Corn earworm pressure often increases as we head into September. With turbulent weather patterns originating in the Gulf of Mexico, flights of airborne moths are generally quite high. As the tradewinds mix with the cooler air of the great lakes, these high populations are dropped into Southern Ontario. Any sweet corn at the green silk stage is highly susceptible to corn earworm infestation.
For earworm control, cover green silks with an insecticide such as Coragen or Voliam Express. Avoid insecticides from the pyrethroid family. Corn earworm are known to be resistant to the pyrethroids. Lannate TNG is a good rotational partner for Coragen and Voliam Express.
This information is updated from an earlier article by Janice LeBoeuf.
We have had multiple reports of late blight in conventionally managed tomato fields this week. Typically, this disease is well managed in tomatoes with a broadspectrum fungicide program including chlorothalonil. However, high disease pressure due to environmental conditions, combined with a dense leaf canopy and rapid growth may have resulted in poor spray coverage and reduced efficacy.
Commercial growers should scout often and ensure they are using fungicides with good late blight activity in their fungicide program. When late blight is in the area, spray intervals should be shortened.
Under continued high disease pressure, growers should consider adding a targeted late blight fungicide to the spray program. If late blight has been identified in a field, use a fungicide with curative and antisporulent activity, see the table below for late blight fungicides and their properties. Continue reading Late blight alert – July 27th, 2017→
This is a re-post from 2016 – Late-July to early-August is the key time for powdery mildew management! With any disease, preventative management provides the best control.
Powdery mildew typically arrives in Southern Ontario in mid-to-late July. Plants are most susceptible to infection during the fruit sizing and development. Poor control results in decreased yield and poor fruit quality at harvest. The threshold for treatment is 1 lesions/50 plants. Optimum powdery mildew control is a combination of variety selection, fungicide timing and fungicide selection.
Powdery Mildew Lesion on the Lower Leaf Surface
Cheryl Trueman, a vegetable pest management researcher at the University of Guelph’s Ridgetown Campus, has been conducting powdery mildew efficacy trials since 2009. In these trials, several products consistently provided good control of powdery mildew. These products are powdery mildew targeted, and have a single site mode of action. To prevent the development of resistance, it is essential to always rotate between different fungicide groups and/or tank mix with a broad spectrum fungicide.
Powdery Mildew Targeted Fungicides Showing Consistent Control in the Ridgetown Field Trials:
Group 13: Quintec (quinoxyfen)
Quintec was the most consistent powdery mildew product tested in Ridgetown. It provided excellent control in 4/5 years and good control in 1/5 years tested.
Group U8: Vivando (metrafenone)
Vivando provided excellent control in 1/3 years and good control in 2/3 years and tested.
Group 7: Fontelis (penthiopyrad), Aprovia (benzovindiflupyr), Sercadis (fluapyroxad) and Pristine (boscalid/pyraclostrobin).
Fontellis was somewhat less consistent. Control with this produce ranged from excellent to poor, depending on the year. It provided excellent control in 1/5 years, good control in 2/5 years and poor control in 2/5 years. Note: Aprovia, Sercadis and Pristine were not tested in the Ridgetown Campus trials.
Group 3: Inspire (difenoconazole), Proline (prothioconazole) and Quadris Top (azoxystrobin/difenoconazole)
Inspire provided a level of control similar to Fontelis; good control in 3/5 years, and poor control in 2/5 years. Proline and Quadris Top were only tested for one year in the Ridgetown trials, in which they both provided good control.
Fungicides containing chlorothalonil(Bravo ZN and Echo) provided a lower level of powdery mildew control, but are still better than the untreated checks. They also control a broad range of other foliar diseases including scab and alternaria.
Research in Ontario and other jurisdictions indicates that the group 11 (QoI) fungicides, Cabrio (pyraclostrobin) and azoxystrobin (a component of Quadris Top) no longer control powdery mildew. However, they may provide control of other cucurbit diseases such as anthracnose and alternaria.
Cheryl Trueman, University of Guelph – Ridgetown Campus
Risk of downy mildew to cucumbers and cantaloupe remains high, with new reports regularly occurring throughout the great lakes region.
Scouting for downy mildew in pickling cucumber fields in Norfolk County began on June 13 and in Kent County on June 19. This is the final cucumber downy mildew scouting report for the 2017 season.
The downy mildew scouting program is sponsored by the Ontario Cucumber Research Committee. Field scouting in Norfolk County is managed by Tania Keirsebilck-Martin at the Norfolk Fruit Growers’ Association. Field scouting in Kent County is managed by Cheryl Trueman at the Ridgetown Campus, University of Guelph. We thank Elaine Roddy, OMAFRA vegetable specialist, for her guidance with implementing this program.
Elaine Roddy, OMAFRA and Cheryl Trueman, University of Guelph – Ridgetown Campus
Cucurbit downy mildew was confirmed on June 28th. Additional reports now include the areas of Norfolk, Oxford and Kent. The risk of downy mildew infections remains high throughout Southern Ontario.
At this time all cucumber growers should use only targeted downy mildew fungicides.
Cantaloupe/muskmelon growers should alternate between broadspectrum fungicides and downy mildew fungicides. In melon crops, broadspectrum fungicides are required to manage other foliar diseases including alternaria, anthracnose and powdery mildew.
Scouting for downy mildew in pickling cucumber fields in Norfolk County began on June 13 and in Kent County on June 19.
The downy mildew scouting program is sponsored by the Ontario Cucumber Research Committee. Field scouting in Norfolk County is managed by Tania Keirsebilck-Martin at the Norfolk Fruit Growers’ Association. Field scouting in Kent County is managed by Cheryl Trueman at the Ridgetown Campus, University of Guelph. We thank Elaine Roddy, OMAFRA vegetable specialist, for her guidance with implementing this program.
Cucurbit downy mildew has been reported on pickling cucumbers and cantaloupe in Essex County. This is the first field report for this disease in 2017.
All Ontario cucumber growers should now switch from a broadspectrum program to a 3-product rotation using targeted downy mildew fungicides.
The following products have shown the most consistent results in fungicides trials at the University of Guelph, Ridgetown and Simcoe campuses. Under high downy mildew pressure, follow a spray interval that is no longer than 7-days.
Orondis Ultra A (mandipropamid) + Orondis Ultra B (oxathiapiprolin) + Bravo (chlorothalonil)
Elaine Roddy, OMAFRA and Cheryl Trueman, University of Guelph – Ridgetown Campus
There have been numerous new reports of cucurbit downy mildew in the Southern US last week. Late June to early-July is typically when downy mildew arrives in the Great Lakes region. The on-going wet weather, and speed at which the tropical storm fronts pass through the region mean that disease conditions can change very quickly.
At this time, use a broadspectrum fungicide such as cholorthalonil or mancozeb. Fungicides are most effective when used preventatively. Band spraying small plants helps to reduce the costs of the fungicide program. For information of band spraying, see Sprayers 101.com.
Scouting for downy mildew in pickling cucumber fields in Norfolk County began on June 13 and in Kent County on June 19.
The downy mildew scouting program is sponsored by the Ontario Cucumber Research Committee. Field scouting in Norfolk County is managed by Tania Keirsebilck-Martin at the Norfolk Fruit Growers’ Association. Field scouting in Kent County is managed by Cheryl Trueman at the Ridgetown Campus, University of Guelph. We thank Elaine Roddy, OMAFRA vegetable specialist, for her guidance with implementing this program.
Information for commercial vegetable production in Ontario
