619 | Issues | Purdue University Vegetable Crops Hotline

Cucurbit Downy Mildew Found in Indiana

August 10, 2016

Cucurbit downy mildew has been observed on cucumber and cantaloupe near Wanatah, in La Porte County, Indiana. Downy mildew has also been confirmed on cucumber in St. Joseph County Michigan, just northeast of Elkhart, Indiana as well as on processing pumpkin in central Illinois. Downy mildew of cucurbits has also been reported in southern and central Kentucky and north-central Ohio. All cucurbit growers in Indiana should be scouting and managing for downy mildew. The organism that causes downy mildew of cucurbits doesn’t overwinter in Indiana. It has to be blown in every year. It is common for downy mildew to start the season in the Gulf States and migrate north with the cucurbit crops. Downy mildew apparently overwinters in northern Michigan/southern Ontario in greenhouses where cucumbers are grown year round. Therefore, downy mildew is often found in Michigan before it is found in Indiana. Many cucumber varieties have some resistance to downy mildew. For susceptible[Read More…]

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Cucurbits

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Plant Disease Management

Corn Earworm

August 18, 2016

By: Rick Foster

After a season of relatively low corn earworm activity, pheromone trap catches have taken a dramatic turn upward, especially in the northern half of the state. Catches of 100-200 moths per night in the trap are not uncommon currently. Keep in mind that the threshold for treatment is 10 moths per night, so these catches would be 10-20X the threshold. At this point, growers with late sweet corn should be beginning treating when about 30-50% of the plants are showing silks. Sprays should be applied every 2-3 days until silks turn brown. It takes 3 days for eggs to hatch so a reasonable question would be, why spray every 2 days? Really what it becomes at this point is a numbers game. Even the best insecticide applied at the highest rate with excellent coverage will not provide 100% control. When counts are near the threshold the number of escapes is[Read More…]

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Corn

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Insect and Mite Management

What’s Causing My Water Test Results to Change?

August 18, 2016

By: Scott Monroe

I have recently received calls from growers who use surface water to irrigate produce crops. Their concern was that the results of their current water tests were very different from their last tests and that levels of indicator organisms appeared to have increased dramatically. Ponds and lakes that are used for irrigation can be very dynamic. Research has shown that levels of indicator organisms can change dramatically in a very short time. Because surface water is open to the environment and unprotected, changes in temperature and weather can affect ponds and lakes. During the spring and autumn seasons, ponds and lakes undergo inversions, stirring up sediments that have settled on the bottom of the pond. Rainfall can also cause bottom sediments to be stirred up. Bottom sediments may contain any number of materials. Soil particles from runoff are one of the primary components. Decaying bits of plant and animal debris may also be found in bottom[Read More…]

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Vegetable Crops - General

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Food Safety / Irrigation / surface water

Temperature and Light Intensity in a High Tunnel Covered with 30% Black Shade Cloth

August 17, 2016

By: Wenjing Guan

Figure 1. A 30% black shade cloth was added to one of the high tunnels

We have discussed the pros and cons of using shade cloth for growing high tunnel tomatoes in this article https://vegcropshotline.org/article/whether-to-put-shade-cloth-on-high-tunnel-tomatoes/ Shade cloth helps with reducing temperatures inside the high tunnel. But it also reduces light intensity that is essential for photosynthesis. To better understand to what extent can temperature and light reduced with a shade cloth applied on top of a high tunnel, We did a comparison this summer at Southwest Purdue Agricultural Center, Vincennes, IN, with one high tunnel applied with 30% black shade cloth, and the adjacent one did not (Figure 1). The following figures (Figure 2 and 3) illustrate how temperature and light levels in the high tunnel were affected by the shade cloth in a typical sunny (July 23) and a cloudy day (July 2). On both days, about 10 degree difference of maximal temperatures were observed between the two tunnels. On the sunny day of July[Read More…]

Crops

Vegetable Crops - General

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Greenhouses & High Tunnels

High Tunnel Evaluation of Vertically-Grown Cantaloupe and Galia Melon Varieties and the Development of Best Production Practices for Indiana

August 17, 2016

By: Petrus Langenhoven

Figure 5: Tirreno, an Italian netted variety, orange flesh color

Indiana is a very important player in the domestic melon market. The total acreage planted in Indiana peaked in 1997 at 3,600 acres. In that year the total production was 455,000 cwt with an average income of $16.00 per cwt. The total farm value of production was $7,280,000 ($2,022 per acre). Yield has increased since 1997 from 130 cwt per acre to more than 200 cwt per acre in 2014. The Indiana melon growers have lost a significant share of the melon market since the 2011 and 2012 food borne illness outbreaks. Compared to 2011, the acreage planted and production in 2015 decreased by 900 acres and 52% (300,000 cwt), respectively. Quick Facts about Indiana Cantaloupe Transplant Production: March/April Planting Season: April – June Harvest Season: June – Sept. Plant Population (2.5 ft. x 6 ft.): 2,904 plants per acre Total acres planted: 2,100 acres (2013), 1,900 acres (2014), 1,800[Read More…]

Crops

Cantaloupe / Melons, Other

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Artificial Soils and Hydroponics / Crop Culture / Greenhouses & High Tunnels

The 2017 North Central Region – Sustainable Agriculture Research Calls for Proposals are Now Open

August 18, 2016

By: Roy W Ballard

Farmers and ranchers in the North Central region are invited to submit grant proposals to explore sustainable agriculture solutions to problems on the farm or ranch. Proposals should show how farmers and ranchers plan to use their own innovative ideas to explore sustainable agriculture options and how they will share project results. Sustainable agriculture is good for the environment, profitable, and socially responsible. Projects should emphasize research or education/demonstration. There are three types of competitive grants: individual grants ($7,500 maximum), team of two grants for two farmers/ranchers from separate operations who are working together ($15,000 maximum), and group grants for three or more farmers/ranchers from separate operations who are working together ($22,500 maximum). NCR-SARE will be accepting online submissions for the Farmer Rancher Grant Program. More information about the online submission system can be found in the call for proposals. Interested applicants can find the call for proposals online as[Read More…]

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Vegetable Crops - General

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Grant Opportunity

Pollinator Survey

August 18, 2016

By: Wenjing Guan

Important Input Needed! Clear Choices Clean Water, in cooperation with the Office of the Indiana State Chemist and the Purdue Pesticides Program, is conducting a survey to guide state-wide pollinator protection efforts. How does this impact you? More than 1/3 of all plants or plant products consumed by humans are dependent on insects for pollination. Please help impact future protection efforts by participating today. The first 500 respondents get a FREE 2-ounce bottle of local honey! The pollinator survey is at： https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/pollinate This information is adapted from official announcement of the survey.

Upcoming Events

August 18, 2016

By: Wenjing Guan

High Tunnel Tour at SWPAC Date: August 22, 2016 7:00 P.M. to 8:30 P.M. (EST) Location: Southwest Purdue Agricultural Center, 4369 North Purdue Road, Vincennes, IN 47591 Please join us for a high tunnel tour at the Southwest Purdue Ag Center. You will learn about high tunnel tomato diseases and management, end of season field sanitation, potential of grafting in high tunnel tomato production, use of shade cloth and sprayer calibration. Please feel free to bring samples for disease identification. The tour is free, to register please call (812) 886-0198. If you need transportation, please let us know. For more information please contact Dan Egel at egel@purdue.edu or Wenjing Guan at guan40@purdue.edu. Beginning Farmer Southeast Regional Workshop Date: August 20, 2016, noon -7:30 P.M. (EST) Location: Purdue Polytechnic-New Albany, 3000 Technology Ave, New Albany, IN 47150 The workshop will cover a wide range of topics including high tunnel and hoop houses, food safety, vegetable production, pricing products, beginning[Read More…]

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Events

Issue 619 - August 18, 2016

Cucurbit Downy Mildew Found in Indiana

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Corn Earworm

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What’s Causing My Water Test Results to Change?

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Temperature and Light Intensity in a High Tunnel Covered with 30% Black Shade Cloth

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High Tunnel Evaluation of Vertically-Grown Cantaloupe and Galia Melon Varieties and the Development of Best Production Practices for Indiana

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The 2017 North Central Region – Sustainable Agriculture Research Calls for Proposals are Now Open

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Pollinator Survey

Upcoming Events

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College of Ag Sites

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Issue 619 - August 18, 2016

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