________________________________________________
Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences
|
________________________________________________ Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences |
SOUTH FLORIDA
VEGETABLE PEST AND DISEASE
HOTLINE
October 16, 2002
Drier weather with reduction in shower activity characterized most of the last two weeks across South Florida production areas. Temperatures in most areas have continued to average a few degrees above normal with high in the upper 80’s to low 90’as but a subtle change in nighttime lows has been noticeable with temperature tending lower in to the mid to low 70’s and even a few nights in the upper 60’s being reported. Unsettled weather over the past few days resulting from the passage of Tropical Depression #14 and an approaching front bought increased shower activity to much of south Florida. Rainfall totals have varied widely with some areas in southwest Florida reporting over 6 of rain in the past 48 hours.
Vegetable production in South Florida is moving into high gear with growers continuing to prepare land and lay plastic in addition to planting a wide range of crops. Workers are busy with a number of cultural activities including pruning, staking and tying and spraying. Potato planting has started in the Immokalee area.
Fall crop harvest is starting to get underway with light supplies of cucumbers, eggplants, peppers, squash and specialty crops beginning to come onto the market from various South Florida locations. Okra harvest in Dade County is declining seasonally with reduced volume available.
FAWN Weather Summary
| Date | Air Temp (°F) | Rainfall Hours Below Certain Temperature (hours) | |||||||||
| Min | Max | (Inches) | 40°F | 45°F | 50°F | 55°F | 60°F | 65°F | 70°F | 75°F | |
| Ft L'dale | |||||||||||
| 10/2 – 16/02 | 71.9 | 89.4 | 0.46 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 37.1 |
| Ft Pierce | |||||||||||
| 10/2 – 16/02 | 64.6 | 91.3 | 0.90 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.5 | 42.2 | 122.0 |
| Homestead | |||||||||||
| 10/2 – 16/02 | 69.7 | 89.0 | 0.38 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.2 | 111.6 |
| Immokalee | |||||||||||
| 10/2 – 16/02 | 66.8 | 92.8 | 1.43 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 28.4 | 103.2 |
The short term forecast from the National Weather Service in Miami calls for a front to reach south Florida by this afternoon. Cooler drier air will filter in quickly as the front pushes eastward tonight with overnight lows falling into the 60s most areas by Thursday. The forecast for the next few days calls for a mostly clear skies with highs in the low to mid 80’s and lows in the 60’s. A slight chance of showers will enter into the forecast next week.
For additional information, visit the National Weather Service in Miami website at http://www.srh.noaa.gov.mia
Insect and disease activity remains relatively light across the area.
Growers and scouts are noting a general increase in worm pressure across south Florida vegetable production areas.
Respondents in Palm Beach County are reporting increased in beet armyworm activity in pepper. Growers report seeing mostly southern armyworms and loopers in tomatoes. Looper pressure is reported to be high in some places. A few diamondback moths have been active in specialty crops.
Around Immokalee, armyworms, fruitworms hornworms, and loopers are becoming much more common. Scouts report finding lots of eggs and new hatches over the past week or so. Growers are maintaining control but pressure is higher than a few weeks ago. Scouting reports indicate that southern armyworms and loopers are more common in tomato and eggplant with beet and fall armyworms being seen more frequently in pepper.
Fall armyworms are widely present in sweet corn across the area.
Melonworms are widely present in cucumbers and squash through out the area. A few pickleworms have been noted in cucumber blossoms.
Respondents in Homestead indicate that worms have been consistent on a wide variety of crops with southern armyworms, beet armyworms, fruit worms, loopers, and horn worms all being found.
Respondents are reporting low but increasing numbers of leafminer in all areas. Reports from Homestead indicate leafminer numbers are low overall, but are starting to build in beans.
Around Palm Beach, a few leafminers are being seen on eggplant and older tomatoes. Numbers have been too low to warrant treatment although some growers are applying Spintor in rotations targeted at other pests
Around southwest Florida, leafminer populations are slowly increasing with growers and scouts noting a small increase in the number of mines and stippling on foliage. Beneficial insects are active with several reports noting a high rate of parasitism.
A few winged aphids are starting to show up here and there. Reports out of Palm Beach indicate that there has been some limited colony formation on oriental brassicas. A few winged aphids have also been seen on tomato around Naples.
There are a few reports of adult pepper weevils beginning to show in traps around southwest Florida.
Reports from Immokalee indicate that broadmites continue to be a problem in pepper and eggplant but appear to be under control in most locations. Broadmites are also being detected in basil.
Growers and scouts in Palm Beach and Homestead also report the occurrence of broad mites on eggplant, pepper and basil.
Dr Phil Stansly notes that the symptoms of broad mite in eggplant are not as severe as in pepper, and it is easy to overlook an infestation until it becomes quite generalized. Growers are advised to be on the lookout for leaf distortion in developing leaves and scout for mites in whorls and on young fruit. Broad mites are white or cream colored and quite small, requiring a hand lens for positive ID. Males can often be seen carrying females on their backs. Eggs are about 1/4 the size of adults, round with a characteristic faceted opalescence. There are few products labeled for mite control in eggplant, and only one (sulfur), that is selective for mites. Kelthane (dicofol) and Agri-Mek are additional options available on pepper. Paired applications 4 to 5 days apart should be made to assure control of late-hatching nymphs.
A few red spider mites have been noted in Palm Beach on eggplant. These are largely confined to field margins and areas adjacent to ditch banks. Respondents note good control with back-to-back applications of a tank mix of Agrimek and Trilogy.
Around southwest Florida, whiteflies remain generally low but some respondents are noting a few “hot" spots with whitefly at 2 - 3 adults per plant along with the presence of nymphs. In some older plantings numbers are building requiring treatment. Around Immokalee, whiteflies populations have reached high levels in a few squash fields where no nicotinoid was applied at planting. Silverleaf symptoms have been noted in several of these locations.
Respondents from Palm Beach have also indicated some increase in numbers and have noted the presence of nymphs in older tomato fields that are a few weeks from harvest. Growers are applying Knack and Courier as the effect of soil applied nicotinoids wear off.
Dr. Phil Stansly indicates that it seems that after the initial whitefly migration into fall crops, whitefly numbers appear to be decreasing. This could be due to combined effects of control in the crop and a fixed number of whiteflies being diluted by plant growth. Nevertheless, he advises growers should maintain control of in-field whitefly populations preferably with IGRs, in order to reduce carryover to the next crop.
A few stinkbugs have been reported causing problems in tomato around Immokalee.
Disease pressure remains light in most areas.
Around southwest Florida, bacterial spot is spreading both in tomato and pepper. Incidence and severity is directly related to rainfall totals. Some fields around Immokalee have received nearly 30 inches of rain in the past six weeks while other fields a few miles away have had only 5 –6 inches during the same period.
In some fields, where infections came in early and rainfall has been high, bacteria is rampant in some tomato plantings with infection at moderate levels reaching high into the canopy. Some of these older tomato fields have lesions on fruit and first pick will have some rough fruit. In general, bacterial spot is much more widespread on tomato than on pepper and plum type tomatoes have higher incidence of infection than do rounds.
On the east Coast, reports indicate that bacterial leaf spot is present on pepper but that the incidence is low and occurrence spotty. Bacterial spot is more widespread in tomato. Incidence and severity remain low to moderate.
Some growers are reporting seeing significant levels of bacterial leaf spot control with Actigard. Actigard is not a fungicide, but a plant activator. In some cases, researchers and growers have noted some impact on yield with the use of this product. In other trials, tomato yields are improved due to better disease control, grade and pack out.
Since Actigard received a federal registration in August 2000, Syngenta has been able to conduct several large, commercial trials with Actigard to further develop best use guidelines in tomatoes.
Syngenta is continuing to evaluate the performance of Actigard in commercial production situations and encourages growers to experiment with the use of the product for bacterial disease control on tomatoes for themselves. At present, the following guidelines are suggested to optimize the performance of Actigard.
Actigard
Best Use Practices:
Growers and scouts on both coasts report finding a very low percentage of Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl infected tomatoes. In most instances infected plants are few and far although several reports are beginning to note the occurrence of secondary spread from initial infections. The highest incidence of infection remains below 1 %.
An outbreak of Choanephora blight, caused by the fungus Choanephora sp., was found on green beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) and bell pepper (Capsicum annuum) plants in fields in Southwest Florida. Dr Ken Pernezny, who indicates that this is the first time that he has seen the disease on green beans in Florida in his 26-year experience, has also reported it on green beans in the Belle Glade area. Choanephora sp. is common throughout the tropics on many plants including Southern peas, eggplant, yellow squash, and poinsettia; however, its occurrence on bean and pepper plants in Florida is not common.
The incidence of Choanephora blight on beans is estimated at 40% of the plants in a 40-50 acre commercial field at one site. Symptoms are mostly foliar symptoms that are moderate to severe on infected plants. The incidence is much less (<1 %) on pepper in a 20-acre commercial field.
Outbreaks of Choanephora blight are associated with extended rainy periods and high temperatures. Young lesions on bean leaves appear grayish and limp or wilted as if scalded with hot water. As symptoms progress the lesions appear water-soaked and margins and leaf tips blighted. Dark-gray fungal growth is apparent on some lesions. Under magnification, a silvery, spine-like fungus with a dark head is seen.
Older lesions are necrotic and often tan in color and dried out. Symptoms may be confused with Phytophthora blight (Phytophthora capsici) when young or spray burn on bean plants with older symptoms. In pepper infections often begin in spent blooms and progress onto branches causing the tips to dieback.
Photos of the disease on beans and pepper have been posted on the web at the Florida Pest Alert WWW site at http://extlab7.entnem.ufl.edu/PestAlert/.
This disease is caused by the fungus Choanephora cucurbitarum. It is often classed as a weak parasite since fruit invasion typically follows passively after fungal colonization of spent flower parts (petals and sepals) or behind insect injury. Spores of the causal fungus have been shown to over-season in soil and in association with susceptible crop debris. Wind dissemination of spores has been implicated and is thought to be responsible for the primary infection cycle of this fungus on squash. Secondary spread of this disease in the field has been attributed to various insects as well as wind. Bees and the striped and spotted cucumber beetles move spores of this fungus from flower to flower in the squash crop.
There are few management techniques available. Planting crops to the proper spacing to maintain adequate air circulation will help reduce infection. Use of fungicides to control other diseases will aid in control of wet rot.
A few more reports of southern blight are coming in from scattered areas around southwest Florida as well as Palm Beach County. Tomato plants with southern blight (Sclerotium rolfsii) display lesions on the stem at or near the soil line. These lesions develop rapidly during warm wet weather, girdling the stem and resulting in a sudden and permanent wilting of the plant. White mats of mycelia are produced on the stem and in the adjacent soil. In a few days, tiny tan to brown spherical sclerotia about 0.06 inches in diameter appears on the mycelial mat. The presence of abundant sclerotia is a good diagnostic feature.
Respondents around southwest Florida, report seeing a few cases of damping off due to pythium on a variety of crops including peppers, cucurbits and tomato. Damping off due to Rhizoctonia has been diagnosed in beans and has caused significant stand reduction in some instances.
Reports from the east Coast indicate that Phythophtora capsici continues to cause some problems on pepper as well as tomato and eggplant.
An isolated
case of frogeye spot (Cercospora capsici) leaf spot was reported
on tomato in Immokalee.
Symptoms consist of roughly circular leaf spots (approximately 1/4 inch
in diameter) with light tan to white centers and narrow dark borders. Leaf
lesions may often appear zonate. Heavy infection may cause abscission of
leaves and subsequently reduce yield.
Apply labeled
fungicide such as Maneb, Manex and basic copper in the transplant bed at
first disease appearance and in the field as disease severity warrants.
This disease is usually not economically important in most production seasons.
Gummy stem blight is present at low levels on fall watermelons around Immokalee.
Respondents in Palm Beach report limited occurrence of powdery mildew on cantaloupe.
Up Coming Meetings
Palm Beach County
November
13, 2002 General Standards/Core Test
Review 8 AM - 10 AM
Agricultural Row Crop Test Reviews
1 PM - 3 PM
Testing - Any Category
8 AM - 4 PM
Belle Glade Extension Office
2976 State Road 15
Belle Glade
Call 561- 996-1655 for more information.
Southwest Florida
October
17, 2002
Vegetable Growers Meeting
6:00 – 8:00 PM
Pepper Diseases and DuPont Product Up-date
UF/IFAS Southwest Florida Research and Education Center
Hwy 29
Immokalee
Contact 863-674-4092 for details.
December
8-12, 2002 Cucurbitaceae 2002
Naples Beach and Golf Club, Naples, Florida
Contact Don Maynard at 941-751-7636 ext 239 or
dnma@mail.ifas.ufl.edu.
March 10
–13, 2003 Florida Post-Harvest
Horticulture Industry Tour
Contact Steve Sargent at 352-392-1928
April 29-30,
2003
FACTs - Florida Agricultural Conference and Trade Show
Lakeland Center, Lakeland, Florida
Spray Efficiency Checklist
Attention
to a few basic principles will help improve the efficiency of spray applications.
From
SPRAY TIPS http://www.spraytec.com
October
15, 2000
Vol.
3 Issue 11
OPPORTUNITY – Exhibitors wanted for the National Association of County Agricultural Agents Annual Meeting to be held in Orlando in July 2004. This is a great opportunity to present your products to the more than 2500 County Extension Agents from all over the United States that are expected to attend this meeting.
To reserve a place contact Ed Jennings at 352-793-6376.
Country of Origin Labeling Starts
The USDA this week issued Interim Voluntary Country of Origin Labeling guidelines for certain commodities, as required in the 2002 Farm Bill.
Under the federal guidelines, which took effect this week, retailers can label as U.S. products fresh and frozen muscle cuts of beef, veal, lamb, and pork, fish, fruits and vegetables and peanuts. The guidelines also provide guidance for products of mixed origin, including products produced both in foreign markets and in the United States as well as labeling for blended or mixed products.
Call for Proposals
If you have a good idea to implement or improve agricultural practices that are profitable, environmentally sound and good for rural communities, here is some money to help you get started. The Southern Region SARE Program is calling for proposals in two areas: Producer Grants and On-Farm Research Grants. Proposals are invited that address: soil health, beneficial insect habitat, alternative crops/livestock, organic agriculture, marketing, grazing systems, improving the sustainability of existing farming practices, appropriate technology, and agroforestry.
The Producer Grants are offered only to farmers and/or ranchers or producer organizations in amounts up to $10,000 for individuals and $15,000 for producer organizations. Producer Grants are competitively awarded must be conducted by producers or producer organizations, and the projects must promote sustainable agriculture.
The On-Farm
Research Grants are available to Extension, NRCS and NGO personnel who
work with farmers. Applicants must work with at least three cooperating
farmers or ranchers and can apply for up to $15,000. On-Farm Research
Grants are competitively awarded and the projects must promote sustainable
agriculture.
Proposals
for both programs are due by January 24, 2003.
For more information, visit http://www.griffin.peachnet.edu/sare, e-mail ppatton@griffin.peachnet.edu or call 770-412-4787.
The federal farm bill allows for a labeling system, which will be voluntary for two years as the Agriculture Department works toward a mandatory system. The USDA will take comments on the guidelines during the next 180 days.
Quotable Quotes
A surefire formula for making a successful speech: have a good beginning and a good ending, and keep them as close together as possible.
Tact is the ability to close your mouth before somebody else wants to.
Some days you're the pigeon and some days you're the statue.
Education is
what you get when you read the fine print. Experience is what you get if
you don't.
Websites
MicroscopyU - Nikon's website at http://www.microscopyu.com/ is designed to provide an educational forum for all aspects of optical microscopy, digital imaging, and photomicrography. It features some beautiful and photomicrographs and awesome digital images
On the Lighter Side
Under Our Skin
There once
was an oyster, whose story I tell;
Who found
that some sand, had gotten into his shell.
It was only
a grain, but it gave him great pain;
For oysters
have feelings, although they are plain.
Now, did he
berate the harsh workings of fate,
That had brought
him to such a deplorable state?
"No," he said
to himself, "Since I cannot remove it,
I'll lie in
my shell, and think how to improve it."
The years rolled
around, as the years always do,
And he came
to his ultimate Destiny...stew.
Now the small
grain of sand that had bothered him so,
Was a beautiful
pearl all richly aglow.
This tale has
a moral, for isn't it grand,
What an oyster
can do with a morsel of sand?
Think... What
could WE do, If we'd only begin,
With some
of the things that get under OUR skin.
--Author
Unknown
The Story of the Lion and the Gazelle
Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the fastest lion or it will be killed.
Every morning a lion wakes up. It knows it must outrun the slowest gazelle or it will starve to death.
It doesn't matter if you are a lion or a gazelle. When the sun comes up, you better be running.
Out of the Mouths of Babes
A Kindergarten teacher was observing her classroom of children while they drew. She would occasionally walk around to see each child's work. As she got to one little girl who was working diligently, she asked what the drawing was?
The girl replied,
"I'm drawing God." The teacher paused and said, "But no one knows what
God
looks like."
Without missing a beat, or looking up from her drawing, the girl replied, "They will in a minute."
**********************************************************************
A little girl was talking to her teacher about whales.
The teacher said it was physically impossible for a whale to swallow a human because even though it was a very large mammal its throat was very small.
The little girl stated that Jonah was swallowed by a whale.
Irritated, the teacher reiterated that a whale could not swallow a human; it was physically impossible.
The little girl said, "When I get to heaven I will ask Jonah".
The teacher asked, "What if Jonah went to hell?" The little girl replied, "Then you ask him".
Contributors include: Joel Allingham/AgriCare, Inc, Karen Armbrester/SWFREC, Jim Connor/SWFREC, Bruce Corbitt/West Coast Tomato Growers, Fred Heald/Farmers Supply, Sarah Hornsby/AgCropCon, Cecil Howell/H&R Farm, Bruce Johnson/General Crop Management, Leon Lucas/Glades Crop Care, Gene McAvoy/Hendry County Extension, Alice McGhee/Thomas Produce, Jimmy Morales/Pro Source One, Tim Nychk/Nychk Bros. Farm, Chuck Obern/C+B Farm, Dr Ken Pernezny/EREC, Dr. Pam Roberts/SWFREC, Nancy Roe/Farming Systems Research, Wes Roan/6 L's, Kevin Seitzinger/Gargiulo, Jay Shivler/ F& F Farm, Ken Shuler/Stephen's Produce, John Stanford/LNA Farm, Mike Stanford/MED Farms, Dr. Phil Stansly/SWFREC, Eugene Tolar/Red Star Farms, Dr.Charlie Vavrina/SWFREC, Mark and Donna Verbeck/GulfCoast Ag.
The SW Florida Pest and Disease Hotline is compiled by Gene McAvoy and is issued on a biweekly basis by the Hendry County Cooperative Extension Office as a service to the vegetable industry.
Gene McAvoy
Extension
Agent II
Vegetable/Ornamental
Horticulture
863-674-4092 phone
Hendry County
Extension Office
863-860-8811 mobile Nextel agnet 28950
PO Box 68
863-674-4097 fax
LaBelle, FL
33975
GMcAvoy@mail.ifas.ufl.edu
The Institute of Food and Agricultural
Sciences is an Equal Employment Opportunity - Affirmative Action Employer
authorized to provide research, educational information and other services
only to individuals and institutions that function without regard to race,
color, sex, age, handicap or national origin.
COOPERATIVE EXTENSION WORK IN AGRICULTURE,
FAMILY AND CONSUMER SCIENCES, SEA GRANT AND 4-H YOUTH, STATE OF FLORIDA,
IFAS, UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, AND BOARDS
OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COOPERATING