Mildew found in South Jersey

Friday, June 1 - Today we learned that a cucurbit downy mildew has been reported first in Gloucester County NJ. This mildew affects the yield of your harvest, therefore ways need to be considered to eliminate this problem. Please see below what you can do to control this disease:

Pest: Cucurbit downy mildew

Found: Cucurbit downy mildew has been confirmed on cucumber in areas near Swedesboro/Glassboro (Gloucester County). This is the first report of cucurbit downy mildew in the mid-Atlantic region this year.

 

Crop(s) at risk: all cucurbit crops in New Jersey.

Potential impact: Significant losses will occur if not controlled properly

What growers should do:
Control of cucurbit downy mildew begins with regular scouting, recognizing symptoms and weekly protectant fungicide applications. Now that downy mildew has been detected growers should scout on a daily basis and add a downy mildew specific fungicides to regular fungicide program. As a note, powdery mildew is also active in cucurbits.

           

Remember, all abandoned cucumber and summer squash fields should be sprayed with gramoxone or disced under immediately after last harvest to kill the foliage! Abandoned fields left unattended after use will only serve as a source of inoculum for other fields once downy mildew makes its way into our area.

                       

Please see the 2012 Commercial Vegetable Recommendations Guide for specific fungicide recommendations

 

As we await the severe thunderstorms in our area later this evening, I am hoping the anticipated high winds and predicted hail will not damage any of our fruits or vegetables. Even though I am working tomorrow, I will be rising early to check my gardens for any damages.