What is going on with European corn borer?

Two years ago many extension and university researchers were ready to write off European corn borer (ECB) because of a more or less steady decline in the number of adults caught and general reduction in the amount of damage over the previous ten years.  There were several ideas promoted about what had caused the decline.
This year we have caught modest numbers of adults but in some local areas the amount of infestation is very high.  Why?
-Joe Ingerson-Mahar

Higher Temperatures Bring Out Insect Pests

What a difference 20 degrees makes! ...suddenly our traps are filling with insects.
-Joseph Ingerson-Mahar

Vegetable Grafting: Learning How to Graft Tomato and Cucurbits - Now on DVD

From the University of Arizona's Controlled Environment Agriculture Center (CEAC) June 2012 News Splash newsletter.

NOW AVAILABLE ON DVD 

Grafting of vegetable seedlings is used to overcome soil-borne diseases and pests, and to add extra vigor to the plants under various environmental stress conditions. While vegetable grafting in North America is used mainly to increase yields of greenhouse tomato (including hydroponics), there is increasing interest among growers in the use of grafted plants in open field production.

In this DVD, Mark Kroggel, a horticultural technologist and Research Specialist at the School of Plant Sciences, University of Arizona, explains and demonstrates three different grafting methods as well as tips for healing and handling grafted plants. This step-by-step introduction is suitable for beginners and as classroom material to learn a unique propagation technology used for vegetables.

Directed and Produced by Dr. Chieri Kubota, Professor, School of Plant Sciences and CEAC faculty.

Ordering information at http://cals.arizona.edu/ecat/multimedia/video-purchase.html or 1-877-763-5315.

Side note: the Director of the UA CEAC is none other than former south Jersey farm boy and former Rutgers Ag/Bioresource Engineer, Dr. Gene Giacomelli

--Rick VanVranken

Beet armyworm found in south Jersey

Beet armyworm adults were caught in a pheromone trap in Salem County, June 4.  This species is a generalist feeder attacking several vegetable crops tending towards broadleaf crops such tomatoes and peppers.

Beet armyworm like fall armyworm and cabbage looper are migratory insects that normally appear mid to late summer.  Abnormally warm spring temperatures have allowed the migratory insects to move northward earlier than usual.   Refer to the Commercial Vegetable Production Recommendations for 2012 for recommended materials for control on specific crops.

Joseph Ingerson-Mahar

Farm Food Safety: Compliance Documentation – Packinghouse Activities

Part 7 of Preparing Your Farm Food Safety Plan

-Meredith Melendez and Wes Kline

The USDA Good Agricultural Practices Third Party Audit requires that certain activities on the farm be documented. These logs should accurately reflect what you have done on the farm to ensure food safety. If you do not write your activities down, the auditor will assume that the activity never happened. This documentation may be new for many growers, so making it as easy as possible for you to comply will ensure that the documenting happens in a manner that is acceptable to an auditor.

Remember you may not need a third party audit; it depends on who is purchasing your produce. However, everyone should have a food safety plan.

What packinghouse logs will you need to have as a part of your farm food safety plan?

New reports of Late blight in PA & Eastern Shore of Virginia - Vegetable Alert!

Dr. Beth Gugino, Vegetable Pathologist at Penn State reports Late blight has been confirmed in a commercial tomato field in Blair County and on both tomatoes and potatoes in a commerical field in Franklin County. Additional unconfirmed reports have come from potato fields in central PA.

Dr. Steve Rideout, vegetable pathologist at VA Tech reports Late blight has been found on potato on the Eastern Shore of Virginia.

All commercial tomato and potato growers should scout on a daily basis and be on a preventative program and consider including a Late blight specific fungicide in their weekly fungicide program. Please see 2012 Commercial Vegetable Recommendations for more details.

Organic tomato and potato growers, as well as homeowners, should also be scouting on a daily basis and consider a preventative copper-based fungicide program.
Remember, all foliage must be remain protected!
Weather the past fews days has been highly favorable for Late blight development throughout much of NJ and the immediate region.
- Andy Wyenandt

@#*%$! Flaming Weeds

The war on weeds is never ending. While on a farm visit this week, a grower commented that he was getting variable results with his vapor phase propane weed flamer. Possible reasons why are discussed: Sustaining Farming on the Urban Fringe - News.
-Jack Rabin

Weed control implement with vapor phase propane burners