Old Pepper Fields and Disease Spread

- Wes Kline
Transplanting time is here and there are still pepper fields standing from last year. This makes no sense if you are concerned about disease management in 2013.

These fields are ideal sources for Anthracnose, bacterial blight and Phytophthora. You may not be concerned about your peppers getting disease, but what about your downwind neighbors? Anthracnose has increased over the last few years. Is it because fields are left standing too long after harvest? There is no doubt that this can contribute to disease spread. If a new field of peppers is planted downwind from the old field, be ready to spend a lot of money spraying when it could have been avoided.

Aphid Populations Around Tunnels

High tunnel growers should be checking outside the tunnels for aphids even with low temperatures.  High aphid numbers have been observed in thistle plants around tunnels in South Jersey.

Submitted by - Wesley Kline, Agricultural Agent, Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Cumberland County

Cool Spring Conditions Could Mean Seed Corn Maggots in Cucurbits

By Michelle Infante-Casella, Agricultural Agent, Rutgers NJAES Cooperative Extension, Gloucester County

Seed corn maggots survive through winter in dark brown capsules underground. Flies emerge out of soil March or April in New Jersey and can have several generations.
One benefit of this spring, in 2013, is conditions have been drier, with less rainfall, than in past cooler spring seasons. Along with cool weather, this pest thrives under wet conditions too. When the weather is dry, eggs and maggots can desicate to the point of mortality.

Seed corn maggots are pests of beans, peas, cucumbers, squash, melons and corn. They rarely affect pumpkin fields since pumpkins are seeded when soil and air temperatures are warmer and the populations of this pest have declined.