Month: August 2014

Week of August 4 – 8 Scouting Report Summary

AGRONOMIC CROPS:

  • Corn: Scouted fields ranged from V12 to R2.  Grey leafspot still present on susceptible varieties.  Only a few fields where levels are approaching threshold and given the futures corn market, probably not economical to spray.  Some silk clipping by Japanese beetles on some field edges was noted by scouts.  Corn rootworm beetles were noted in some fields.  A corn rootworm beetle count should be done during the first half of August for any field that will be going back into corn next year and that will not be using a transgenic variety to control corn rootworm.   Western bean cutworm moth captures were 0 in both trapping locations.
  • Soybeans: Many soybeans in the R1 to R4 stage of development.  Japanese beetle and grasshopper feeding damage were found at low levels in most fields.  Scouts started sweeping soybean fields for stinkbugs this past week.  Only the occasional stink bug was seen or caught in sweep nets so far.  Downy mildew showing up in some fields, but not a concern.
  • Alfalfa: Some fields were cut for 3rd harvest, others are growing back from 3rd harvest.  Potato leaf hopper numbers remain low.

Update.

Everyone check out the update on the Western Bean Cutworm post! We are now finding larvae and there is a picture of one!

Week of July 28 – August 1 Scouting Report Summary

AGRONOMIC CROPS:

  • Corn: Scouted fields ranged from v8 to R2.  Grey leafspot continues to develop in susceptible varieties.  The disease did not seem to progress this past week, probably due to the cooler temperatures.  Fall armyworm, Japanese beetles and grasshoppers all reported as causing light defoliation.  Corn rootworm beetles were noted in some fields.  A corn rootworm beetle count should be done during the first half of August for any field that will be going back into corn next year and that will not be using a transgenic variety to control corn rootworm.   Two Western bean cutworm moths were captured in 1 of 2 trapping locations.  Deer damage was noted in some scouting reports.
  • Soybeans:  Scouted soybeans ranged from V7 to R3 stage of development.  Japanese beetle and grasshopper feeding damage were found at low levels in most fields.  Scouts are noting some brown and green stinkbugs in soybeans and will start sweeping for stinkbugs in the coming weeks.  Ground hog damage is being noted.  Scouts are looking for white mold, particularly in 15 inch or narrower row spacing, but so far have not detected any.
  • Alfalfa: Potato leafhopper, aphids, alfalfa plant bugs and Japanese beetles were noted at low levels.  Some common leaf spot on lower leaves has been reported.

Week of July 28 – August 1 Scouting Report Summary

VEGETABLES:

  • Cole crops: Cabbage, Cauliflower and Broccoli:  Young fall harvest plantings have some light levels of flea beetles while cabbage worm levels increased to above treatment thresholds in several fields this past week.
  • High tunnel tomatoes: Early blight continues to progress in many high tunnels, growers are encouraged to maintain a regular and consistent spray program.   Septoria leaf spot is being noted in many high tunnels.  Yellow shoulder, blossom end rot and zippering, primarily abiotic conditions are also being noted by scouts.  Damage by tomato hornworm, tomato fruitworm and variegated climbing cutworm were all found by scouts this week.   In addition some yellow striped armyworm were found.
  • Field tomatoes:  Bacterial speck, spot and canker all being found on plants.  In some plantings bacterial spot, speck, and canker are being found on the tomato fruit.  Early blight and septoria leaf spot incidence is increasing.  Blossom end-rot, zippering and catfacing are also being found.   Damage by variegated climbing cutworms was noted.
  • Sweet corn: Development stages range from some v4 for late planted corn to harvest on some plantings. Trap counts for corn earworm moths remained at zero.  Corn borer moths were caught in 2 out of 3 trap locations, with 8 at one location and 14 in the other.  Western bean cutworm larvae were found in one field at numbers above the treatment threshold.  Some corn rootworm beetles were noted in some sweet corn fields.  No brown marmorated stink bugs have been found in traps.
  • Cucumbers:  Harvest is under way in some plantings and there have been some plantings made for intended fall harvest.  Cucumber beetles were reported at high levels in some of the young cucumber plantings.  Angular leaf spot, a bacterial disease, is common in many of the older plantings.
  • Zucchini and Summer Squash:  Development ranges from plantings a couple of weeks old to full harvest.  Cucumber beetle numbers were up significantly this week, triggering treatment in the new plantings.  Scouts noted cucumber beetle feeding damage on fruit in older plantings. Squash bug adults and eggs can be seen in some fields at low levels.  Angular leaf spot is common and powdery mildew incidence is increasing.   Bacterial wilt and anthracnose are present in some plantings.
  • Winter Squash and Pumpkins:  Japanese beetles and grasshoppers at mainly low levels were noted by scouts.  Grasshoppers were heavier in grassy areas of the field.  Angular leaf spot, anthracnose and powdery mildew are present in many plantings.   Bacterial wilt and fusarium wilt are being found in some plantings.  Scouts noted feeding damage by deer and groundhogs.
  • Melons: Anthracnose and bacterial wilt have been found.  Angular leaf spot has also been detected by scouts and confirmed with lab diagnosis.  This week scouts also found fusarium wilt and phytophthora blight.  Cucumber beetles were found chewing on melon fruit, damaging the rind.
  • Potatoes:  Some early harvest of potatoes has started.  Scouts found bacterial soft rot in some of those early harvest potatoes.  Possibly the harvest method damaged those potatoes, opening them up to infection by the soft rot organism.  Early blight was noted in some plantings.   Colorado potato beetles (CPB) were causing heavy defoliation in some plantings.  Potato leaf hoppers were detected in some plantings at numbers that triggered a recommendation to treat.
  • Peppers:  Bacterial spot continues to develop.  Anthracnose was also found in some plantings along with cercospora leaf spot.  Blossom end rot can also be found.  Tomato horn worm damage was noted by scouts on some peppers.
  • Eggplant:   Many plants are setting fruit.  CPB, and Japanese beetles are commonly found on eggplant.  Some plantings exhibited heavy defoliation damage due to CPB feeding.  Anthracnose was found on some plants.
  • Green/Snap Beans:  Beans generally look very good.  Bean leaf beetles, potato leaf hopper, grasshoppers and Japanese beetle levels were all reported as light.

Week of July 28 – August 1 Scouting Report Summary

FRUIT:

  • Apples: Fruit is developing.  Some codling moth larvae were found in some fruit this week.  Aphids and red mites remained at low levels.  There was an increase in codling moths caught in pheromone traps in some orchards, enough to trigger another biofix date.  Apple maggot trap numbers remain at 0.
  • Grapes:  Scouts noted symptoms of grape black rot and powdery mildew in some locations.  Light to moderate defoliation due to Japanese beetle feeding has been found across vineyards.  The second generation flight of grape berry moth continues, moths were being caught in traps.  Growers should be applying an insecticide control for grape berry moth the week of August 4.
  • Brambles, Blackberries and Raspberries: Spotted Wing Drosophila (SWD) were again caught in traps this week from traps set in raspberries and blueberries.  Growers are advised to start a preventative spray program for ripening berries.
  • Blueberries:  Harvest continues for mid-season blueberries.  SWD have been found in blueberry traps.  Growers with ripening fruit should consider a preventative spray program.  Blueberry maggot traps have remained at 0.