Dear Valued Vegetable Crops Hotline Readers, Welcome to issue 775 of the Vegetable Crops Hotline newsletter! Our mission remains steadfast: to deliver crucial updates on pest management, production practices, food safety, and marketing opportunities that directly impact your farming operations. Growers and Purdue Extension Educators, your input and expertise make this newsletter a truly useful…Read more about From The Editor’s Desk[Read More]
As we move through the growing season, several foliar diseases continue to be observed in watermelon fields across Indiana. The most common diseases this year have been Alternaria leaf blight and gummy stem blight, while anthracnose has been detected less frequently than in previous seasons. Because these diseases can cause similar symptoms in the field,…Read more about Common Foliar Diseases Observed in Indiana Watermelon Fields This Season[Read More]
Cyclospora has been making headlines recently as a multistate outbreak of cyclosporiasis continues to grow. The illness, caused by the parasite Cyclospora, can lead to severe diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, fatigue and body aches. You can read more about Cyclospora from the International Fresh Produce Association. Based on traceback information, investigators recently identified shredded iceberg lettuce…Read more about Cyclospora Resources for Consumers and Produce Growers[Read More]
Have you taken a close look at pumpkin or squash fields recently? In June and early July, pumpkin plantings at Pinney Purdue Ag Center in Northwest Indiana, the following insects were observed this week. See the Midwest Vegetable Production Guide for management recommendations. Squash Bee Squash bees collecting nectar from a female pumpkin flower. These…Read more about Pumpkin Insect Observations[Read More]
Aside from southern and far northern Indiana, the rest of the state has generally received below-normal precipitation over the past 30 days (Figure 1). While only a few localized areas show percentages below the 30 percent-of-normal level (one of the factors considered to recommend the Abnormally Dry (D0) classification to the U.S. Drought Monitor authors),…Read more about Dry Conditions in the Forecast – Drought Developing?[Read More]
The 2026 Purdue Fruit and Vegetable Field Day, held July 16 at the Meigs/Throckmorton Purdue Agriculture Center, brought together 58 attendees for a full afternoon of hands-on demonstrations spanning entomology, plant pathology, horticulture, and specialty crop research. The turnout included a large contingent from Corteva, alongside growers, Extension educators, and researchers from across the region…Read more about Purdue Fruit and Vegetable Field Day Draws Strong Crowd to Meigs/Throckmorton[Read More]
The Purdue Small Farm Education Field Day was held July 23 at the Purdue Student Farm in West Lafayette, drawing 48 attendees from across Indiana for a day of hands-on demonstrations tailored to small-scale and diversified growers. Topics ranged from cut flower production and season extension to nematode management, postharvest sanitation, and mushroom cultivation, with…Read more about Purdue Student Farm Hosts a Full House for Small Farm Education Field Day[Read More]
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