Command® 3ME herbicide recently received a 24C Special Local Need label for use in banana peppers in the state of Indiana (Figure 1). Prior to this registration, Command® 3ME could be applied in the production of other types of bell and non-bell peppers, but not banana peppers. Field research results by the Horticulture Crops Weed…Read more about Command 3ME Now Registered for Use in Banana Peppers in Indiana[Read More]
Stephen Meyers
What is it? Honeyvine milkweed (Cynachum laeve) is a perennial, deciduous, vining member of the milkweed family Asclepiadaceae. It is native to the United States and can serve as a host for monarch butterfly larvae. Honeyvine milkweed tends to be more problematic in production systems with reduced or no tillage, including perennial fruits. It can…Read more about Honeyvine Milkweed[Read More]
What is buggy whipping? “Buggy whipping” is the term for when leaves in the corn whorl become crinkled and fail to unfurl (Figure 1) properly. It can also be referred to as “twisted whorl syndrome” or “rapid growth syndrome”. Often these crinkled leaves bend toward the ground, resulting in an appearance some liken to a…Read more about Buggy Whipping in Sweet Corn[Read More]
Earlier this year, Rely® 280 was registered for use in transplanted cantaloupe, cucumber, pepper, summer squash, tomato, and watermelon with a supplemental label. The registration allows for the use of Rely® 280 for pre-plant burndown and post-directed applications to row middles. Previously, postemergence burndown and row middle options were limited to glyphosate (Roundup®), carfentrazone (Aim®),…Read more about Rely® 280 Added to Row Middle Weed Control Arsenal in Select Crops[Read More]
This time of year, my email inbox and phone text messages are filled with ugly photos of fruit and vegetable crops affected by suspected herbicide exposure. Sometimes the symptomology points toward a clear cause and effect, but most of the time, the answer is not so clear-cut. Here are a couple of recent examples: Cupping…Read more about Diagnosing Herbicide Injury is Easy… Sometimes.[Read More]
Onions are poor competitors with weeds. Their narrow leaves do not compete well for light, and their shallow root system makes them poor competitors for water. Tight in-row and between-row plant spacing make mechanical weed control, including hand-weeding, difficult. Chemical weed control can be effective and reduce the amount of time required to hand-weed onions….Read more about Even Minimal Herbicide Use Can Reduce Hand-Weeding Time[Read More]
What is Optogen®? The active ingredient in Optogen® (Figure 1) is bicyclopyrone. Corn growers may recognize bicyclopyrone as one of the four ingredients in Acuron® herbicide. Bicyclopyrone is a Group 27 herbicide with pre- and post-emergence activity on select weed species. Group 27 herbicides inhibit an enzyme known as “HPPD”, resulting in an inhibition of…Read more about Optogen®- a New Herbicide Available in Select Vegetables and Strawberry[Read More]
Purdue University will host the 2023 Indiana Horticulture Conference at the Beck Agricultural Center, West Lafayette, IN on Jan.23 and 24. Registration will open in November 2022 and close one week before the event. Educational tracks will include vegetable production, small fruit, tree fruit, apples for beginners, food safety, controlled environment, farming basics, and business…Read more about 2023 Indiana Horticultural Conference Registration to Open in November[Read More]
Purdue University will host the 2023 Indiana Horticulture Conference at the Beck Agricultural Center, West Lafayette, IN on Jan.23 and 24. This two-day conference will feature educational sessions for commercial fruit and vegetable producers. CCA credits will be available. We look forward to seeing you there. More information will be available soon. If you have…Read more about 2023 Indiana Horticulture Conference Save the Date[Read More]
Throughout the growing season, vegetable crop farmers often report suspected herbicide drift injury. Each type of herbicide results in specific types of injury. Knowing what to look for can help us narrow which herbicide or herbicide mode of action could be responsible. To document how watermelon and pumpkin respond to various herbicides, we sprayed a…Read more about Pumpkin and Watermelon Herbicide Injury Symptoms – In Photos[Read More]