VegNet Vol. 13, No. 15. August 11, 2006
Ohio State University Extension Vegetable Crops
On the WEB at:  http://vegnet.osu.edu
If experiencing problems receiving this fax, Call 614-292-3857

 

In This Issue

1. Insect News

2. Crop Reports

3. Bring Samples to Pumpkin Field Day

 

Insect News  8/9/06 by C. Welty

 

Moth trap counts: Weekly captures of several pests at various Ohio locations are posted on the internet at: http://bugs.osu.edu/welty/veg-traps.html . These can also be accessed by the link in the VegNet webpage (in the Vegetable IPM section).

 

Corn earworm: pheromone traps at several locations in Ohio detected an increase in catch of corn earworm moths last week. This means that fields of sweet corn in the fresh-silk stage need an intensified insecticide spray schedule to prevent wormy ears at harvest. Until now, most pheromone traps were catching zero moths. Pheromone traps last week were catching mostly 2-4 moths per week but up to 18 or 30 at some sites. As summarized on page 240 of the 2006 Ohio Vegetable Production Guide, when temperatures are above 80F, the spray interval needed is 5 days when moth capture in traps is 1.4 to 3.5 moths per week. The schedule should be intensified to every 4 days if traps catch 3.5 to 7 moths per week.

 

Ohio is involved in a regional corn earworm project this year with two components: monitoring and resistance testing. Although we have been using pheromone traps for monitoring for years in Ohio, this year we are trying a larger trap called the Hartstack trap. We have Hartstack traps at two locations: Columbus (Franklin County) and South Charleston (Clark County). The Hartstack trap is better at detecting low level moth activity, so its moth capture data has been much higher than in our usual Scentry Heliothis trap. However, our insecticide spray interval recommendations are based on moth catch in the smaller trap. Entomologists in Minnesota who are leading a regional project on corn earworm monitoring and resistance have posted an excellent article about insecticide options for managing corn earworm. The article can be found at the U of MN VegEdge site in htm format: http://www.vegedge.umn.edu/MNFruit&VegNews/vol3/803zeamap.htm

 

European corn borer: The increase in moth flight started on 17 July in both central and northern Ohio, a few days earlier than usual. Moth catch continues to increase this week in traps at Columbus and Fremont. Peak egg hatch is probably occurring now or in the near future. This is a critical time for control of European corn borer in peppers. This pest is controlled on peppers by insecticides applied every 7 days, using Orthene which is allowed in two applications, or pyrethroids such as Mustang Max, Baythroid, or Warrior.  On sweet corn, European corn borer at this time of year is controlled by insecticides applied on a 5-7 day schedule.

 

Fall armyworm:  We had no detection of this pest until 17 July, but steady capture of moths since then. Infestations of fall armyworm larvae in sweet corn fields in the Wayne County area have been reported by Ron Becker for the past 2 weeks.

 

 

Crop Reports by Hal Kneen

Southeast Ohio  August 9th 2006

 

Very scattered thunder showers welcomed by most producers, 3/4 of an inch on Thursday and 6 /10 th of an inch on Sunday night.  Other growers needed to continue to irrigate.  Weather in the high nineties end of the week and lows in the eighties. the  weekend was a little better as temperatures reduced into the low nineties and nights entered into the high sixties

 

White corn (Silver King and Argent ) in not selling as well as yellow corn Incredible and Honey Select.

 

Tomato prices increased but most growers have sent their last tomatoes to wholesale market when prices dropped to the $3-4 a ten pound box.  Box costs 65-70 cents, labor to pick $1.25, wholesalers handling cost 45-60 cents and shipping costs 50-60 cents a box.  Better to sell canning tomatoes and pack a few boxes for the local roadside who also could use melons, peppers and sweet corn.

 

Melons are slow in ripening. Some watermelon disease problems, fruit rots especially.  Cantaloups ripening fine in sandier ground. Where water stands, rotting of fruit occurring. Remember well drained soils, surface waterways and rotation of vine crops of four years.

 

Insect moth traps. NO moths caught August 2-9 in the beet army worm trap .  Caught 30 corn earworm moths and 1 european corn earworm in helio  traps from August 2-9, 2006.

 

Over all a fair year.  Those using bed rows, plastic mulch and irrigation did better than bare ground growers.

 

Bring White Speck Samples to Pumpkin field day - August 24th, 2006, 6-7:30 pm at WARS

Western Agricultural Research Station, 7639 S. Charleston Pike, South Charleston, OH, 45368

(937) 462-8016

Dr. Lanny Rhodes is looking for isolates of Microdochium or white speck on pumpkins. If you have something that looks suspicious like Microdochium, stick it in a paper bag and have it evaluated by Dr. Rhodes at the Pumpkin field day. Whatever disease you might have or unsure about, bring a sample and we will have experts on hand to help you evaluate the problem.

For more information and complete details Contact:

Jim Jasinski, OSU Extension, Integrated Pest Management Program, (O) 937-484-1526,

email: jasinski.4@osu.edu