So far it appears that populations of striped cucumber beetles appear to be low to moderate in most areas. The often cool and/or wet weather may be suppressing their activity currently, so be prepared if we get a period of warm, dry weather. Remember that cantaloupes and cucumbers are most susceptible to bacterial wilt, so…Read more about Striped Cucumber Beetles[Read More]
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Indiana is working on a state pollinator protection plan, which is being spearheaded by the Office of the Indiana State Chemist with input from various stakeholders, including growers, farm chemical company representatives and beekeepers. A large part of the plan will involve protecting bees from pesticides. This plan is part of a national movement initiated…Read more about Notes on Recent Pollinator Health Initiatives[Read More]
Blossom end rot of tomato has been showing up in some protected growing structures. This article reviews the disorder and summarizes preventive practices. Blossom end rot is a physiological disorder caused by a deficient supply of calcium to the developing fruit. It is a common problem on tomatoes, but can also occur on peppers, eggplants,…Read more about Blossom End Rot of Tomato[Read More]
During the past two weeks, I am aware of two beehives that were almost decimated when insecticides were used nearby. In both cases, the commercial applicators had used the DriftWatch program before spraying to look for sensitive crops or bees near the targeted crop. However, neither hive was recorded in DriftWatch. DriftWatch is a web-based program to help…Read more about DriftWatch.org Worth the Effort[Read More]
2015 marks the 40th year of my career as an entomologist and I still am surprised on a regular basis by how insects behave. I put out a corn earworm pheromone trap on May 14 and immediately caught 7 moths that night. Over the next three nights, I caught 36 moths. Typically, the few earworms…Read more about Corn Earworms[Read More]
Striped cucumber beetles are emerging from their overwintering habitat in southern Indiana. This pest can damage cucurbit crops in several ways. One that I saw this week is that they can kill young transplants by their direct feeding. Of more critical concern usually is their ability to transmit the bacterium that causes bacterial wilt of…Read more about Striped Cucumber Beetles[Read More]
It’s early in the growing season, but I am already receiving calls about aphids on melons. We had lots of problems with aphids in 2013 and not very many last year. Particularly at this time of year, I’m recommending Assail® for aphid control on melons for several reasons. First, it does an excellent job killing…Read more about Aphids on Melons[Read More]
I have received calls about seedcorn maggots in melons and have seen wireworm damage in my research plots in Vincennes. Seedcorn maggots are usually associated with cool weather since the adult flies will not lay their eggs near melons plants when the soil temperature exceeds 70°F. So the cool weather we have had this past…Read more about Seedcorn Maggots and Wireworms[Read More]
In March 2015 the Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture appointed Dr. Petrus Langenhoven as Horticulture and Hydroponics Crop Specialist. During the past 18 years Dr. Petrus Langenhoven has dedicated his career to the development of the horticulture sector in Sub-Saharan Africa. His career started off at the Agricultural Research Council in Stellenbosch, South Africa….Read more about Exciting Future for Horticulture in Indiana[Read More]
A field day will be held on July 9 to share with the public the various research activities at the Southwest Purdue Agricultural Center in Vincennes, IN. The day will start at 7:30 A.M. with a health fair. Registration starts at 8:30 A.M. Presentation topics include: managing cucumber beetles while protecting bees, production of vegetables…Read more about Southwest Purdue Agricultural Center Field Day[Read More]
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