Vegetables:

Most vegetable plantings look good and some growers were being encouraged to keep up with watering, especially new transplants.  The rain received on the nights of May 26 and 27 was needed and appreciated.  The range of vegetables being scouted includes:  asparagus, onions, garlic, radishes, beets, peas, potatoes, lettuce, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, tomatoes, squash, pumpkins, zucchini, melons, sweet corn peppers, eggplant, green snap beans, and some Asian greens.

At this point field tomatoes look good and no insect or disease problems have been detected.  In high tunnel tomatoes however scouts have found in some tunnels botrytis gray mold, leaf mold and just this week the first symptoms of early blight. (See photo below) Some high tunnel tomato fruit is showing zippering and catfacing.  Growers are being encouraged to prune tomatoes to allow for better air movement and prevent disease development.

Thrips are being found below economic treatment thresholds on some onions and garlic.  Flea beetles are currently feeding on and being detected on a number of vegetable crops including radishes, cole crops, eggplant, and potatoes.  Levels have been light, below economic treatment thresholds.  Colorado potato beetle (CPB) is being found in potatoes with increasing frequency and in increasing numbers. Scouts are finding adults and egg masses.  A few fields were approaching threshold treatment levels.  Scouts found some early instar caterpillars on cabbage this week and expect that those numbers will increase in coming weeks.  One of the scouts found leaf damage by leaf miners in beets.  See attached photo by IPM scout Chris Smedley.

Squash, Zucchini and cucumbers in some fields were reported to be in bloom and fruit set was beginning.  For the most part these crops are pest free at this point but scouts did find some angular leaf spot, a bacterial disease, in one planting and cucumber beetles are beginning to show up more frequently.  Numbers of cucumber beetles are still very low, below economic treatment thresholds.    Scouts found leaf defoliation damage by bean leaf beetles on some green snap bean plantings this week.  Defoliation ranged from slight up to 30% damage.  Slugs were also noted as causing some light leaf feeding injury.

Sweet corn is progressing well and growers continue to plant so there is a range of staggered planting dates.  Corn maturity ranges from just planted to emerging and up to the V-6 stage of growth.  Some slug damage has been noted with 2-9% leaf feeding damage, black cutworms are present at low levels and only causing leaf feeding damage with some fields exhibiting 3-5% leaf feeding.  No cut plants have been observed to this point.  Scouts did find a couple of early instar armyworm larvae in one sweet corn field and will be watching for any increases and possible damage in coming weeks.

Fruit:

Based on trap catches, we have two different biofix dates for codling moth in apples and oriental fruit moth in peaches.  The southern end of Wayne County  and orchards in northern Holmes  County have a 7-10 day earlier biofix date depending upon the species as compared to orchards in northern Wayne and southern Medina County.  Growers are currently applying protective insecticide treatment sprays for those insects based on growing degree day (GDD) accumulated since biofix.

In small fruit many strawberries are turning color and we could see some ripe strawberries the week of June 1. Scouts are noting some light slug feeding damage, some spittle bugs and some leaf spot in some strawberry plantings.  Grapes at this point look good and growers are being encouraged to keep up with an early season spray schedule.  All growers have been provided with excellent information written by Mike Ellis, (emeritus OSU Extension fruit disease specialist) about early season disease control.  Raspberries and blackberries are at bloom and fruit development stage of growth.  Orange rust is showing up in some plantings.  Blueberries look good and are at bloom and fruit development.  There are some light levels of phomopsis twig blight being noted in some plantings.

Agronomic Field Crops:

Corn overall looks very good and growth stage ranges from V-1 to V-4.  Scouts are noting light slug damage leaf feeding ranging from 3 to 15% on some fields.  Black cutworm leaf feeding was noted on some fields at up to 15% damage and in other fields actual cut plants were noted at 1% levels.  The black cutworm larvae that were found were 1.25 inches in size, indicating a late instar stage and larvae at the end of their feeding cycle and about to pupate.  Weed control is generally good but some grassy weeds and Canada thistle patches noted in some fields. As well one of the scouts found cereal leaf beetles in wheat. (See photos below)

Most soybean fields are at emergence to V-c stage of development and at this point no disease or insect pest issues.  Alfalfa is re-growing following last week’s harvest cut and no pest problems noted.

Photos by Kate Fike, Chris Smedley and  Austin Pelyak

Botrytis Gray Mold

Leaf damage by leaf miners in beets.

Cereal Leaf Beetle

Fruit:

Growing degree days (GDD) are being monitored after setting biofix dates for the codling moth and oriental fruit moth in southern Wayne County locations the previous week. Based on those accumulated GDD, apple growers who want to use Intrepid or Confirm as a control option for codling moth were being advised to spray anytime Tuesday through Saturday May 23. Those growers who want to use the chemical options in the 150—250 GDD category (Calypso, Altacor, Assail,Belay, Delegate) could begin spraying Saturday May 23and continue into the following week. In peaches, based on accumulated GDD, growers were advised to make treatment sprays for control of first generation oriental fruit moths beginning Monday May 18 through Thursday May 21. Both codling moth and oriental fruit moth numbers jumped in northern Wayne County orchards and so a biofix date of May 18 is set for those pests in northern Wayne County and GDD will be tracked from that point. Most apple trees are at the fruit development stage of growth while most peaches are at shuck split. Scouts are noting some plum curculio beetles in some orchards. With regard to small fruit, strawberries and raspberries are setting fruit, blueberries for the most part are in full bloom and some grapes are starting to bloom. Scouts are noting slug feeding on strawberry leaves anywhere with up to 20% leaf damage. Flea beetles are also present in some strawberry fields and causing some small amount of leaf feeding damage. Strawberry leaf spot is noted in some fields. In raspberries cane blight has been noted on scout reports and orange rust is now active. (See photo below) In blueberries, scouts have noted some phomopsis twig blight on some bushes in some fields.

Vegetables:

Overall vegetable crops look good and are progressing in development. Just this week thrips have begun to show up on garlic and onions at light levels. Flea beetles continue to be noted at mostly light levels on a variety of vegetable crops including onions, cole crops, potatoes and sweet corn. Slugs are another pest that is noted by scouts on cole crops, melons, and sweet corn. Black cut worm damage in sweet corn was noted in some plantings at 2-7% damage. Sweet corn development ranges from emergence in some plantings up to the V-5 stage in others. This was the first week that scouts found cucumber beetles, noting very low numbers in some plantings of zucchini and summer squash. Another first this week was the presence of Colorado potato beetle adults at low numbers on potato plants. (See photo below) The bean leaf beetle also made an appearance in scout notes this week, again in low numbers, on a planting of green snap beans. Scouts also wrote about finding ground hog damage in some of their grower reports. (See photo below) From a disease perspective, most crops look good with no big outbreaks of any disease yet detected by scouts. There have been some plant samples submitted to Sally Miller’s diagnostic lab as a result of scouts seeing small numbers of plants in some high tunnels that don’t appear normal, but these samples represent only a small fraction of the total plants that scouts look at. At this point we are still waiting for a diagnostic report.

Agronomic Field Crops:

Most field corn is in the V-1 to V-3 stage of development. Stands look uniform. Scouts are noting both leaf feeding and some plant cutting by black cutworms. (See bottom photos) Leaf feeding has ranged form 1% to 15% and cut plants from 1 to 3% in some fields. Slugs are still active and feeding on leaves but at levels below an economic threshold. In some fields scouts did note damage due to turkeys and deer. Soybeans are emerging and at this point scouts did not note or detect any insect feeding damage or other concerns. Much of the alfalfa in the county has been harvested or is being cut for harvest. Scouts did note the presence of cressleaf groundsel in some new alfalfa seedings.

Photo’s By Chris Smedley, IPM program scout

Orange rust on brambles and Colorado potato beetle adult feeding on young potato plant

Early season groundhog damage and Tomatoes growing in high tunnel

Corn plant cut by black cutworm larva

Vegetables:

The hot summer-like temperatures during the week of May 4-9 caught some growers by surprise and scouts were reminding growers to keep crops watered and to open up row covers on those vegetables planted into black plastic. This was followed up by scouts reminding growers to cover up the warm season crops against the frost advisory issued for the night and early morning of May 13-14. Overall most vegetable crops are looking good at this point. The most common pests that IPM scouts are noting are some light levels of flea beetles on radishes, cabbage, vine crops and sweet corn, asparagus beetles at threshold level on asparagus and slugs with leaf feeding damage ranging from 2% to 20% on cabbage, vine crops, green snap beans and sweet corn. Some growers are using metaldehyde pellets to control slugs. (see fact sheet: to control slugs.slugs on field crops, OSU Extension)  Tomatoes in high tunnels are mostly at bloom, fruit set and fruit development stages while tomatoes out in the field under row cover are beginning bloom in some fields. (See photos below) To date, onions, garlic, radish, peas, potatoes, and sweet corn crops look good. Sweet corn, depending upon the planting date is anywhere from emerging to 8-10 inches in height. Many of the warmer season crops like peppers, pumpkins, squash and cucumbers are started but have not grown well yet.

Fruit:

Apples are mostly at petal fall and peaches are also at petal fall with some at shuck split stage of development. There was a large catch of oriental fruit moth in pheromone traps set in peach orchards, resulting in a biofix date of May 7 being set. Codling moth numbers are still low in most orchards, especially those in northern Wayne County, but orchards in southern Wayne County and into Holmes County have caught more codling moths in traps and a biofix date of May 9 was set. All growers are being advised to maintain a fungicide spray program for apple scab and for brown rot in peaches. Any apple or peach orchards with a history of plum curculio damage will be applying insecticide after bloom. Small fruit development is progressing. Strawberries are at full bloom to fruit set development. Slugs are causing damage by feeding on leaves. Scouts have noted leaf feeding damage from 15-40% in some strawberry fields and have recommended use of slug baits for control. Raspberries and blackberries are at bud development. In some fields the lesser carpenter bee is really working on the pruned tips of canes. Scouts have reported as high as 45% of cane tips showing boring damage from this pest. (See photos below) Blueberries, depending upon variety are at flowering to petal drop stage of development and no pest problems noted. Grape vines are beginning growth and growers are being advised to apply an early season fungicide spray program for control of black rot, phomopsis cane blight and powdery mildew.

Agronomic Field Crops:

Most field corn is at the Ve (emergence) to V1 (first leaf by collar method) stage of growth. Some light frost damage from low temperatures the night/early morning of May 13-14 was noted on corn in low lying areas. (See photos below) In general corn looks good with uniform emergence. Slug feeding has been noted, ranging from 1% up to 20%. Scouts are beginning to see damage by black cutworm and have noted only leaf feeding at this point ranging from 1% to 8% with no cut plants yet observed. There are still soybean fields to be planted but those that were planted over the past 7-10 days have seed sprouting a few earlier fields are just starting to show some emergence. Alfalfa is growing well in most fields with heights ranging from 10 to more than 24 inches and most alfalfa at early to mid-bud. Alfalfa weevil presence and damage was light this past week. Scouts are also noting light levels of pea aphids in alfalfa. A number of farms are planning first harvest cuttings the week of May 18 depending upon the weather.

Photos by Kate Fike

Tomatoes in High Tunnels

Cane tips showing boring damage from lesser carpenter bee.

Photos by Austin Pelyak and Art Sigler

Fruit:

•  Only a few codling moths were caught in traps the week of May 4-8. No biofix date has been set at this time. Growers are being advised to begin fungicide sprays for the prevention of apple scab and powdery mildew.
• Oriental fruit moth pheromone traps were set in orchards the week of May 4-8. Growers are being advised to start a fungicide spray program for prevention of brown rot and powdery mildew.
• Strawberries are in bloom and scouts are noting damage to older blooms from an earlier frost event. Some plants are showing symptoms of possible black root rot or red stele. Growers are being advised to maintain a fungicide spray program for control of leaf diseases, anthracnose and powdery mildew.
•  Grapes were at the ½ inch green stage the week of May 4-8. Growers are being advised to prepare for an early season fungicide spray program for control of black rot, phomopsis cane blight and powdery mildew.
• Brambles: Scouts found the lesser carpenter bee working in and burrowing into the pruned ends of brambles.

Vegetables:

• Scouts noted that some growers were not prepared for the summer temperatures in the 80’s that occurred the week of May 4-8. A number of plantings needed to be watered and growers were advised to open up row covers on vegetable crops planted into black plastic.
• Most high tunnel tomatoes looked good and were growing well. Scouts did find one high tunnel with plants showing symptoms of fusarium crown and root rot.
• Onions and garlic are looking good, some plants with yellow tips as a result of earlier damage by cold temperatures
• A few early stage slugs were found in cabbage.
• Asparagus beetles are active on asparagus and growers are being advised to treat.
• Other vegetable crops noted by scouts in grower fields include peas, summer squash, melons, cucumbers, peppers, green snap beans and sweet corn.

Agronomic Field Crops:

• Alfalfa: scouts are finding first and second instar alfalfa weevil larvae in fields. Most fields are well below the economic treatment level, but one field did have numbers close to threshold. Many fields were between 16 and 18 inches in height the week of May 4-8. At these heights, even if weevil larvae were detected at threshold levels, the recommendation is to consider an early harvest. When scouting for weevil take 10 stem samples, turn the plants upside down in the bucket and beat it against the sides. Count the larvae in the bucket and any left on the tips of the alfalfa. (See photos below) For more information visit: Alfalfa Weevil on Alfalfa, OSU Extension fact sheet
• Corn: A lot of corn was planted the week of May 4-8. Given the temperatures the week of May 4-8, most of that planting should be emerging the week of May 11-15. Corn planted at the end of April was just spiking through the soil surface in a couple of fields.

Photos by Rory Lewandowski, Extension Educator, Wayne County

Scouting for alfalfa weevil (1)

Rory Lewandowski, Extension Educator, Wayne County

The Wayne County IPM scouting program started this week (April 27).  Scouts are reporting that asparagus is growing, some spears suffered frost damage.

• Onions:  planted last week and this week in many grower fields.
• Sweet corn: some planting started this week.  Tomatoes are growing in high tunnels.
• Cherry tomatoes: had fruit developing.
• Grapes: breaking bud.

In fruit many apple trees are at tight cluster to pink stage of development and codling moth traps were set in orchards.   At this point, looks like there will be a peach crop this year.  Scouts did note some damage on thornless blackberry canes attributed to rabbit feeding over the winter.  See attached photos.

Photos by Art Sigler, IPM Program Scout