in to get the latest outlook and updates on ag law, farm management, ag economics, farm business analysis, and other related issues. Targeted to farmers and agri-business stakeholders, our specialists digest the latest news and issues and present it in an easy-to-understand format.

Special Guests

Ben Brown – A former member of the OSU Farm Office Team, Ben’s areas of expertise include farm management, commodity markets, and agricultural policy.

Robert Moore, Esq. – A former OSU Extension employee, Robert now practices agricultural law at Wright & Moore, with a focus on farm succession planning, estate planning, and business planning.

August Topics: 

  • Tax Proposals
  • Tax Planning in the Midst of Uncertainty – Robert Moore, Esq.
  • Ohio Cropland Values & Cash Rents
  • FSA Program Update
  • Grain Marketing Update – Ben Brown
  • Your Questions

To register or to view a previous “Farm Office Live,” please visit https://go.osu.edu/farmofficelive. You will receive a reminder with your personal link to join each month. 

The Farm Office is a one-stop shop for navigating the legal and economic challenges of agricultural production. For more information visit https://farmoffice.osu.edu or contact Julie Strawser at strawser.35@osu.edu or call 614.292.2433

Who’s on the Farm Office Team? — Our team features OSU experts ready to simplify farm management issues and make farm ownership less stressful:

Peggy Kirk Hall – Agricultural Law
Dianne Shoemaker – Farm Business Analysis and Dairy Production
David Marrison – Farm Management
Barry Ward – Farm Management and Tax

Tell us what makes you a Woman in Agriculture!

 

Get your video on! Tell us why you are a woman in agriculture….educator, lawyer, business owner, farm owner or operator, veterinarian, pharmacist, researcher, community gardener, etc.

Hold your video device horizontal and tell/show us in 30 seconds or less your story. This will be used at Farm Science Review and other women in agriculture events throughout OSU Extension. Upload your MP4 video at this link https://go.osu.edu/womeninagvideo. Save the file as your first and last name and town. Ex. Gigi_Neal_Georgetown .

Video submissions are needed by September 3!

Grafted Watermelon Plants: Under What Conditions and Practices Does Using Them Offer the Best Return on Investment?

A lot of research is focused on answering that two-part question for watermelon and other crops (e.g., cucumber, cantaloupe, tomato, pepper). Full answers will emerge as growers and researchers share and integrate their experiences then evolve as circumstances change. Currently, most agree that using grafted plants is most beneficial when a resistant rootstock is selected to help offset the effects of a significant soilborne disease (e.g., Fusarium, Verticillium), regardless of crop. However, rootstocks with additional traits are being tested under other troublesome conditions (e.g., salinity, heat, cold, drought, flood). Growers are encouraged to listen as peers and research-extension and industry personnel share new information on the performance of grafted plants under various conditions. Information will be specific to crop, setting (field, high tunnel), system (conventional, organic), market, farm size, and other key variables.

Soil and other production conditions are not the only factors that influence the value of grafted plants to growers. Practices used to grow the plants are also important. Plant and row spacings (plant populations), irrigation and fertility programs, and planting and harvesting dates may also affect growers’ experiences with grafted plants.

Industry-research/extension partnerships can help fast-track arriving at answers to where and how grafted plants should be grown for growers to benefit most. We work with plots at OSU and on farms to understand the impacts of in-row spacing, fertility programs, and more on watermelon fruit yield and quality. Grafted and standard (ungrafted) plants are included in each experiment. Results from a multi-year study in Wooster through 2020 are summarized in a short video at https://go.osu.edu/vegeprosystemslab. Overall, fruit number and total weight have been significantly greater in grafted plots and at an in-row spacing of five versus four feet (between-row spacing of six feet in all cases). The results suggest growers can reduce plant populations but increase yield meaningfully – i.e., reduce plant costs while increasing income potential. Importantly, evidence of Fusarium in this experiment has been absent or minimal in all previous years. As explained and shown in the panels below, Fusarium is affecting the experiment significantly in 2021. Standard (ungrafted) Fascination and Sweet Dawn plants are very weak or dead while grafted versions of both (Carnivor, Pelops as rootstocks) remain healthy and vigorous. Harvest will begin soon and fruit yield data will be available by season’s end. Please contact me if you would like more information on this experiment or grafting.

Farm Science Review Ticket…Now Available

SEPTEMBER 21, 22, & 23 2021

Tuesday and Wednesday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm and Thursday 8:00 am to 4:00 pm

Presale tickets are available for $7 from your local OSU Extension Office now through September 20th and support your local Extension Office.  Children 5 and under are free.

Tickets at the gate are $10 each.

For more information about this year’s review, visit this link.

New Reports of Downy Mildew on Pumpkins and Cucumbers in Ohio

Downy mildew symptoms on untreated pumpkin leaves in Clark County, OH. Photo by Jim Jasinski.

Downy mildew was reported for the first time in pumpkins in Ohio in Clark County at the OSU Western Agricultural Research Station. Jim Jasinski noticed possible symptoms in an untreated control in a pumpkin research trial as many as 10 days ago, but the disease did not progress rapidly in last week’s heat. However, we were able to confirm downy mildew today. This is so far the furthest north that downy mildew has been found and reported on pumpkins or squash in the US. It is likely caused by Clade 1 of the pathogen, which comes from SE US and is more aggressive on pumpkins, squash and watermelons than other cucurbits.  Pumpkin and squash growers throughout Ohio should apply appropriate protectant fungicides now and scout fields thoroughly. Growers in Clark County should begin a fungicide program with downy mildew-effective fungicides now.

In the last week or so Ohio Master Gardener Volunteers in our Citizen Science project to monitor this disease have also reported downy mildew on cucumbers in Belmont, Jefferson and Geauga counties. Rainy or cloudy weather and moderate temperatures are expected this week in much of Ohio – these conditions are ideal for downy mildew.

For all cucurbits: If favorable conditions for downy mildew persist and downy mildew is present in your area, add effective fungicides shown in green in the Table to the spray program. Tank mix with a protectant fungicide, alternate fungicides with different modes of action (FRAC codes) and follow the label restrictions and requirements. Shorten the application interval to 7 days under favorable weather for downy mildew.

  1. Forum, Presidio, Quadris, Zampro and Revus are not recommended. Curzate may be moderately effective in some locations.
  2. Follow this blog, Twitter @OhioVeggieDoc or the Cucurbit Downy Mildew IPM PIPE for downy mildew reports.

Map of US counties with cucurbit downy mildew reports. https://cdm.ipmpipe.org/

Wayne County IPM Notes From August 9 – 13

Vegetable Crops

Squash vine borer damaged plants.

This week brought about many sightings of squash vine borer larva. The adult squash vine borer moths were actively flying and lay eggs about a month ago. We are now seeing plants that are declining in health and when inspected further, are oozing frass and have stems that look shredded. When we split the stem of these plants, in nearly every instance, we found at least one, if not several squash vine borer larvae. Unfortunately, there is nothing that can be done to reverse such severe damage.

A large squash vine borer found feeding in a pumpkin plant.

Flea beetles are feeding on young cabbage and broccoli, and the cabbage worm butterflies are finding their way into these plantings as well. We are starting to see some damage in peppers from the European corn borer and expect the ECB and CEW numbers in the traps to increase in the next week or so.

Small Fruit and Orchards

As apples and peaches are harvested, do not let your guard down on the late season generations of codling moth and oriental fruit moth. This past week was another week of rising codling moth numbers, and consistent oriental fruit moth catches, although the oriental fruit moth numbers have not gone back over threshold.

Grapes damaged by grape berry moth larvae.

Grapes are starting to ripen, and as the season progresses, we are still finding consistent trap catches of grape berry moth. Although it may be too late for some varieties, you may still be able to protect later maturing varieties with a treatment for grape berry moth.

Do You Use Insect Resistant Varieties/Hybrids on Your Farm?

Call for Ohio growers to participate in research.

Emily Justus is a PhD student at Purdue University working on documenting the use of insect resistant hybrids or varieties as part of an overall IPM strategy. If you have a few minutes to share your practices with her that would be very useful for her research program.

Calling all vegetable growers! Please help us learn about how you manage insect pests. I am an entomology graduate student at Purdue University and was awarded a grant from North Central Region – Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program to investigate vegetable grower pest management strategies. My goal is to understand how vegetable growers in Ohio manage their insect pests and use of integrated pest management strategies such as resistant varieties. Responses from carrot, celery, parsley, celeriac and dill growers would be helpful but all are encouraged to respond. I hope that this work will help extension educators serve you better!

The survey (link below) should take less than 10 minutes to complete and you can enter to win a hard copy of the Midwest Vegetable production guide! Thanks so much for your help!

https://purdue.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_a3RjIX30FMikubj

Notes from the Pumpkin Patch

Pumpkin Field Day – August 26

Pumpkin field day flyer

We are less than 13 days away from the 2021 in-person pumpkin field day on August 26 at the Western Ag Research Station (7721 S. Charleston Pike, S. Charleston). We will have two hours of presentations plus time for growers to roam the plots and see what interests them, including the powdery mildew fungicide trial, pumpkin and squash hybrid trial, and weed control plots.

The field day starts promptly at 5:30 PM where we will have Dr. Aaron Wilson from OSU talking about weather impacts on pumpkin production and Tony Dobbels reviewing a weed screen plot with 10 herbicide treatment combinations of Reflex, Sandea, Dual Magnum and Strategy. For diseases, we were very fortunate to pry Dr. Dan Egel from Purdue University to speak about disease control in pumpkins. Jim Jasinski will briefly cover the pumpkin and squash trial and powdery mildew fungicide trial. After the presentations the participants will be allowed to move around the plots. The field day will end at 7:30 PM.

Pre-registration is a must for this event so please use this link.
https://osu.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_7WnQLmG3bcyQWc6

Cut-off for pre-registration will be Aug. 24. No walk in registration will be possible. Social distancing and mask wearing might be required for the outdoor event so come prepared. No beverages will be provided so bring your own.

Weed Control Video on IPM YouTube

Tony Dobbels talks about weed control in pumpkins and squash

For growers who are unsatisfied with their early and mid-season weed control in pumpkin and squash,  take 15 minutes and check out this new pre-emergent herbicide video narrated by Tony Dobbels, Department of Horticulture and Crop Science. In the video, Tony reviews 10 herbicide treatments and combinations of  Sandea, Dual Magnum, Strategy and Reflex (currently under a 24c label) and gives his thoughts on their level of control and fit for overall pumpkin and squash production. Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/NmSX4FqK7T4

Powdery Mildew Beginning to Roll
After what seemed like a slower than average start to the powdery mildew season (at least at the research station), leaves in the untreated checks have been climbing to between 50-75% coverage. Be sure to treat on a 7-10 days schedule and use proper FRAC number rotation to reduce the incidence of fungicide insensitivity. Sally Miller’s article on July 10 (https://u.osu.edu/vegnetnews/2021/07/10/addendum-more-powdery-mildew-fungicides-for-cucurbits/) is a great resource to what has been working lately in Ohio and is a must read as we approach the mid point of the disease management season.

Pumpkin Insects Report
For the most part squash vine borer has died down for the season. I saw some extensive damage in the Hardin County crop walk a few weeks back in zucchini but haven’t seen it in any of my pumpkin or squash plantings at the station, although I have been actively catching adults until about two weeks ago.

Cucumber beetles are still hanging out in the flowers but as we approach 100% orange in some of our trials, fewer and fewer flowers are being produced so I expect a switch soon to possible rind feeding. If you are in a similar situation, keep an eye on flower production and where the beetles are actively feeding to avoid rind damage which could lower market quality.

Mating squash bugs.

So that leaves squash bugs as the only insect I see at the station beginning to increase fairly steadily, with many egg masses being detected on leaves, followed by gray nymphs typically aggregated together and eventually larger brown adults. These pests have sucking mouth parts and can feed extensively on the petioles, vines and fruit, sometimes causing collapse. If there are over one egg mass per planting, treatment of the emerged nymphs is easier than waiting for them to become adults. Only treat if necessary to avoid aphid explosions with their accompanying honey dew and black sooty mold on leaves and fruit.