Vegetable and Fruit News-July 2023

Black Root Rot found in strawberry plantings

Jerry Brust, UME

trawberries have had a tough time of it in the Mid-Atlantic this season. Some strawberry fields have been found with black root rot disease mostly...Read more about Black Root Rot found in strawberry plantings.

Southern bacterial wilt of tomato

Jerry Brust, UME

Southern bacterial wilt of tomato, which is caused by the soil-borne bacterium Ralstonia solanacearum Race 1, has been found in a couple of tomato fields in the past week. This pathogen affects many solanaceous...Read more Southern bacterial wilt of tomato

Water core in apples: what is it, what causes it and how can it be controlled?

Macarena Farcuh, Assistant Professor, University of Maryland, Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture

What is it?

Water core (Fig. 1) is one of the many physiological disorders affecting apples. Physiological disorders are abnormalities in the various apple tissues that...Read more about water core in apples.

Tomato Pollination and Bumblebee Visits

Jerry Brust, IPM Vegetable Specialist, UMD

While visiting a tomato field this week I saw the tell-tale signs on the flowers that this field was being visited by bumble bees that were pollinating the tomato flowers. In the field wind movement is...Read more about Tomato Pollination and Bumblebee Visits.

Watch for Thrips and Mites in Vegetables

The dry conditions we have had up until this week have caused thrips and two spotted spider mite, TSSM (Tetranychus urticae) populations to become problematic in many vegetable fields. These pests feed by puncturing the outer layer of plant tissue...Read more about Thrips and Mites in Vegetables

Irregular Ripening In Watermelon

Gordon Johnson, University of Delaware, Retired Extension Specialist

Irregular ripening is a common problem that occurs in some watermelon fields each year. This is where varieties planted at the same time do not ripen evenly in a field. Fruits that look mature on the outside are not fully ripe inside, often...Read more about Irregular Ripening In Watermelon.

Cucurbit Downy Mildew Reported in Delaware

Emmalea Ernest, University of Delaware, Extension Fruit & Vegetable Specialist

Cucurbit downy mildew (CDM) was recently reported in southern New Castle County, and it is spreading in nearby states. CDM has been reported in...Read more about Cucurbit Downy Mildew Reported in Delaware.

Harlequin Bugs Are Especially Bad This Season

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

Harlequin bugs are being seen in especially high numbers this season. They are a pest of many vegetables, but preferentially feed on and damage brassica plants, which includes mustards, crucifers, greens and radish. They also are secondary pests...Read more about Harlequin Bugs Are Especially Bad this Season.