Fruit:

Codling moth numbers increased again in several orchards this week, so growers will need to make follow up insecticide applications 10-14 days after the first biofix application.  Fly speck, one of our summer fungal diseases was noted on some apples this week. Growers need to stay on a fungicide program to prevent both sooty blotch and fly speck disease development during the summer.  All apple maggot traps remained negative the week of July 27-31. Green apple aphid populations were at high levels, above treatment thresholds, this week in several orchards.  Other insects noted at below threshold levels in orchards included European red mites and leafminers. (See photo below)

Peaches are developing and some harvest is on-going.  Oriental fruit moth trap captures remained high again this week in a couple of orchards, about the 5^th week in a row that captures have been high.  Growers are being encouraged to stay on a spray schedule to prevent damage from oriental fruit moth.   Both the peach tree borer and lesser peach tree borer moth showed up again in trap captures in a couple of orchards the week of July 27-31.  Growers have been advised to do some preventative treatment against borer damage.  Growers are encouraged to maintain fungicide sprays to prevent brown rot and scab and are doing a good job with this because scouts are not noting any disease in orchards that are scouted.

Spotted wing drosophila (SWD) were caught in traps at 6 different locations during the week of July 27-31.  Trap numbers ranged from 1 to 22.  Commercial small fruit growers should be spraying ripe fruit and fruit that is beginning to ripen to protect against SWD infestation.  Rotate between chemical classes of approved insecticides.

Other than SWD, powdery mildew is showing up in grapes and growers need to be on a fungicide program to prevent damage from this disease. (See photo below) Some very light levels of grape black rot were also noted by scouts this week.  Fall red raspberries are ripening, blackberry harvest is underway and later maturing variety blueberries are being harvested.

Aphids on Apple tree, Photo by Austin Pelyak

Downy Mildew, Photo by Chris Smedley

Vegetables:

          Lots of sunshine combined with hot temperatures this week. There were a few comments by scouts on their grower reports that plants needed water or were showing symptoms of moisture stress.

The most serious disease problems in both field and high tunnel grown tomatoes remain septoria leaf spot and early blight. Some early plantings have been finished off by the advances of these diseases.   This week late blight was found and confirmed in a commercial tomato planting in Wayne County.

Bacterial spot and canker can be found in field tomatoes and growers are being advised to not work with the plants when they are wet, practice good sanitation between infected and non-infected plants and maintain a copper spray program to suppress the disease. In high tunnel production scouts are finding fusarium crown rot, Fusarium wilt, leaf mold, botrytis gray mold, timber rot and powdery mildew. Non-disease, environmental disorders that scouts are finding in both field and high tunnel production include yellow shoulder, catfacing and zippering.

Stink bug damage is being found on tomatoes and hornworms have been found in both high tunnel and field grown tomatoes.  Scouts noted some moderate to high aphid numbers in a couple of tomato high tunnels this week.

Onions are being harvested and dried down for storage and garlic harvest is also underway.

Cole crops overall look good.   Some of the new plantings for a planned fall harvest had imported cabbage worm numbers above treatment threshold and growers were advised to treat. Flea beetles were also noted on some of the new plantings, but not at economic treatment level.  Established plantings are at the almost ready to harvest to harvest underway stage.

In vine crops, many plantings of summer squash and zucchini are being harvested regularly, fall squash and pumpkins are in bloom to some approaching harvest, cantaloupes are being harvested, watermelons range from fruit set to harvest, and cucumbers range from new plantings to harvest.  Downy mildew was found in more cucumber fields this past week. Scouts also found more possible downy mildew in cantaloupe and sent a sample in to the vegetable pathology lab at OARDC for confirmation. Growers are being advised to use a fungicide spray program on a 5-7 day schedule to protect against downy mildew.  Cucumbers are most vulnerable followed by cantaloupe and then squash, pumpkins and watermelon.

Powdery mildew is developing quickly on all vine crops and scouts were advising growers to get on and maintain a regular fungicide program to protect leaves and to protect developing fruit. Scouts noted plectosporium blight, as confirmed by the vegetable pathology lab at OARDC, on several plantings of pumpkins in several different fields across the county.

Bacterial wilt is being found both cucumbers as well as some fall squash and pumpkins.  Cucumber beetles, the vector of the disease were noted at above threshold levels in younger cucumber, squash, zucchini, and pumpkin plantings and growers were being advised to treat to prevent bacterial wilt.  Fusarium wilt is being found in some melons.

Angular leaf spot, a bacterial disease has been found across all vine crops and in many fields.  Anthracnose and alternaria leaf spot have also been found and growers need to be on a good fungicide spray program.  Phytophthora blight on squash fruit was found in one field.

Although not common, millipedes have been doing damage to some melons, primarily cantaloupe.  Scouts also noted the presence of squash bug eggs and nymphs.  Evidence of damage by squash vine borer was found on a few scattered plants. (See photo below)

Many pepper plantings are at the harvest stage.  In some plantings, bacterial spot is present and bacterial soft rot has been observed.  Scouts were finding a number of fruit with sunscald this past week as well as some blossom end rot. (See photo below) Scouts also noted mosaic virus in some plants this week.  Grasshoppers and European corn borers were all found at low levels in some fields, along with damage from stinkbugs.  Eggplant overall is doing well but there are plants with verticillium wilt and anthracnose.  Colorado potato beetles and flea beetles were noted at above threshold levels in some field this week.  Japanese beetles are present in low numbers.

Green beans vary from newly emerging to harvest.  Defoliation generally below threshold damage levels by grasshoppers, and Japanese beetles have been noted, although in some isolated areas of some plantings defoliation by Japanese beetles is heavy.

Sweet corn, due to staggered plantings, ranges from V-4 to harvest.  Only 1 corn earworm moth was caught between traps at 4 locations this week.  European corn borer moth captures ranged from 0 to 9 between 4 trap locations the week of July 27-31.   One corn earworm moth was captured between 4 trap locations.  Feeding by slugs, European corn borer larvae, Japanese beetles and fall armyworm was noted by scouts this week.  Japanese beetles are feeding on corn silks. The heaviest feeding damage is being done by deer and raccoon.  Scouts continued to find Northern corn leaf blight and corn rust this week. (See photo below)

Potatoes overall look good and some are being harvested.   Colorado potato beetle is at threshold levels in some plantings and under control in others. Low numbers of potato leaf hoppers and flea beetle were noted.  Early blight and septoria leaf spot are showing up in some plantings.  The occasional plant with blackleg is also being noted by scouts.

Millipedes on cantaloupe, photo by Austin Pelyak

Sunscald on pepper, Photo by Chris Smedley

Northern Corn leaf Blight, photo by Art Sigler

Agronomic Field Crops:

A lot of corn is in the  R-1 to R-3 stage of development.  Brown silks are beginning to show up in some fields, signaling an end to scouting.  Northern corn leaf blight is being seen in some fields but at low levels, so far below what would be considered for a fungicide treatment. Japanese beetles and grasshoppers are all being noted at low levels in some fields.  There was 1 western bean cutworm moth captured between 2 trap locations this past week. Also finding western corn root worm adults in some organic field corn silks. (See photo below) Deer and bird damage is also being noted.

In fields with good drainage soybeans look good and soybeans are at pod development, R3-4.  Scouts are noting brown spot on the lower leaves of most soybean fields and seeing a few areas of Bacterial blight. (See photo below) White mold is starting to show up in pockets but generally low levels.  Leaf defoliators including bean leaf beetle, Japanese beetles, grasshoppers and slugs have all been noted on scouting reports. Scouts are sweeping fields for stink bugs as they reach the R3 stage of development. Stink bugs were found at very low levels once again the week of July 27-31.

Alfalfa is being monitored for potato leaf hoppers.  Populations are still low at this time.  Alfalfa height ranges from 5 to 27 inches.   A variety of insects are being noted in sweep net samples including aphids, grasshoppers, Japanese beetles, alfalfa plant bugs and clover worms.  All are at levels below an economic treatment threshold.  The bigger issue is some of the compaction damage that was done to some fields during a wet second cut harvest.  Some plants have been lost and there are areas that are slow to recover.

Bacterial blight on soybean, photo by Austin Pelyak

western corn root worm adult, By Austin Pelyak

Fruit:

Apples are progressing in fruit development and overall the crop looks very good.  Codling moth numbers increased in several orchards this week, which will trigger a biofix date to determine treatment for second generation codling moth.  Sooty blotch, one of our summer fungal diseases was noted on some apples this week.  Growers need to stay on a fungicide program to prevent both sooty blotch and fly speck disease development during the summer. All apple maggot traps remained negative the week of July 20-24. Other insects noted at below threshold levels in orchards included green apple aphids, and Japanese beetles.  European red mites and 2-spotted spider mites were found at threshold levels in a couple of orchard.

Peaches are developing with minimal pest issues being noted.  Oriental fruit moth trap captures remained high this week about the 4^th week in a row that captures were high.   Both the peach tree borer and lesser peach tree borer moth showed up in trap captures in a couple of orchards the week of July 20-24.  Growers will be advised to do some preventative treatment against borer damage.  Growers are encouraged to maintain fungicide sprays to prevent brown rot and scab.

Spotted wing drosophila (SWD) were caught in traps at 3 different locations during the week of July 20-24.  Some traps had multiple captures as SWD populations begin to build.  Commercial small fruit growers should be spraying ripe fruit and fruit that is beginning to ripen to protect against SWD infestation.  Rotate between chemical classes of approved insecticides.

Other than SWD, powdery mildew is showing up in grapes and growers need to be on a fungicide program to prevent damage from this disease.  Black raspberry harvest has finished and red raspberries are being harvested, while blackberry harvest is beginning.  Early variety blueberries are finished, while mid and late season berries are being harvested.   Japanese beetles are present in low levels and birds are working on some of the berries.

Green Apple Aphids on an Apple tree by Austin Pelyak

Grapes: 2,4-D herbicide damage Photos by Rory Lewandowski, Extension educator

Grapes: 2,4-D herbicide damage Photos by Rory Lewandowski, Extension educator

Vegetables:

The sun came out and there were multiple days without rain this week, which is helpful in vegetable growth, fruit development and fruit ripening.  Disease pressure remains high.

Stink bug damage is showing up more frequently in the scouting reports and growers need to be protecting fruit from stink bugs.  Other insect pests noted the week of July 20-24 include the tomato hornworm and white flies. (See photo below)

The most serious disease problems in both field and high tunnel grown tomatoes remain septoria leaf spot and early blight.  In warm, wet conditions, septoria can rapidly defoliate a plant if not managed early with an effective and consistent fungicide spray program.  Scouts noted entire plantings and rows of tomatoes being lost to septoria and early blight in some fields.  Scouts also found tomato fruit damaged by the early blight pathogen.  Bacterial spot is also showing up, mainly in field tomatoes and growers are being advised to not work with the plants when they are wet, practice good sanitation between infected and non-infected plants and maintain a copper spray program to suppress the disease.  In high tunnel production scouts are also finding fusarium crown rot, leaf mold, botrytis gray mold, timber rot and powdery mildew. Non-disease, environmental disorders that scouts are finding include yellow shoulder, catfacing and zippering. (See photo below)

Garlic and onion harvest is underway and scouts report that overall clove and bulb size is good.

Cole crops overall look good.   Some of the new plantings for a planned fall harvest had imported cabbage worm numbers above treatment threshold and growers were advised to treat.  Flea beetles were also noted on some of the new plantings, but not at economic treatment level.  Established plantings are at the almost ready to harvest to harvest underway stage.  Some bacterial soft rot was noted in some plants of one planting by scouts.  Imported cabbage worm larvae were found and in some fields were at economic treatment threshold.

In vine crops, many plantings of summer squash and zucchini are being harvested regularly, fall squash and pumpkins are in bloom to some approaching harvest, cantaloupes are being harvested, watermelons range from fruit set to nearly harvest ready, and cucumbers range from new plantings to harvest.  Downy mildew was found in more cucumber fields this past week.  Scouts also found possible downy mildew in cantaloupe and sent a sample in to the vegetable pathology lab at OARDC for confirmation.   Growers are being advised to use a fungicide spray program on a 5-7 day schedule to protect against downy mildew.  Cucumbers are most vulnerable followed by cantaloupe and then squash, pumpkins and watermelon.

Probably the quickest developing disease across vine crops at this time is powdery mildew.  Scouts noted in increase in powdery mildew across plantings of summer squash, zucchini, pumpkins, fall squash and melons.

Bacterial wilt is being found in some cucumbers.  Cucumber beetles, the vector of the disease were noted at above threshold levels in younger cucumber, squash, zucchini, and pumpkin plantings and growers were being advised to treat to prevent bacterial wilt.

Angular leaf spot, a bacterial disease has been found across all vine crops and in many fields.  Anthracnose and alternaria leaf spot have also been found and growers need to be on a good fungicide spray program.  Phytophthora blight on squash fruit was found in one field.

Deer damage was noted by scouts in a number of fields and melon damage possibly caused by mice and raccoons was noted. (See photo below)

Many pepper plantings are at the harvest stage.  In some plantings, bacterial spot is present.  Scouts also noted some  mosaic virus and possible cercospora leaf spot in some plants this week.  Japanese beetles, zebra caterpillars, grasshoppers and European corn borers were all found at low levels in some fields.  Eggplant is doing well but there are plants with verticillium wilt and anthracnose.  Colorado potato beetles and flea beetles were noted at above threshold levels in some field this week.  Japanese beetles and stink bugs are present in low numbers.

Green beans vary from newly emerging to harvest.  Defoliation generally below threshold damage levels by grasshoppers, and Japanese beetles have been noted, although in some isoloated areas of some plantings defoliation by Japanese beetles is heavy.  Other insect pests noted at below threshold levels include bean leaf beetles, tarnished plant bugs and stinkbugs.

Sweet corn, due to staggered plantings, ranges from newly emerging to harvest.  Only 2 corn earworm moth was caught between traps at 4 locations this week.  European corn borer moth captures ranged from 0 to 2 between 4 trap locations the week of July 20-24.   Corn earworm moth captures were 0 in 4 trap locations.  Feeding by snails, slugs, European corn borer larvae, Japanese beetles and fall armyworm was noted by scouts this week.  Japanese beetles are feeding on corn silks.   In addition to Northern corn leaf blight, corn rust was found by scouts this week.

Potatoes overall look good and some are being harvested.   Colorado potato beetle is at threshold levels in some plantings and under control in others.  Low numbers of potato leaf hoppers and flea beetle were noted.  Early blight and septoria leaf spot are showing up in some plantings.  The occasional plant with blackleg is also being noted by scouts.

Tomato Horn Worm by Kate Fike

Beneficial Stink bug eating a Colorado potato beetle larvae on an eggplant by Kate Fike

Newly hatched squash bug nymphs on a zucchini plant. By Austin Pelyak

Black leaf mold on tomato, photo by Chris Smedley, IPM scout

Wildlife damage to watermelons, photo by Chris Smedley, IPM scout

Agronomic Field Crops:

Corn ranges in development from v-10 to R3.  In some fields lower leaves are turning yellow due to nitrogen shortage as the plant mobilizes nitrogen from older leaves to use for younger leaf growth.  Wet soils have caused nitrogen loss through both denitrification and leaching.  Grey leaf spot in some fields and some varieties is at levels that may warrant a fungicide spray at stage V-T.  Northern corn leaf blight is also being seen in some fields but at low levels, so far below what would be considered for a fungicide treatment. Japanese beetles and grasshoppers are all being noted at low levels in some fields.  There were 6 western bean cutworm moths captured between 2 trap locations this past week.  Deer damage is also being noted.

In low areas and poorly drained areas water is standing in some fields and soybean growth and development is suffering.  Root rot has been noted.  In other fields soybean growth looks good and soybeans are at pod development, R3-4.  Scouts are noting brown spot on the lower leaves of most soybean fields.  White mold is starting to show up in pockets but generally low levels.  Leaf defoliators including bean leaf beetle, Japanese beetles, grasshoppers and slugs have all been noted on scouting reports.  Scouts are sweeping fields for stink bugs as they reach the R3 stage of development.  Stink bugs were found at very low levels the week of July 20-24. (See photo below)

Alfalfa is being monitored for potato leaf hoppers.  Populations are still low at this time.  Alfalfa height ranges from 5 to 17 inches.   A variety of insects are being noted in sweep net samples including aphids, grasshoppers, Japanese beetles, alfalfa plant bugs and clover worms.  All are at levels below an economic treatment threshold.

Stink bug eggs on soybean leaf, photo by Chris Smedley, IPM scout

Fruit:

Apples are progressing in fruit development and overall the crop looks very good.  Codling moth numbers started to tick upward in a few traps this week.  Sooty blotch, one of our summer fungal diseases was noted on some apples this week. (see photo below) Growers need to stay on a fungicide program to prevent both sooty blotch and fly speck disease development during the summer. All apple maggot traps remained negative the week of July 13-17, though one apple maggot fly was noted by a scout on an apple leaf.  Other insects noted at below threshold levels in orchards included green apple aphids, wooly apple aphids, leafminers and Japanese beetles.  European red mites and 2-spotted spider mites were found at threshold levels in one orchard.

Peaches are also developing with minimal pest issues being noted.  Oriental fruit moth trap captures remained high this week, while trap captures for the greater and lesser peach tree borer moths remained at 0 in all orchards.  Peach scab was noted on some fruit in one orchard.  Fungicide sprays to prevent brown rot and scab must be maintained. (see photo below)

There were positives once again this weekin the spotted wing drosophila (SWD) traps.  Commercial small fruit growers should be spraying ripe fruit and fruit that is beginning to ripen to protect against SWD infestation.  Rotate between chemical classes of approved insecticides.

Other than SWD, powdery mildew is showing up in grapes and growers need to be on a fungicide program to prevent damage from this disease.  Black raspberry harvest is wrapping up and red raspberries are being harvested.  Blueberries are ripe and picking has begun.  Some low levels of phomophsis blight have been seen.  Japanese beetles are present in low levels and birds are working on some of the berries.

Sooty blotch on apples, photo By Chris Smedley

Peach scab, photo by Art Sigler

Vegetables:

The continued wet weather is causing all sorts of issues.  Diseases, both fungal and bacterial are present at varying levels in fields, and wet, saturated soils are causing nitrogen loss, some root damage, and yellow plants in some areas.  Despite this, growers are harvesting and plants are producing.  Use of fungicide spray programs, where appropriate, is a key component in production at this point.

The tomato hornworm showed up in scouting reports in both high tunnel and field grown tomatoes. (See Photo below) Despite their size they are difficult to actually locate because they blend in to the plant so well.  Damage symptoms and frass are the first clues noted.  Other insect pests noted in high tunnel production, all below threshold levels, are: aphids, white flies and stink bugs.

The most serious disease problems in both field and high tunnel grown tomatoes are septoria leaf spot and early blight.  In warm, wet conditions, septoria can rapidly defoliate a plant if not managed early with an effective and consistent fungicide spray program.  Bacterial spot is also showing up, mainly in field tomatoes and growers are being advised to not work with the plants when they are wet, practice good sanitation between infected and non-infected plants and maintain a copper spray program to suppress the disease.  In high tunnel production scouts are also finding fusarium crown rot, leaf mold, botrytis gray mold, timber rot and yellow shoulder.

Garlic is maturing tops are beginning to dry down.  In onions, thrip populations have remained low.  Onion harvest is also beginning with generally good bulb size being reported. Cole crops overall look good.   The new plantings for a planned fall harvest had both slug damage and imported cabbage worm eggs noted.  Established plantings are at the almost ready to harvest to harvest underway stage.  Some bacterial soft rot was noted in some plants of one planting by scouts.  Imported cabbage worm larvae were found and in some fields were at economic treatment threshold.

In vine crops, many plantings of summer squash and zucchini are at the point of harvest, fall squash and pumpkins are in bloom, melons are at fruit set, and cucumbers range from new plantings to harvest.  Downy mildew was found in more cucumber fields this past week.  Bacterial wilt is also being found in some cucumbers. Growers are being advised to use a fungicide spray program on a 5-7 day schedule to protect against downy mildew.  Cucumbers are most vulnerable followed by cantaloupe and then squash, pumpkins and watermelon.  Powdery mildew was noted by scouts in summer squash, fall squash, pumpkins and cucumbers this week.

Angular leaf spot, a bacterial disease has been found across all vine crops and in many fields.  Anthracnose and alternaria leaf spot have also been found and growers need to be on a good fungicide spray program.  Bacterial wilt, a disease vectored by cucumber beetles was noted by scouts in both melons and cucumbers this week.  Cucumber beetles ranged from low numbers to above treatment threshold levels.  Deer damage was noted by scouts in a number of fields.

Peppers are developing fruit with some ready to harvest.  In some plantings, bacterial spot is present. Scouts also noted some Fusarium crown rot and mosaic virus in some plants this week. (See photo below). Japanese beetles, zebra caterpillars, stinkbugs and aphids were all found at low levels in some fields.  Eggplant is doing well but there are plants with verticillium wilt and anthracnose.  Colorado potato beetles were noted at above threshold levels in some field this week.  Japanese beetles are present in low numbers.

Green beans vary from newly emerging to harvest.  Overall quality is good, no disease has been noted.  In some plantings there are Japanese beetles that have caused defoliation above the 30% threshold level.  Other insect pests noted at below threshold levels include slugs, bean leaf beetles and grasshoppers.

Sweet corn, due to staggered plantings, ranges from newly emerging to harvest.  Only 2 corn earworm moth was caught between traps at 4 locations this week.  European corn borer moth captures ranged from 0 to 2 between 4 trap locations. Feeding by snails, slugs, European corn borer larvae, Japanese beetles, grasshoppers and fall armyworm was noted by scouts this week.  In one field the level of Northern corn leaf blight in pre-tassel corn was above threshold level and a fungicide spray was recommended.

Potatoes overall look good.   Some plantings are ready for harvest.  Colorado potato beetle is at threshold levels in some plantings and under control in others.  Low numbers of potato leaf hoppers and flea beetle were noted.  Some light levels of early blight were found in one planting.

Horn Worm feeding on unripe tomatoes photo by Kate Fike

Bacterial Spot in Peppers photo by Kate Fike

Mosaic virus on pepper photo by Chris Smedley

Agronomic Field Crops:

Corn ranges in development from v-8 to R2 (blister).  In some fields lower leaves are turning yellow due to nitrogen shortage as the plant mobilizes nitrogen from older leaves to use for younger leaf growth.  Wet soils have caused nitrogen loss through both denitrification and leaching.  Grey leaf spot in some fields and some varieties is at levels that may warrant a fungicide spray at stage V-T.  Northern corn leaf blight is also being seen in some fields but at low levels. (See photo below) European corn borer, Japanese beetles and grasshoppers are all being noted at low levels in some fields.  Deer damage is also being noted.

In low areas and poorly drained areas water is standing in some fields and soybean growth and development is suffering.  Root rot has been noted.  In other fields soybean growth looks good and soybeans are at pod development, R3-4.  Scouts are noting brown spot on the lower leaves of most soybean fields.  Bacterial leaf blight has been found in some fields.  White mold is just starting to show up in pockets but generally low levels.  Leaf defoliators including bean leaf beetle, Japanese beetles, grasshoppers, Bean leaf beetles and slugs have all been noted on scouting reports. (See photo below) No western bean cutworm moths have been captured in traps to this point.

Alfalfa is being monitored for potato leaf hoppers.  Populations are still low at this time.  Some yellowing of alfalfa plants is not due to leafhoppers, but rather wet soils.  Alfalfa roots are struggling in low areas and wet soils.  Plant collapse is being noted in some wheel track areas where harvesting took place on wet soils.

Slug feeding on SB plant in bloom, Photo by Austin Pelyak

Bean leaf beetle on soybean plant, photo by Austin Pelyak

Northern corn leaf blight,    photo by Austin Pelyak

Fruit:

Apples are progressing in fruit development and overall the crop looks very good.  Codling moth numbers in traps remained low this week.  Based on growing degree days (GDD) accumulated, a second generation moth flight should be noted soon.  All apple maggot traps remained negative the week of July 6-10.  Other insects noted at below threshold levels in orchards included green apple aphids, wooly apple aphids, European red mites, leafminers and Japanese beetles. Growers have done a good job with their fungicide spray programs and disease levels are low in orchards scouted by this program.

Peaches are also developing with minimal pest issues being noted.  Oriental fruit moth trap captures were high this week.  This will prompt a biofix date being set, and an advisory to spray for OFM early in the week of July 13-17.

Turning to small fruit, the big news is that there were positives in the spotted wing drosophila (SWD) traps this past week.  Samples collected July 8 from traps placed in raspberries in the West Salem area and samples collected July 9 from traps in raspberries in the Wooster area had SWD flies.  Numbers are still low, only 3 total SWD flies were found, but the threshold to begin an insecticide spray program is 1 SWD found in a trap.  Growers are being advised to start a spray program on ripening and ripe small fruits.

Other than SWD, powdery mildew is showing up in grapes and growers need to be on a fungicide program to prevent damage from this disease.  Raspberry harvest is progressing and no other pest issues were noted.  Blueberries are ripe and picking has begun.  Some low levels of phomophsis blight have been seen.  Japanese beetles are present in low levels and birds are working on some of the berries.

Vegetables:

Wet weather is causing all sorts of issues.  Diseases, both fungal and bacterial are present at varying levels in fields, and wet, saturated soils are causing nitrogen loss, some root damage, and yellow plants in some areas.  Despite this, growers are harvesting and plants are producing.  Use of fungicide spray programs, where appropriate, is a key component in production at this point.

In tomatoes, both field and high tunnel grown, the most serious disease problems are septoria leaf spot and early blight.  In these warm, wet conditions, septoria can rapidly defoliate a plant if not managed early with an effective and consistent fungicide spray program. Bacterial spot is also showing up, mainly in field tomatoes and growers are being advised to not work with the plants when they are wet, practice good sanitation between infected and non-infected plants and maintain a copper spray program to suppress the disease. (See Photo Below)  In high tunnel production scouts are also finding fusarium crown rot, leaf mold, botrytis gray mold, timber rot and yellow shoulder.  Insects have not been an issue in field grown tomatoes, but in some high tunnel production white flies and stink bugs are being noted(See photo below)

Septoria and Bacterial Spot Photo By Kate Fike

Tomato with Stink Bug Stings photo by Kate Fike

Garlic is maturing tops are beginning to dry down.  In onions, thrip populations have remained low.  In some plantings, botrytis leaf blight and purple blotch are causing some yield reductions.

Cole crops overall look good.  Some new plantings for a planned fall harvest were going in this week.  Established plantings are at the almost ready to harvest to harvest underway stage.  Some bacterial soft rot was noted in some plants of one planting by scouts.  Imported cabbage worm larvae were found and in some fields were at economic treatment threshold.  Zebra caterpillars are also being found in cole crops, resulting in some minimal defoliation.

In vine crops, many plantings of summer squash and zucchini are at the point of harvest, fall squash and pumpkins are in bloom, melons are at fruit set, and cucumbers range from new plantings to harvest.  Downy mildew has been found in Wayne County so growers are being advised to use a fungicide spray program on a 5-7 day schedule to protect against downy mildew.  Cucumbers are most vulnerable followed by cantaloupe and then squash, pumpkins and watermelon.  Powdery mildew also was noted by scouts in summer squash this week.

Angular leaf spot, a bacterial disease has been found across all vine crops and in many fields.  Anthracnose and alternaria leaf spot have also been found and growers need to be on a good fungicide spray program. (See photo below) Bacterial wilt, a disease vectored by cucumber beetles was noted by scouts in both melons and cucumbers this week.  Cucumber beetles ranged from low numbers to above treatment threshold levels.  Scouts found squash bug eggs on fall squash and pumpkin leaves this week so growers need to be watching for this insect pest.

Peppers are developing fruit with some ready to harvest.  In some plantings, bacterial spot is present.  Scouts also noted blossom end rot, Japanese beetles and zebra caterpillars at low levels in some fields. (See Photo Below) Eggplant is doing well but there are plants with verticillium wilt and anthracnose.  Colorado potato beetles were noted at low numbers this week.  Green beans vary from newly emerging to harvest.  Overall quality is good.  In some plantings there are Japanese beetles and low levels of potato leaf hoppers.

Alternaria leaf spot Photo by Chris Smedley

Zebra Caterpillars on a cabbage plant photo by Kate Fike

Sweet corn, due to staggered plantings, ranges from v-4 to harvest.  Only 1 corn earworm moth was caught between traps at 4 locations this week.  European corn borer moth captures ranged from 0 to 8 between 4 trap locations. Feeding by snails, slugs, European corn borer larvae, Japanese beetles and grasshoppers was noted by scouts this week.

Potatoes overall look good.  Colorado potato beetle is at threshold levels in some plantings and under control in others.  Low numbers of potato leaf hoppers were noted.  Some light levels of early blight were found in one planting.

Agronomic Field Crops:

Corn ranges in development from v-6 to R1 silking.  In some fields lower leaves are turning yellow due to nitrogen shortage as the plant mobilizes nitrogen from older leaves to use for younger leaf growth.  Wet soils have caused nitrogen loss through both denitrification and leaching.  Grey leaf spot in some fields and some varieties is at levels that may warrant a fungicide spray at stage V-T.  Northern corn leaf blight is also being seen in some fields but at low levels.  European corn borer, Japanese beetles and grasshoppers are all being noted at low levels in some fields.

In low areas and poorly drained areas water is standing in some fields and soybean growth and development is suffering.  In other fields soybean growth looks good and soybeans are at pod development, R3-4.  Scouts are noting brown spot on the lower leaves of most soybean fields. Bacterial leaf blight has been found in some fields.  Leaf defoliators including bean leaf beetle, Japanese beetles, grasshoppers and slugs have all been noted on scouting reports.  No western bean cutworm moths have been captured in traps to this point. (See photos Below)

Japanese Beetle Defoliating a soybean plant

Bacterial leaf blight on soybean plant Photo by Kate Fike

Brown Spot on Soybean lower leaves Photo by Kate Fike