Vegetable & Fruit News header
Updated: February 6, 2024
By R. David Myers

September 9, 2021  |  Volume 12, Issue 6

September Vegetable IPM Scouting Tips

By Emily Zobel, Extension Educator, University of Maryland Extension-Dorchester County

Read and follow all label requirements. Pay attention to pre-harvest intervals and consider pollinators when making insecticide applications. Please see the 2020-2021 Mid-Atlantic Commercial Vegetable Production Recommendation...Read more

Are Your Peppers Wilting? Are Your Melons Squishy? Check for Phytophthora blight

By Neith Little, Extension Educator, Urban Agriculture, University of Maryland Extension-Baltimore City

Phytophthora blight plagues peppers and melons

The hot wet weather this summer has been the perfect condition for Phytophthora blight of vegetables. I know of at least one urban farm where this...Read more

Fusarium Wilt in Basil

By Jerry Brust,  IPM Vegetable Specialist, University of Maryland Extension

Usually when anyone talks about basil problems they talk about basil downy mildew, but there are unfortunately other disease problems with basil that are important and need to be...Read more
 

Do You Grow Fruits or Vegetables?

Are you wondering about the Produce Safety Rule or Good Agricultural Practices Certification? Ask us about farm visits, we will come to you! We can help write your farm food safety plan.

If you reside in Central, Western, or Southern Maryland
Contact Carol Allen (callen12@umd.edu, 240-994-5043)

If you live on the Eastern Shore, in Baltimore City, Baltimore, Cecil, or Harford Counties.
Contact Angela Ferelli (angfer@umd.edu, 302-353-7159)

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Corky Root Disease in Tomatoes

By Jerry Brust, IPM Vegetable Specialist, University of Maryland Extension

Corky root is caused by the fungus Pyrenochaeta lycopersici. Tomato plants affected with corky root may appear stunted and generally lack vigor. Later the infected plants may...Read more

Grasshoppers in High Populations

By Jerry Brust, IPM Vegetable Specialist, University of Maryland Extension

This season keeps with the weird and unusual with reports of grasshoppers causing damage in many different vegetables. I thought this was just an unfortunate farm that was having...Read more

Plectosporium Blight in Some Pumpkin Fields this Year

By Jerry Brust, IPM Vegetable Specialist, University of Maryland Extension

I am seeing some plectosporium blight in a few pumpkin fields this year, not as bad as last year but still there. This disease will probably increase if we continue having frequent rains in some...Read more

Unusual Foliar Blight Found in Southern Maryland Organic Tomatoes

By Jerry Brust, IPM Vegetable Specialist, University of Maryland Extension

A very unusual and seldom-seen tomato foliar blight was found by an intrepid county educator in Southern Maryland last week. This disease is called Rhizoctonia Foliar blight caused by Rhizoctonia solani. The symptoms...Read more

Allium Leaf Miner Active Now

By Jerry Brust,  IPM Vegetable Specialist, University of Maryland Extension

If you are growing fall leeks or garlic or other Allium species you need to, for the next month or so (September first freeze) watch for the tell-tale marks left by Allium leaf miner. Allium...Read more

Apple Maturity Assessments 2021: Honeycrisp and Crimson Crisp Week 7

Macarena Farcuh, Ph.D., Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist, University of Maryland, College Park, and Haley Sater Ph.D., Extension Educator, Wicomico County Extension Office

We are entering our seventh week of evaluating fruit apple maturity. This week is our last time assessing Firestorm Honeycrisp grafted on B9, from Smithsburg, and is our...Read more

Marylanders Encouraged to Keep a Lookout for this Invasive Pest

If you suspect you have found a spotted lanternfly or their egg masses, snap a picture of it and then smash it. Report the sighting with photo attachments and location information to the Maryland Department of Agriculture at: DontBug.MD@maryland.gov. Dead samples of spotted lanternflies from any life stage can be sent to the Maryland Department of Agriculture’s Plant Protection and Weed Management Program 50 Harry S. Truman Parkway, Annapolis, MD 21401.

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Controlled Atmosphere Storage of Apples

By Jack Graziano, B.S. in Chemistry & Macarena Farcuh, Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist University of Maryland, College Park

What is Controlled Atmosphere and why do we use it? To maintain stored fruit quality after harvest, it is essential to understand and control key factors such as genetic background (cultivars/rootstock used), orchard management practices, environmental conditions such...Read more

Managing Apple Fruit Rots and Other Headaches in the Orchard

By Kari Peter, Tree Fruit Pathologist, Penn State University Fruit Research and Extension Center

The remnants of Hurricane Ida dumped much rain throughout the region. This is a reminder that any fungicides that had been applied need to be reapplied, especially since we are in the...Read more

Disease Management Recommendations for Fall-Planted Strawberry Plug Plants

By Kathy Demchak, Senior Extension Associate, Penn State University and Mengjum Hu,  Assistant Professor PSLA, Plant Pathology University of Maryland

The production of strawberry plugs involves multiple stages during which pathogens can infect the plug plants before they are distributed to growers. Despite regular scouting...Read more

High-Priority Agricultural Conservation Practices Now Available for 100% Cost-Share Grants

The Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) has announced that over 20 high-priority agricultural conservation practices are now eligible for cost-share funding of up to 100% through the Maryland Agricultural Water Quality Cost-Share (MACS) Program. Installation of...Read more

Flood Waters and Produce Safety

By Carol Allen, Agent Associate in Food Safety, PSLA, University of Maryland

Hurricane Ida dumped a lot of rainfall in Montgomery, Frederick and Howard Counties. If you farm in an area where local creeks or rivers overflowed their banks and flooded produce fields, your...Read more

USDA Accepting Applications to Help Cover Costs for Organic Certification

USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) announced that organic producers and handlers can apply for USDA funds to assist with the cost of receiving and maintaining organic...Read more

To register, go to FieldWatch.com
For more information about FieldWatch, read this helpful resource or call the department’s Pesticide Regulation Section at 410-841-5710.

MSHS Membership Renewal

Membership is important.

Membership is open to everyone, especially those involved in the production of fruit and vegetables.
Your dues dollars support much-needed research and more! 
Membership Renewal

Clearing Up the Confusion Between GAP Audits and PSR Inspections

By Carol Allen, Agent Associate in Food Safety, PSLA, University of Maryland and Angela Ferelli Agent Associate in Food Safety, PSLA, University of Maryland

Developing a food safety culture is an ongoing exercise that requires reminders, reinforcement and retraining. What about regulations? What about certificate (or audit) programs? Where do each of them begin, and who needs to...Read more

Timely Viticulture

Timely Viticulture is an electronic newsletter that is designed to give those in the grape industry a timely reminder of things they should be considering in the vineyard. Since we are all busy it is not meant to be an exhaustive list of things to consider or even a full discussion of the options. It is just meant to think about what is happening and what is coming up, with some comments.

Harvest (August-September)

Post-Harvest (October)

Vegetable & Fruit News, September 9, 2021, Volume 12, Issue 6 (pdf)

Vegetable & Fruit News is a timely publication for the commercial vegetable and fruit industry available electronically in 2021 from April through October on the following dates: April 15, May 13, June 10, July 15, August 19, September 9, and October 28 (Special Research & Meeting Edition). Published by the University of Maryland Extension Focus Teams: 1) Agriculture and Food Systems; and 2) Environment and Natural Resources.

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EDITOR

R. David Myers
Extension Educator, Agriculture, and Natural Resources
97 Dairy Lane
Gambrills, MD 21054
Phone: (410) 222-3906
Email: myersrd@umd.edu


Article submission deadlines for 2021 at 4:30 p.m. on October 27 (Special Research & Meeting Edition).

Note: Registered Trade Mark® Products, Manufacturers, or Companies mentioned within this newsletter are not to be considered as sole endorsements. The information has been provided for educational purposes only.