VEPART Pest and Scouting Report

Hi all,

Over the past two weeks with continued onslaught of rain and stormy conditions, it seems that disease and insect pressure is peaking in many crops. We are especially seeing a lot of disease in field solanums (e.g. potatoes, tomatoes, etc.) and cucurbits. This is no surprise with the high humidity and consistent leaf wetness.

In addition to disease buildup in potatoes, we are also seeing a significant rise in potato leafhopper (PLH) populations on our monitoring farms. Hopper burn combined with CPB feeding damage can significantly stress plants leading to potential outbreaks of leaf-spot diseases, blights, and other fungal pathogens.  The fields that we are monitoring are exhibiting severe impacts from the insect and disease cocktail.

It has been a strange year for leek moth populations, as the second flight of leek moth adults extended through the entire month of July at low levels.  This extended flight has led to a surprisingly large third flight, arriving right on the heels of the second flight. At the moment, our monitoring trap numbers are very high. We presume that adults are actively laying eggs on available allium foliage. The (poor) timing of the third flight may increase the risk of feeding damage occurring in onions currently being harvested and moved into curing/storage areas. As leaf tubes begin to dry down, newly hatched larvae tend to move closer to (or into) the bulb.

Topping onions prior to curing or storage can be an effective strategy for avoiding leek moth damage during curing/storage. The topic of onion topping has recently been explored on the VVBGA listserve. We would like to thank Stephen Chamberlain of Dutchess Farm for compiling feedback about the different approaches and outcomes from onion topping. It seems that the experience of most respondents supports our own research on the utility of onion topping as a leek moth avoidance strategy.

To reiterate for those who did not see some of the responses, here are a few select responses:

“We usually cut our onions at about the spot of the natural bend in the stem (2-3″ above the top of the onion) and also trim the roots.  Then we just dry them in the barn in crates or boxes.  They seem to last well into spring depending on the variety.”

“We fully clip all our onions leaving about a 2″ neck, in the field so we don’t spread leek moth from our off-site field to the home farm…They dry just fine for long-term storage, (until spring) so I imagine that short term storage would be fine.”

“I had good luck drying “Bridger” onions clipped.   These were overwintered hoop house onions.   The tops had fallen over and not yet dried.  They  stored excellently.”

Finally, we have begun to see high levels of spotted wing drosophila larvae in blueberries and raspberries.  Recent berry sampling (i.e. salt floats) from farms in northwestern Vermont are exhibiting extensive outbreaks.  Even berries that look healthy and taste great, are showing high levels of infestation.

As always, our website for the scouting reports can be found here. In addition to the pests reported here, our website also has a more comprehensive list of pests. The list also documents the progression of many common pests as they emerge throughout the season.

 

For detailed management information about these pests, as well as a comprehensive guide to current  production and pest management techniques for commercial vegetable crops, check out the  New England Vegetable Management Guide. And, as always feel free to reach out to us if you have any questions.

 

Cheers,

 

Vic, Scott, Ava, Katie, and the rest of the VEPART Team and Collaborators

 

Pest	Crop	Observations
Swede midge	Brassicas	Really beginning to pick up, especially in collards, broccoli, and red russian kale
Spotted Wing Drosophila	Blueberries and Raspberries	SWD is being seen at its highest levels in several years in Vermont.
Colorado Potato Beetle	Potatoes	CPB populations are very spotty this year. On some farms we are seeing high pressure, while others seemed be relatively untouched.
Spinach/Beet leaf miner	Spinach, Swiss Chard, Beets	We are seeing some leaf damage in beets
Imported cabbage worms	Brassica crops	ICW damage is extensive in almost all brassicas.
Potato Leafhoppers	potato and beans	We are seeing major outbreaks in potatoes this past week.
Leek Moth	Onions/Garlic	LM adults are being seen in very high numbers in our traps. The third flight is looking like it will be a formidable population.
Squash vine borer	Winter and Summer Squash	We are seeing significantly fewer numbers of SVB
Squash Bug	Winter and Summer Squash	Squash bugs are high in most areas and continue to be an issue in susceptible crops.

 

Hi all,

We are in the thick of the growing season, and so many plants have gotten to the point where they can tolerate quite a bit of insect pest pressure. Though, with the consistent precipitation, we are seeing a lot of leaf diseases. We also are expecting a change in weather with some cooler temps on the horizon. This may shift the distribution and types of pests/disease over the next week.

Leaf spot diseases are particularly prevalent right now in various crops. Alternaria is being seen quite extensively in melons and some other cucurbits in the region. A diagnostic characteristic of alternaria is brown lesions on the leaves that exhibit a “target-like” ring and a surrounding lighter halo.  Alternaria inoculum primarily comes from infected plant material and can be viable for a couple of years in soil-bound debris. So, it is important to destroy or deep-plow any infested plant material and do your best to rotate out of cucurbits in previously infected fields for at least two year for large outbreaks. To reduce leaf wetness, it is also advisable to avoid overhead watering if possible. Obviously, with these rains, leaf wetness is a unavoidable condition.

Some other important updates are:

It is shaping up to be a bad year for  spotted wing drosophila , especially in comparison to last year. The higher humidity and precipitation is providing ideal conditions for large outbreaks. As mentioned last week, we are trapping SWD on all of the farms that we are managing and we are seeing some berries with SWD damage.  Over the next couple of weeks we will be actively evaluating collected berries to determine actual pressure from larvae within berries. We’ll keep you posted on those data.

We are also receiving a lot of emails from growers with reports of high numbers of Oriental, Japanese, and Asiatic beetles. It seems to be a higher volume of emails than in previous years. Typically, scarab beetles are more of an issue in turfgrass and ornamentals, but sometimes can be an issue in herbs or waxy-leaf plants. Japanese beetles can be a bit of a pain in edamame too! Most issues from grubs of scarabs occur outside of veggie fields or fields that have recently been under grass cover crops or sod. There is limited evidence that entomopathogenic nematodes and/or fungi can be an effective control. We are currently testing a couple of entomopathogenic fungi in potato fields with scarab beetle pressure. We’ll keep you posted.

As always, our website for the scouting reports can be found here. In addition to the pests reported here, our website also has a more comprehensive list of pests. The list also documents the progression of many common pests as they emerge throughout the season.

For detailed management information about these pests, as well as a comprehensive guide to current  production and pest management techniques for commercial vegetable crops, check out the  New England Vegetable Management Guide. And, as always feel free to reach out to us if you have any questions.

Cheers,

Vic, Scott, Ava, Katie, and the rest of the VEPART Team and Collaborators

 

Pest	Crop	Observations
Swede midge	Brassicas	At our monitoring farm we are not seeing high levels of swede midge damage, but some recent farm visits have shown significant impacts.
Spotted Wing Drosophila	Blueberries	SWD is looking to be a significant
Colorado Potato Beetle	Potatoes	CPB populations are relatively manageable on the farms that we are monitoring. Most populations have adults emerging from pupation, and pressure is likely to build.
Spinach/Beet leaf miner	Spinach, Swiss Chard, Beets	The second generation of leaf miner is still increasing and we are seeing   eggs in  Vermont and other regions. Some leaf mines are being seen too.
Mexican Bean Beetle	Beans	MBB is continues to be relatively rare in the crops that we are monitoring!
Striped Cucumber Beetle	Squash/Cucumber	SCB populations have leveled out and pressure is less pronounced this last week.
Flea Beetle	Brassicas	Flea beetle pressure is returning, especially in recently planted brassicas. As the next week begins to cool a bit, we suspect that pressure from flea beetles will increase.
Imported cabbage worms	Brassica crops	ICW damage is extensive in almost all brassicas.
Tarnished plant bug	Potatoes and various other crops	Tarnished plant bug numbers were down this week
Potato Leafhoppers	potato and beans	Still no reports of PLH infestations
Leek Moth	Onions/Garlic	The second flight is over and larval damage can be quite extensive in some onion plantings.
Squash vine borer	Winter and Summer Squash	We are still seeing plants wilting from SVB in relatively high numbers
Squash Bug	Winter and Summer Squash	Squash bugs are high in most areas and continue to be an issue in susceptible crops.

 

 

 

Hi all,

With the consistent high humidity and continuous rains, we are seeing a lot of white mold and other diseases popping up in the region (e.g. cucurbit downy mildew, angular leaf spot, etc). This week we’ve received reports of basil downy mildew (BDM) showing up on a couple of farms in Vermont. BDM can severely affect basil plantings, and if left untended can lead to complete crop loss. The tell-tale sign of BDM is a gray coloring (from the developing spores) on the underside of basil leaves. It can sometimes look like soil has kicked up onto the bottom of the leaf.

A great resource for identifying, reporting, and managing BDM is the Ag Pest Monitoring Site for basil. In recent years, some resistant cultivars have been developed. These cultivars and information on them may be found on the monitoring site too.  For those dealing with a current outbreak, prompt removal of affected plants will help to reduce the inoculum from infecting other plants.

Some other important updates are:

We have recently caught our first spotted wing drosophila adults in our monitoring traps. Once adults are being found in traps that is typically an indicator that larvae are feeding in berries too. The arrival of SWD in traps in mid-July is on target with previous yeas (excluding last year’s low pressure).  For growers looking for a low-cost monitoring protocol, Jaime Piñero and his research team at UMass has shown that a simple diluted concord grape juice + salt mixture works better than most commercial traps.  The basic bait cocktail is: 1 part concord grape juice + 3 parts water + 2% salt by weight. We hang two traps per field (one on either side of a bed) to monitor SWD on our partner farms. Also, we are currently in our second year trialing the commercially available.

To our surprise we are still seeing Leek moth adults showing up in our traps, though the trap numbers are low when compared to previous years. That said, the second flight has been very long this season. With the unique climatic conditions and consistent low numbers of adult moths found in our traps, we are hypothesizing that we may be seeing some overlap of generations.

Swede midge damage continues to show up in some pockets within the region, but the outbreaks have been limited to certain beds and areas on farms. Reports out of New York have indicated that organic farms have been more susceptible to recent outbreaks.

As always, our website for the scouting reports can be found here. In addition to the pests reported here, our website also has a more comprehensive list of pests. The list also documents the progression of many common pests as they emerge throughout the season.

For detailed management information about these pests, as well as a comprehensive guide to current  production and pest management techniques for commercial vegetable crops, check out the  New England Vegetable Management Guide. And, as always feel free to reach out to us if you have any questions.

Cheers,

Vic, Scott, Ava, Katie, and the rest of the VEPART Team and Collaborators

 

Pest	Crop	Observations
Swede midge	Brassicas	In general swede midge pressure has been low, but we are seeing some increased damage in recent weeks in the region.
Spotted Wing Drosophila	Blueberries	We are beginning to see flies in our traps rather consistently. The trap counts are relatively low, but they are building
Colorado Potato Beetle	Potatoes	CPB populations are multigenerational at this point, but we are seeing a substantial number of late instars and we presume many individuals are currently pupating in the soil.
Spinach/Beet leaf miner	Spinach, Swiss Chard, Beets	The second generation of leaf miner is fully underway as eggs are being found consistently Vermont and other regions.
Mexican Bean Beetle	Beans	MBB is still relatively rare in the crops that we are monitoring! We are seeing essentially no pressure on the farms we are monitoring.
Striped Cucumber Beetle	Squash/Cucumber	SCB is spiking in pockets. There are reports out of MA that SCB is really taking hold. We have seen some outbreaks in maxima varieties, but the pressure seems less than previous years.
Flea Beetle	solanums	Flea beetle pressure in solanums are being seen but it has really slowed down
Imported cabbage worms	Brassica crops	ICW damage is beginning to really pick up. We are seeing many furry green larvae and feeding damage in most brassicas.
Tarnished plant bug	Strawberries	Tarnished plant bugs are being found in relatively high numbers potato and chard.
Potato Leafhoppers	Alfalfa	We are still keepin our fingers-crossed as no leafhopper outbreaks have been reported thus far. We’ll keep reporting.
Leek Moth	Onions/Garlic	The second flight is very persistent this year, and we may potentially have some overlapping generations with the strange weather this year.
Squash vine borer	Winter and Summer Squash	We are beginning to see some major dieback from vine borers in squash. Telltale signs are wilted plants with deep gouges and holes in stems
Squash Bug	Winter and Summer Squash	Squash bugs are high in most areas

 

 

 

Hi all,

First off, our entire team is sending out lots of love and care to the farming community during this time. If there is any way that we can support your recovery efforts, please reach out. We have an energetic supply of people power that we can mobilize relatively quickly.

This week’s scouting report is an evolving situation, as the high humidity and stormy conditions are leading to a rather dynamic distribution of pests and disease.  One of the more concerning outbreaks in the last week are reports of  cucurbit downy mildew (CDM). There are confirmed reports throughout the state and region, primarily in cucumbers. CDM only affects plants from the cucurbit family. Typically, symptoms of CDM begin on older leaves and expands to younger leaves as the infection grows.  Lesions vary in their coloration but generally look like gray or purple spots on the upper sides of leaves and a “downy” appearance on the undersides of leaves.  We presume that the distribution of the disease is rather widespread at this point, given the weather conditions, but confirmed cases in Vermont have been found primarily in the northwest region of the state. You can check the current “confirmed” distribution here.

There are still no reports of basil downy mildew (BDM) thus far, but with CDM in the area and the onslaught of storms, we should all be on the lookout. If you see signs of BDM (e.g. gray/black spores on the underside of leaves, yellowing between veins on the upper-side of leaves, etc.) please contact the UVM Plant Diagnostic Clinic or email me directly.

Some other important updates are:

Leek moth adults are still flying, but the trap numbers have been consistently low throughout the season at all of our monitoring sites. Low pressure from the moth is also being reported out of eastern NY. It seems like we may be spared of any major LM outbreaks this season.  If you are beginning to see larval damage (i.e. window-paning on leaf tubes) in your onions, it is likely that the LM population has begun to transition out of the adult egg-laying phase. Window-paning from leek moth larvae generally does not affect yield very much, marketable damage tends to occur in storage as larvae move into bulbs.  We have found that topping onions in the event of a presumed outbreak can serve as an easy way keep larvae out of curing and storage areas.

Swede midge damage has picked up on many of the farms that we’ve been monitoring, especially in plants situated at the ends of beds. Red Russian kale and collards are consistently exhibiting the highest levels of swede midge damage. Our team is currently exploring host preference for swede midge among various brassica varieties and preliminary data seems to echo what we’ve heard from growers and have seen on commercial farms (i.e. collards and red Russian kale are preferred by swede midge!)

We are also seeing high pressure from Tarnished Plant Bug (TPB) in potatoes and chard. They can be a real pain in chard. The “stings” from feeding damage can cause discoloration on the white ribs of larger leaves.  We haven’t been scouting in ornamentals, but we presume that they are getting hit hard too. This year seems to be a relatively bad year for TPB in some pockets of Vermont.

As always, our website for the scouting reports can be found here. In addition to the pests reported here, our website also has a more comprehensive list of pests. The list also documents the progression of many common pests as they emerge throughout the season.

For detailed management information about these pests, as well as a comprehensive guide to current  production and pest management techniques for commercial vegetable crops, check out the  New England Vegetable Management Guide. And, as always feel free to reach out to us if you have any questions.

Cheers,

Vic, Scott, Ava, Katie, and the rest of the VEPART Team and Collaborators

 

Pest	Crop	Observations
Spotted Wing Drosophila	Blueberries	Our monitoring traps are currently clear.
Colorado Potato Beetle	Potatoes	CPB populations are in full swing. Most populations are in the larval stage and are getting ready to begin pupating.
Spinach/Beet leaf miner	Spinach, Swiss Chard, Beets	We are getting reports of a potential second generation of leaf miner occurring in Vermont and other regions.
Mexican Bean Beetle	Beans	MBB is still relatively rare in the crops that we are monitoring!
Striped Cucumber Beetle	Squash/Cucumber	SCB is spiking in pockets. There are reports out of MA that SCB is really taking hold. We have seen some outbreaks in maxima varieties, but the pressure seems less than previous years.
Flea Beetle	solanums	We have recently seen outbreaks of solanaceous flea beetles in potatoes, but most of the brassica flea beetles are minor in there pressure at this point in the season.
Imported cabbage worms	Brassica crops	ICW damage is beginning to really pick up. We are seeing many furry green larvae and feeding damage in most brassicas.
Tarnished plant bug	Strawberries	Tarnished plant bugs are being found in relatively high numbers potato and chard.
Potato Leafhoppers	Alfalfa	We are still keepin gour fingers-crossed as no leafhopper outbreaks have not been reported thus far. We’ll keep reporting.
Leek Moth	Onions/Garlic	The second flight is slowing down, but we are still trickling of adult moths intor traps.
Squash vine borer	Winter and Summer Squash	Trap numbers are increasing. Monitoring your squashes is advisable.
Squash Bug	Winter and Summer Squash	There are some major outbreaks of squash bugs going on in all of the susceptible crops!

 

 

 

Hi all,

As plants in the field are growing to sizes large enough to tolerate high pest pressures, we are seeing some pest populations peaking within some crops. The larger plants combined with the wet weather is also a recipe for disease outbreaks over the coming weeks. We’ll surely be reporting on some of the more important diseases in the weeks to come.  One particularly important disease that we touched upon last week is downy mildew (DM). Be sure to be on the lookout for DM, especially in cucurbits and basil.  There have been reports out of Quebec with validated occurrences of DM in cucurbits, a lot closer that the New Jersey incidence reported last week. There are no reports of basil downy mildew (BDM) thus far, but if you see signs of BDM (e.g. gray/black spores on the underside of leaves, yellowing between veins on the upper-side of leaves, etc.) please contact the UVM Plant Diagnostic Clinic or email me directly.

Other key notes from the last week of scouting:

As mentioned last week, squash vine borer is actively flying in the region. We are finding relatively high numbers of adult moths in our traps, so be sure to check on those more susceptible varieties, especially C. maxima (e.g. hubbard) varieties.

We have officially deployed spotted wing drosophila (SWD) traps on several farms in Chittenden County. All of our traps have been clear of SWD adults, thus far. Our traps are situated in blueberry crops and will be continuously monitored through August. At the request of many growers, we will continue to report out each week in these “key notes” in addition to our website list. For those growers that would like to monitor SWD on their own farms, recent research out of UMass Extension has determined that a mixture of diluted grape juice (3 parts water: 1 part grape juice) with 2% (by weight) table salt, fermented for one week, is a cheap and effective bait mixture. You can hang a plastic container (4mm holes near the top) with some of the above concoction in your berry crop and check them weekly for easy monitoring.  Also, we have a recently validated occurrence of blueberry maggot in Chittenden County. So, keep an eye out for larger maggots within blueberries, or if you have sticky cards out, look for the characteristic wing pattern for blueberry maggot (seen here).

Leek moth monitoring is mostly the same story this week. The second flight is still building, as we are seeing a slight increase in adult moths in our traps. However, the levels are well below the numbers we saw at this time the last few years. It seems that the second flight of adult moths may be a bit longer this year as cooler rainy temps have slowed down the moth’s development time.  As it gets closer to harvest time for some alliums (e.g garlic), it is important to scout and see what stage (i.e. larvae, pupae, etc.) of moths you have in your crop. Unsuspectingly bringing eggs and/or larvae into curing and/or storage areas can be an issue. Our research has shown that topping alliums prior to curing can reduce the risk of damage from leek moth larvae occurring during storage and does not affect the long term quality of the crop.

Squash bug adults and eggs are being found in increasing numbers on all of the farms that we are monitoring. Check on the underside of leaves for their meticulously placed golden brown eggs. Straw or hay mulch can exacerbate squash bug outbreaks, as they tend to provide the perfect habitat for the pest during the hotter times of the day. The flip side is that straw mulch can reduce the incidence of squash viner borer. I guess it depends upon what you consider more of a threat. Like cucumber beetles and SVB, squash bugs tend to prefer maxima species of winter squash.

As always, our website for the scouting reports can be found here. In addition to the pests reported here, our website also has a more comprehensive list of pests. The list also documents the progression of many common pests as they emerge throughout the season.

 

For detailed management information about these pests, as well as a comprehensive guide to current  production and pest management techniques for commercial vegetable crops, check out the  New England Vegetable Management Guide. And, as always feel free to reach out to us if you have any questions.

 

Cheers,

 

Vic, Scott, Ava, Katie, and the rest of the VEPART Team and Collaborators

 

Pest	Crop	Observations
Spotted Wing Drosophila	Blueberries	Our monitoring traps are currently clear.
Colorado Potato Beetle	Potatoes	We are still primarily seeing adults and eggs, but presumably there is likely some growers that are seeing larvae…any day now.
Spinach/Beet leaf miner	Spinach, Swiss Chard, Beets	We are getting reports of a potential second generation of leaf miner occurring in Mass., but we are yet to see that occurring anywhere in Vermont
Mexican Bean Beetle	Beans	Oddly, the beans we were monitoring the last couple of weeks are now pretty much clear of bean beetle. We are unsure why, but that is the report nonetheless
Striped Cucumber Beetle	Squash/Cucumber	SCB is patchy across the farms we are monitoring. Some farms are having big outbreaks, while others are almost clear. Regardless, the population that are around are thriving.
Flea Beetle	Broccoli/ Kale	Flea beetle is mostly an after thought for the larger brassica crops, but second plantings may be effected as the cooler humid conditions are well-suited for flea beetle outbreaks.
Imported cabbage worms	Brassica crops	We are beginning to see damage in various brassica crops and reports of diamondback moth are coming out of Massachusetts
Tarnished plant bug	Strawberries	Tarnished plant bugs are being found in relatively high numbers in strawberries.
Potato Leafhoppers	Alfalfa	Fingers-crossed but leafhopper outbreaks have not been reported thus far. We’ll keep reporting.
Three-lined potato bug.	Tomatillos	We are seeing some large outbreaks in tomatillos and ground cherries.
Leek Moth	Onions/Garlic	The second flight is here and adults are flying but the trap numbers have been relatively low. The second flight may be extend this year.
Squash vine borer	Winter and Summer Squash	Trap numbers are increasing. Monitoring your squashes is advisable.
Squash Bug	Winter and Summer Squash	Populations of adults are peaking and eggs are being laid in high volumes. Few nymphs.

 

 

Hi all,

Thanks to the cooler temps many pest populations have slowed down their growth rates, leading to a rather “normal” progression of pest outbreaks for this time of the year. However, the one thing we can bet on is that normal will surely change to “abnormal” at some point.

The key notes from this week’s scouting:

Several growers have reached out to our team to inquire about our plans for monitoring Spotted Wing Drosophila (SWD) within Vermont. Our current SWD monitoring program is primarily based in Chittenden County and will begin this upcoming week as we deploy our monitoring traps. We will be reporting on those numbers going forward. For growers interested in trapping on their own farms, recent research from Jaime Piñero at UMass has shown that a simple diluted concord grape juice + salt mixture works better than many commercial traps. His research on comparisons of the traps can be found here.  The basic bait cocktail is: 1 part concord grape juice + 3 parts water + 2% salt by weight.

Striped cucumber beetles are in full force in most squash and cucumber plantings within warmer regions. We are seeing lots of mating pairs and feeding damage, especially in winter squash of the maxima species (e.g. Blue Hubbard).  Though feeding damage can be worrisome for smaller plants and seedlings, SCB are also a vector of bacterial wilt which can be quite a challenge. Cucurbita maxima is known to be the preferred species of winter squash for cucumber beetles (and squash bugs) and is often utilized as a trap crop for other less preferred species (C. pepo and C. moschata). C. maxima has been well researched as a potential trap crop. As mentioned previously, Kaolin clay applications (e.g. flat dunks) are a popular and effective  organic method for reducing pressure on smaller seedlings.

Mexican bean beetle adults are being found in all of the bean crops that we are monitoring, and we have reports from other growers that they are seeing eggs and adults as well.  Be sure to scout your crops over the next week, especially if you are already seeing eggs being laid on the underside of leaves. Once bean beetle larvae begin to pop out of their eggs, damage can build very quickly.  Luckily, for those growers interested in using biological control tactics, there is a rather effective option. The parasitoid wasp species, Pediobius foveolatus is commercially available within the region. The wasp is currently reared and sold by the New Jersey Dept of Agriculture and can be purchased from other biocontrol suppliers. For more information on the wasp and ordering directly from suppliers, you can check out the informative UMass website dedicated to the wasp.

Finally, I want to acknowledge and extend gratitude to our newest summer undergraduate research scouts, Ava Toomey-Cordeiro (University of Santa Barbara) eand Katie Monacella (University of Vermotn). These two burgeoning entomologists will be doing the bulk of the scouting work for the rest of the season. You may see them on a farm or at a farmer’s market, in which case give them a high five! These scouting reports wouldn’t be possible without their tireless effort.  

As always, our website for the scouting reports can be found here. In addition to the pests reported here, our website also has a more comprehensive list of pests. The list also documents the progression of many common pests as they emerge throughout the season.

For detailed management information about these pests, as well as a comprehensive guide to current  production and pest management techniques for commercial vegetable crops, check out the  New England Vegetable Management Guide. And, as always feel free to reach out to us if you have any questions.

Cheers,

Vic, Scott, Ava, Katie, and the rest of the VEPART Team and Collaborators

 

 

 

Pest		Crop	Observations
Colorado Potato Beetle		Potatoes	We are still primarily seeing adults and eggs, but presumably there is likely some growers that are seeing larvae…any day now.
Spinach/Beet leaf miner		Spinach, Swiss Chard, Beets	The first generation of larvae is just about over in most of the region. Most populations are currently pupating in the soil below plants.
Mexican Bean Beetle		Beans	We are seeing adults in beans and eggs.
Striped Cucumber Beetle		Squash/Cucumber	In the warmer areas of the state cucumber beetles have really taken off and are decimating susceptible cucurbits.
Flea Beetle		Broccoli/ Kale	Now that many of the primary hhost plants for flea beetle are larger in size, beetle outbreaks have become less worrisome.
Imported cabbage worms		Brassica crops	We are beginning to see damage in various brassica crops and reports of diamondback moth are coming out of Massachusetts
Tarnished plant bug		Strawberries	Tarnished plant bugs are being found in relatively high numbers in strawberries.
Potato Leafhoppers		Alfalfa	We are still yet to hear of any major outbreaks,
Three-lined potato bug.	Tomatillos		We are seeing some large outbreaks in tomatillos and ground cherries.
Leek Moth	Onions/Garlic		Baited traps for adult moths are still clear, so the second flight is still yet to begin.

 

 

 

 

 

Hi all,

What a difference a week makes. After the warm temperatures and dry conditions that ushered in the growing season, we are now experiencing much cooler, wetter and smokier conditions! Though the rains have provided us with much needed moisture, it comes with its own set of challenges, particularly related to pests and diseases.

One of the more important scouting notes this week is a prediction informed from the recent change in weather. The new storm systems arriving in the area are likely a precursor to potato leafhopper (PLH) pressure. Though we are yet to receive any reports of major outbreaks in Vermont, our hunch is that there are some small populations building in various crops. This is informed by our documentation of previous arrival dates and the recent storm activity.  So, it is a good time to start scouting for the adults and small green nymphs. Tapping or brushing plants is one way to check crops for adults (they’ll jump/fly when disturbed) but you’ll need to look on the underside of leaves to find the wingless nymphs, which tend to be the most damaging life stage. The sooner you can identify them the better. Once you get “burned”, the damage is not reversible.

PLH can be a serious pest in a variety of crops including potato, beans, eggplant, alfalfa, strawberries, among many others. Legumes tend to be their preferred host. You will often see a spike in populations following hay-cuttings in the area. Luckily, PLHs are not able to overwinter this far north. However, once they are found in the region, they are here to stay for the season.  PLH populations will exhibit explosive population dynamics, with rapidly growing populations soon after colonizing a crop, so be on the lookout and let us know if you see anything!

 

A few of the most important new developments:

Prior to the recent rains, we were finding onion thrips lurking in onion plantings at our monitoring sites, though they were yet to explode in numbers. Reports out of Massachusetts and New York corroborated our findings. Hopefully, with the new rains, these populations may be suppressed a bit. But that will be temporary! Also, there is some evidence that onion transplants being shipped into the region are harboring onion thrips. A word of caution: be careful when sourcing transplants from more southernly regions that experience pests earlier in the growing season. You may be jump-starting thrips infestations. Because thrips can reproduce asexually, it only takes a small population of thrips to start an outbreak.

Though the increased rains may suppress onion thrips they also invite slugs to the party. We have seen a spike in slug damage over the past couple of days as they move into the more hospitable (slug/snail) conditions. Slugs are particularly an issue in crops that capture and hold water within their foliage (e.g. napa cabbage, lettuces, etc.), though they can eat just about any broadleaf crop. Commercially available baits containing iron phosphate, are shown to be rather effective and with a low impact on the environment.

Spinach leaf miner eggs are hatching and actively tunneling into leaves. If you can get to those eggs it is always helpful to reduce the pressure, else removing leaves with mines and getting them out of the field can reduce the likelihood of second generation infestations.

As always, our website for the scouting reports can be found here. In addition to the pests reported here, our website also has a more comprehensive list of pests. The list also documents the progression of many common pests as they emerge throughout the season.

For detailed management information about these pests, as well as a comprehensive guide to current  production and pest management techniques for commercial vegetable crops, check out the  New England Vegetable Management Guide. And, as always feel free to reach out to us if you have any questions.

Cheers,

Vic, Scott, and the rest of the VEPART Team and Collaborators

 

Pest		Crop		Observations
Colorado Potato Beetle		Potatoes		We are seeing CPB in eggplant, but not in high numbers yet. Mostly adults and a few egg masses.
Spinach/Beet leaf miner		Spinach, Swiss Chard, Beets		Adult flies are flying and laying eggs. Mines are beginning to   be seen but less pressure than previous years at this time. Though we are seeing many eggs.
Striped Cucumber Beetle		Squash/Cucumber		Beetles are being seen and reported but populations are yet to spike.
Flea Beetle		Broccoli/ Kale		With the cooler temps and rains, we have seen less pressure than in previous weeks.
Imported cabbage worms		Brassica crops (Kale, Broccoli, Cabbage, etc.)		Cabbage whites are flying and laying eggs. We have not seen larvae yet, but that should only be a matter of time.
Tarnished plant bug		Strawberries		Tarnished plant bugs are being found in strawberries in the region. Cat-facing and other types of strawberry deformation from the “sting” of the bug has been seen.
Potato Leafhoppers		Alfalfa		There have been minimal reports of leaf hoppers, but be on the lookout
Three-lined potato bug.	Tomatillos		We are seeing some large outbreaks in tomatillos
Leek Moth	Onions/Garlic		We are primarily seeing pupae and late instar larvae. Though our traps are still clear, so the second flight is still yet to begin

 

 

 

 

 

Hi all,

Though it feels like July this week, I can assure you that it is barely June. The record high temps have really pushed some pest insects into overdrive. Populations of pests that are typically peaking in mid-June, are already exhibiting high pressure in various crops. It is important to remember, however, that things tend to even out over the course of the season. Looking at the upcoming weather forecast in much of the region, we should be returning to more seasonal temps, which hopefully will slow some outbreaks.

Pest Week in review

One pest that is peaking relatively early this season is the three-lined potato bug. Don’t be fooled by its name, this pest is rarely found feeding on potatoes. For most growers and gardeners, the three-lined potato bug is a scourge of tomatillos. We are seeing large outbreaks of the pest in Chittenden County and reports of high pressure in the southern parts of the state. These beetles are often confused with striped cucumber beetles to the untrained eye, as they exhibit a similar striped pattern. However, the three-lined potato beetle displays a distinctly orange/red head and legs, contrasting with the yellow and black heads of striped cucumber beetle. Also, larvae of the three-line potato beetle feed upon the leaves of their host plant (and cover themselves in their own feces as a predator repellent!), in contrast to cucumber beetle whose larvae feed on plant roots. Growers that are yet to see the pest can protect their susceptible crops with exclusion netting or row cover. This approach can be rather effective.  Once an outbreak has occurred within a planting of tomatillos, it is difficult to recover without a curative chemical application.

A few other highlights from the past week:

Leek moth:  Scouting in garlic has revealed that many of the populations within the region are in the pupal stage with adult moths soon to emerge. The recent hot weather suggests that we are likely to see an earlier second flight in comparison to last year. With scaping just beginning in the plantings that we’ve been scouting, it could be a bad combination for those growers that value scapes for their markets. Our traps are yet to capture any second flight adult moths, but we will alert you once we see signs that the flight is beginning.

As mentioned last week, Colorado potato beetle adults are actively laying eggs in eggplant and potato plantings. We’ve even seen some colonizing field tomatoes. In the next week or so, those eggs will start to hatch, if they haven’t already. The larval stage of the beetle is the most damaging stage, so any control tactics should be timed accordingly.

Striped-cucumber beetles are colonizing cucurbits on many farms, and we suspect that pressure will build rapidly over the next couple of weeks. Kaolin clay applications (e.g. flat dunks) are a popular organic method for reducing pressure on smaller seedlings. The clay particles coat the leaves, reducing their attractiveness and physically deter beetles trying to feed upon the foliage.

Spinach/beet leafminer:  We are officially seeing leafminer eggs and even some damage in spinach and chard. As we warned last week, early application of insect exclusion netting can be very effective managing leafminer damage. If you are seeing foliar damage, remove and destroy leaves showing active “mines” to reduce future pressure.

As always, our website for the scouting reports can be found here. In addition to the pests reported here, our website also has a more comprehensive list of pests. The list also documents the progression of many common pests as they emerge throughout the season.

For detailed management information about these pests, as well as a comprehensive guide to current  production and pest management techniques for commercial vegetable crops, check out the  New England Vegetable Management Guide. And, as always feel free to reach out to us if you have any questions.

vizzo@uvm.edu & slewins@uvm.edu

Pest	Crop	Observations
Three-lined potato bug.	Tomatillos	We are seeing some large outbreaks in tomatillos
Leek Moth	Onions/Garlic	We are primarily seeing pupae and late instar larvae. The second flight will likely begin soon.
Flea Beetle	Arugula, kale, broccoli	Beetles are being found in high numbers in many brassica crops. Row covers can be an effective strategy for protecting vulnerable brassica seedlings.
Spinach leaf miner	Spinach	There are reports from Massachusetts that leafminer eggs are being found on various chenopod leaves, particularly chard
Cutworms:	Various crops	Cutworms are causing a lot of trouble in high tunnels and in the field. We’ve seen several large outbreaks in gardens around Burlington and on a couple of farms.
Colorado potato beetle	Eggplant	We are seeing CPB adults laying eggs on eggplant. We haven’t seen many larvae, but that will change very soon
Striped cucumber beetle	Cukes	Though most damage is being seen in high tunnels, there are certainly some outbreaks in the field.

 

Hi all,

With last week’s cold snap and the frost that was experienced throughout the region, many growers have been focused on addressing frost damage. As mentioned by Vern a few days ago, the Vermont Agency of Agriculture is looking to collect data about the extent of crop loss or damage to obtain federal disaster payments for farmers. So, if you have experienced losses associated with the frost, please fill out this short form here. Any data that is collected will support the agency’s efforts.

Pest Week in review

With the low temps, the farm sites that we have been monitoring have held off on planting much outside. However, we are seeing some early season pests emerging and feeding on what is in the field and on wild host plants. Case in point, Colorado potato beetle (CPB) adults are being found on wild solanums in and around fields patiently waiting for those cultivated solanums to arrive. Seeing CPB searching for viable host plants at this point of the season highlights the potential of delayed potato planting as a strategy for reducing CPB damage. Similarly, some growers are using some interesting early season trap and burn strategies that are reportedly showing some success (shout out to Mink Meadow Farm). If you would like more information on this technique you can check out Seth Bent’s short presentation from the recent winter VVBGA webinar series here. (25:30 minute mark)

A few other highlights from the past week:

Leek moth:  We are beginning to see leek moth caterpillar feeding damage in garlic. Window paning damage are the primary symptoms that are most recognizable. Generally, economic damage in garlic tends to be limited to scapes. So if garlic scapes are important for your farm, I would monitor any garlic plantings for leek moth damage to gauge their potential future impact on those scapes.   We expect the next adult flight to begin sometime in mid/late June.

Spinach/beet leafminer: Though we are yet to see any signs of leafminer here in Vermont, there are reports of damage (in chard) coming out of Massachusetts. As with most leafminers, pre-emptive or timely action is recommended. Once the larvae get into the leaf they are very well protected from any control strategies. Last year we began to see leafminer eggs in Burlington around May 20^th, so I would be looking for their white eggs on the undersides of any chenopods (e.g. beets, chard, spinach, etc.) right now. Insect exclusion netting can be a very effective method for reducing leafminer damage if applied before they arrive. Rotations are also an important cultural control, as leafminers pupate and overwinter within the soil. If you are seeing foliar damage, remove and destroy leaves showing active “mines” to reduce future pressure.

Aphids in High Tunnels: There have been reports of significant aphid pressure in high tunnels throughout Vermont. This is a constant struggle, but luckily growers have the great support of Margaret Skinner, Cheryl Sullivan, and the rest of the team at the UVM Entomology Research Lab to assist in developing the best IPM programs for your high tunnel management. For more information on their innovative strategies (e.g. banker plant systems), you can visit their High Tunnel IPM resources here.

As always, our website for the scouting reports can be found here. In addition to the pests reported here, our website also has a more comprehensive list of pests. The list also documents the progression of many common pests as they emerge throughout the season.

For detailed management information about these pests, as well as a comprehensive guide to current  production and pest management techniques for commercial vegetable crops, check out the  New England Vegetable Management Guide. And, as always feel free to reach out to us if you have any questions.

vizzo@uvm.edu & slewins@uvm.edu

Pest	Crop	Observations
Cabbage root maggot:	Brassicas	We are seeing damage in various early season brassicas including radishes. But we suspect that as warmer temps arrive next week, root maggot pressure should begin to subsied
Leek Moth	Onions/Garlic	Larval damage is beginning to be seen in garlic. Typical window-paning and some frass is being documented
Flea Beetle	Arugula, kale, broccoli	Beetles are being found in high numbers in many brassica crops. Row covers can be an effective strategy for protecting vulnerable brassica seedlings.
Spinach leaf miner	Spinach	There are reports from Massachusetts that leafminer eggs are being found on various chenopod leaves, particularly chard
Cutworms:	Various crops	Cutworms are causing a lot of trouble in high tunnels and in the field. We’ve seen several large outbreaks in gardens around Burlington and on a couple of farms.

 

Hi all,

We’re back…

While it seems strange to kick off the scouting and monitoring season with snowflakes falling throughout the region, it also seems completely normal (for Vermont).

Farm and Garden Partners

Before jumping into the notes from the field, we want to first acknowledge this season’s partner farms, as they will be providing valuable regional specific data to help capture the variation in pest and disease activity throughout the state. In the southern region of the state (Arlington, VT) the lovely garden crew at Yellow Barn Farm will be providing weekly scouting and monitoring data. The collaboration with the Garden at Yellow Barn Farm, is a direct outcome of our team’s partnership with UVM’s Extension Master Gardener Program. In the north country, the folks at Boneyard Farm, Hannah and John Doyle, will be sharing their weekly counts and observations from Cambridge, VT.  We are so grateful for these two partners as they come on board to support this important work. If you are in their respective areas and rub elbows with them, give them some love.

Week in review

Ok, now on to the pests…Given the recent cooler temps and dry conditions, our pest season has been somewhat unique in comparison to recent years.

We are particularly interested in keeping an eye out for signs of the allium leaf miner, (ALM), as we would like to monitor the expansion of this new invasive pest. Reports from the Finger Lakes region in NY, are showing increased incidence. Growers in western MA and the lower Hudson Valley have also indicated positive IDs. Especially be on the lookout if you are in Southern VT. As a refresher, the adult ALM female fly deposits eggs directly in the leaves of allium plants leaving a distinct line of white dots (egg laying scars).  ALM’s impact is seen during the early spring and can be a significant issue for growers harvesting scallions or overwintered onions. The ALM displays a summer hibernation which typically begins around the first week of June and ends around September. So, it typically is not an issue for garlic and onion growers. However, the fall generation emerges just in time to affect any late season alliums (e.g. leeks, scallions).

Maggot pests (e.g. cabbage maggot, seed corn maggot, etc.) seem to be especially thriving this spring. The combination of early season warmth followed by cooler temperatures is a perfect storm for maggot outbreaks. The early season warmth can lead to early emergence, while the subsequent cooler temps can extend egg-laying and egg survival within the cooler soil profile.This seems to be consistent with what we are seeing and hearing about.

A few other highlights from the past week:

Cabbage root maggot: According to the degree day models from NEWA, overwintering populations of cabbage maggot flies are roughly ~80% emerged from their overwintering habitat. Adult females are actively laying eggs at the base of brassica crops. As the cool temps persist, it is likely that the pressure will continue in a serious way.

Flea beetles: Flea beetles are thriving here in Burlington and the southern part of the state and it sounds like they are some large outbreaks in brassica plantings throughout the northeast. Row covers for small seedlings can be an effective strategy for dampening their impact on the sensitive plants.

Cutworms: Cutworms are being seen at our monitoring sites and being reported by many growers. Many growers are seeing them in tunnels and are experiencing significant pressure. Remember that the first generation of cutworm may initially begin to feed on available weeds, so keeping weeds at bay especially around tunnels can help to reduce their impact.

Our website for the scouting reports can be found here. In addition to the pests reported here, our website also has a more comprehensive list of pests. The list also documents the progression of many common pests as they emerge throughout the season.

For detailed management information about these pests, as well as a comprehensive guide to current  production and pest management techniques for commercial vegetable crops, check out the  New England Vegetable Management Guide. And, as always feel free to reach out to us if you have any questions.

vizzo@uvm.edu & slewins@uvm.edu

Pest	Crop	Observations
Cabbage root maggot:	Brassicas	We are seeing damage in various early season brassicas including radishes.
Leek Moth	Onions/Garlic	Adult moths from the emerging overwintering population are no longer showing up in baited traps. Eggs are likely developing on alliums, however, we are yet to  see any larvae or feeding damage in any alliums.
Flea Beetle	Arugula, kale, broccoli	Beetles are being found in high numbers in many brassica crops. Row covers can be an effective strategy for protecting vulnerable brassica seedlings.
Spinach leaf miner	Spinach	Primarily being seen in tunnels, though that seems to be widespread