Vegetable Crops Edition - Rutgers Plant and Pest Advisory

Farmer Health and Wellness Services Available for Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, and Atlantic Counties

Kate Brown — Mon, 17 Aug 2026 16:07:43 +0000

Could your farm or a local agricultural event benefit from free health and wellness services? The Pinelands Alliance, in partnership with NOFA-NJ and Virtua Health, was awarded a SARE grant entitled “Mobilizing for Farmer Wellness” which aims to bring health screenings and education to farmers and farmworkers in Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, and Atlantic Counties.

The following health and wellness services could be provided at individual farms or at community events. If you are interested or would like to learn more, please contact Annie Preston from the Pinelands Alliance at annie@pinelandsalliance.org or 301-675-0729.

Virtua Health Services (need 30 to 60 days advance notice)

Eat Well Mobile Grocery Store and Mobile Farmers Market – accepts SNAP, sometimes can be a free produce giveaway
Mobile Pediatric Screening Units: Screenings for children 6 and under: vision, hearing, dental, developmental; School and sports physicals for birth -12th grade; Flu vaccinations for all ages, including adults; Blood lead level screening for children under 6 and pregnant or lactating people
Women’s Cancer Screening for insured and uninsured patients – need a minimum of 15 people to pre-register
Cancer education
Stop the Bleed First Aid and Tourniquet Trainings (class for up to 24 people at a time)
Dietitians and nutrition educators
Blood pressure, cholesterol, and A1c screenings (A1c needs temperature-controlled environment).
Health Education and Stress First Aid
Speakers representing a variety of medical specialties (subject to availability)

Cherry Hill Free Clinic (need 2 weeks advance notice)

Men’s Cancer Screenings
Hepatology
Diabetes care
Vaccines (Gardasil, pneumovax, Shingrix).
20 medical specialties (subject to availability)
Patients can use their Uber business account to book rides to the clinic, lab, and imaging appointments
Remote patient monitoring including at-home glucometer kits, BP cuffs, and blood glucose implants. Good for up to 2 weeks before changed out.
Vaccines (Gardasil, pneumovax, Shingrix).
They can bring a Doctor/nurse practitioner who can write a prescription for meds on site.

Pesticide Recertification Credits Approved for: Agri-Technology, Nursery, Agronomy, Fruit and Vegetable Research Twilight Meeting at RAREC: Wednesday August 26, 2026

Ramandeep Kumar Sharma — Mon, 17 Aug 2026 13:39:32 +0000

NJDEP pesticide recertification credits approved for this meeting are: CORE (1), PP2 (4), 1A (4), and Category 10 (4).

Agri-Technology, Nursery, Agronomy, Fruit and Vegetable Research Twilight Meeting at RAREC

Wednesday August 26^th, 2026 (4 pm until dark)

Location: Rutgers Agricultural Research and Extension Center (RAREC), 121 Northville Road, Bridgeton, New Jersey 08302

Hosted by: Ramandeep Kumar Sharma, Patrick McMullen, and Andy Wyenandt

Questions? Contact: Andy Wyenandt (wyenandt@njaes.rutgers.edu)

This year’s twilight meeting at RAREC will showcase advances in crop production, integrated pest management, soil fertility, weed management, and innovative agricultural technologies for growers and stakeholders across the state.

Dan Ward, Director, RAREC. Welcome to RAREC
Wesley Kline, Cumberland County Agricultural Agent
- ‘Impact of Cyclospora on fruit and vegetable production’ CORE: 30 minutes
Tim Waller, Cumberland County RCE Nursery Agent.
- ‘Useful Nursery and Ornamental Crops and Considerations’
Raul Cabrera, Extension Specialist in Nursery Production and Management.
- ‘Recent developments on substrates (for container-grown crops)’
Dan Ward, Director, RAREC; Rutgers Agrivoltiacs Program.
- ‘Update on the agrivoltaics research program at Rutgers’
Ann Nielsen, Extension Specialist in Entomology
- Emma Waltman, PhD candidate, ‘Land-use around farms impacts stink bug biological control’
- Amanda Furuya, Post-Doctoral Associate, ‘Tackling Spotted Lanternfly in South Jersey Vineyards’
- Octavio Menocal Sandoval, Post-Doctoral Associate, ‘Updating Monitoring and Management for Codling Moth in Apple’
Thierry Besancon, Extension Weed Specialist for Specialty Crops.
- ‘Update on new technologies for weed management in vegetable crops’
Ramandeep Kumar Sharma, Salem County Agricultural Agent.
- ‘Optimizing Nitrogen Rate and Application Timing for Corn Yield and Quality’
- ‘Evaluation of Sulfur Fertilizer Sources and Application Rates for Optimizing Soybean Growth and Yield in Southern New Jersey’
Maria Cramer, Senior Program Coordinator, Vegetable IPM,
- ‘Thrips management in tomatoes’
Patrick McMullen, Atlantic County Agricultural Agent.
- ‘Wilts of cucurbits: Identification and management’
Andy Wyenandt, Extension Specialist in Vegetable Pathology.
- ‘Updates on vegetable disease control’

NJDEP pesticide recertification credits approved: CORE (1), PP2 (4), 1A (4), and Category 10 (4).

Vegetable IPM Update 8/14/26

Fri, 14 Aug 2026 23:37:38 GMT

Greetings from the Veg IPM team! Read more for the latest pest and disease updates.

Sweet Corn

Corn earworm trap counts spiked in much of New Jersey over the last week. Sprays should be initiated at 10% green silks, and continued in intervals as determined by your local CEW pheromone trap counts. Refer to the map below to see this week’s CEW pressure. Remember, when the average maximum temperature for the next 3 days is above 80 degrees, shorten the spray interval by one day. South of 195, every location has moth counts indicating that a 3 day interval is needed (or, every other day sprays with the current temperatures). In North Jersey pressure is lower, but increasing. Rotation is important for avoiding resistance, and there are four IRAC groups that are registered in silking sweet corn: 1 (carbamates), 3 (pyrethroids), 5 (spinosyns), and 28 (diamides). Corn earworm is at least partly resistant to several pyrethroids, so a spray program should not rely solely on pyrethroids, although they are useful in tank-mixes or as pre-mixed products, such as Besiege or Elevest (Group 28 + Group 3). For detailed information about resistance and potential spray programs, the University of Delaware has an excellent resource on corn earworm management.

Spray intervals based on nightly pheromone moth captures for the southern part of New Jersey. Note that not all locations in the IPM program are currently trapping. This map is based on the following thresholds: 0 moths = 6-7 day schedule, 1 moth = 5 day spray schedule, 2-20 moths = 4 day spray schedule, 20+ moths = 3 day spray schedule.

Caterpillar pests in the whorl and tassel stage. We’re starting to see above-threshold fall armyworm (FAW) infestations. Young larvae cause “window paning” damage, in which the top surface of the leaf is eaten away, leaving behind thin, white, membranous-looking scratch marks (A). As the larvae get bigger, these feeding marks become ragged holes (B). The damage can look similar to European corn borer feeding, but FAW damage will be more severe and will lead down into the whorl. The caterpillars have a dark head capsule with a distinct, inverted Y-shaped suture (C). They can also be identified by four dark dots arranged in a square on their last segments (D). We use a treatment threshold of 12% fresh feeding damage in pre-tassel corn. Below this level, treatments for FAW are unlikely to pay off and can flare up aphids. For treatment, we recommend using products other than diamides (IRAC Group 28), as diamides are important to save for silk protection. Effective products include Lannate (Group 1A), Radiant (Group 5), Intrepid (Group 18), Intrepid Edge (5+18), and Avaunt (Group 22). Note that Avaunt can only be used through tassel push.

Fall armyworm identification: A) Windowpane damage, B) ragged holes, C) larva with inverted “Y” on head capsule, and D) larva with 4 dots arranged in a square. Pictures by Maria Cramer.

Aphids. We’re seeing aphid infestations in corn tassels as well as on silking ears like in the picture below. Aphids don’t hurt the edible ear of corn, but in large numbers they can cause honeydew and sooty mold that reduce marketability. If you’re seeing a lot of aphids on corn tassels, you can start your CEW spray rotation with Lannate (group 1A), which has some efficacy for aphids. Come back a week later and check ear tips for aphid populations. If they are high, as in the below picture, use a product more targeted for aphids, such as Assail 30SG or 30 SC (group 4A), Transform WG (group 4C), or Sivanto Prime (group 4D). Keep in mind that Transform WG and Sivanto Prime have 7 day PHIs.

Corn leaf aphids on the tip of an ear. Note blue-green color with dark tail pipes (also called cornicles), legs, and antennae. Picture by Maria Cramer.

Tomatoes and Peppers

Thrips and TSWV. Thrips and tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) continue to be the main issue in tomatoes. The worst problems are in south Jersey, but isolated cases have been found in throughout the state in peppers and tomatoes. Growers should scout regularly for TSWV (see figure below for an example of a plant with TSWV) and rogue out affected plants to reduce risk of secondary spread. Often multiple plants will be affected and symptoms will appear over a couple of days or weeks, so keep checking the planting for plants that need to be rogued. If you need help identifying TSWV, please contact us with the form at the end of this post.

TSWV symptoms: A) Stunting of infected planted compared to healthy plants, and B) closeup of affected foliage showing curling and brown lesions. Pictures by Maria Cramer.

Second, scout plants for thrips. This is important before and after insecticide applications, because you need to know how well treatments worked. There is no established treatment threshold for thrips, especially when TSWV is a risk, although one adult western flower thrips (the TSWV vector) per flower has been suggested. In the veg IPM program, we typically scout foliage for thrips, as these are most likely to be western flower thrips, but at this point most of the thrips we are finding are western flower thrips, so we advise monitoring both flowers and foliage to get a sense of thrips pressure in a planting.

Thrips on a tomato leaf. Picture by Maria Cramer.

In cases where TSWV is scattered throughout a planting and thrips are present in high numbers in flowers, weekly sprays can help slow TSWV spread, but will not stop it. If you are spraying regularly for thrips, make sure to use effective products (see our previous article for a chart listing products and efficacy) and always rotate modes of action and follow seasonal limits.

Pay attention to fertility: over-fertilized plants are more attractive to thrips.

Thrips can move from older plantings to younger ones, carrying TSWV with them, so destroy older plantings as soon as harvest is done or if management becomes non-economical in order to prevent spread to younger plantings.

Spider mites. We have seen elevated spider mite counts in some tunnel and field tomatoes and peppers. Otherwise, tomatoes and peppers have been relatively free of aphids, stinkbugs, and caterpillars. When sampling spider mites on tomatoes, check 10 upper leaflets in at least 5 sites per field. Typically, the treatment threshold is 2 mites per leaflet on average (one of the individual leaves that makes up the compound tomato leaf). Keep in mind that in 2025 we saw miticide resistance on farms where crop rotation was limited and the same miticides were used for multiple years — If you apply a miticide, check whether the application has decreased mite populations, and if it did not work well, do not keep using it. Rotate between miticides and only treat when above threshold. Some products for spider mites in tomatoes include:

Nealta (group 25)
Oberon (group 23)
Portal (group 21A)
Agri-Mek (group 6) *7 day PHI
Kanemite (group 20B)
Acramite (group 20D) *3 day PHI
Incipio is also considered a very good miticide that also has activity against thrips. In cases where thrips and spidermites are both high, this may be a good choice.

Spider mite stippling on the top of tomato leaves. If you turn the leaf over, you will often see spidermites on the lower surface. When spidermite infestations are large they may be on both surfaces of the leaves. Picture by Maria Cramer.

Beet armyworm. We track beet armyworm with pheromone traps deployed in south Jersey. Beet armyworm is an occasional pest of peppers, swiss chard, and beets and can cause serious damage and crop loss if outbreaks occur unexpectedly. Our traps indicate that beet armyworm flights have remained low this week, with captures in Atlantic County below 2 moths per night for the last week, and captures in Salem County below 10 moths per night.

Cucurbits

Powdery mildew has been detected at low levels in most scouted fields. If you detect more than 1 leaf with lesions out of a 50 leaf sample, you should initiate your fungicide program. Anthracnose continues to be present in fields as well. Fungicides that control powdery mildew should also aid in controlling anthracnose.

Powdery mildew on pumpkin leaf. Photo by Amanda Quadrel.

Squash Bugs: We are still regularly seeing squash bug eggs and nymphs in many locations. If you are scouting your pumpkins and find that your plants have more than one egg mass or nymph cluster per plant on average, it may warrant treatment. Materials for squash bug treatment include Sivanto Prime (IRAC 4D), Cormoran (IRAC15+4A), Incipio (IRAC 30), and various neonicotinoids and pyrethroids. Treatments should target the nymphs, and coverage of the undersides of the leaves is essential.

Squash bug eggs (A), newly hatched nymphs (B), and an adult (C). Photos by Amanda Quadrel

Phytophthora Crown and Fruit Rot

Phytophthora lesions on a pumpkin fruit. Photo by Amanda Quadrel.

With the continuous rains and humid weather, we have seen increases in Phytophthora crown and fruit rot in pumpkin fields across the state. There are many materials available for control listed in the pumpkin/winter squash section of the Mid-Atlantic Production Guide. Tank mixing Phytophthora-labeled fungicides with fixed copper (except for Ranman- do not use copper with this material) can help suppress the disease.

Cucurbit Downy Mildew (CDM) Status: There still haven’t been any reports of downy mildew in New Jersey, however, with the recent storms coming up from the south, we are expecting to see it arrive on cucumbers and cantaloupes soon. We still have not detected CDM in our sentinel plots at the Snyder Farm in Pittstown and RAREC in Bridgeton. These plots contains two varieties of cucumber (a susceptible and resistant variety), watermelons, cantaloupe, and various types of winter squash. If we detect CDM, either in our sentinel plots or elsewhere in the state, we will send out an alert immediately, but the CDM IPM Pipe site can be used to see the most recent sightings of the disease throughout the country.

As a reminder, the new 2026/2027 Mid-Atlantic Commercial Vegetable Production Guide is now available for free online (click here) or as spiral-bound hard copies that can be purchased at your local county extension office. Consult this guide for a more comprehensive list of materials that are labeled for specific crops and pests.

We want to give a huge thanks to our scouting team for keeping an eye on things for us throughout the season!

North NJ: James Johnson, Shayne Miller, and Cassandra Dougherty

South NJ: Alex White, Renee Carter, Peter Combs, and Kris Szymanski

Authors: Amanda Quadrel (Northern NJ Veg IPM coordinator) and Maria Cramer (Southern NJ Veg IPM coordinator)

Questions or comments? Contact us below:

[contact-form]

Vegetable IPM Update 8/7/26

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 21:15:36 GMT

Greetings from the Veg IPM team! Read more for the latest pest and disease updates.

Sweet Corn

Pressure in the north is beginning to increase as we are seeing more storms moving in from the south. Sprays should be initiated at 10% green silks, and continued in intervals as determined by your local CEW pheromone trap counts. Refer to the map below to see this week’s CEW pressure. In South and Central Jersey, the pressure is quite high (3-4 day spray intervals), and North Jersey pressure is lower, but increasing. Remember, when the average maximum temperature for the next 3 days is above 80 degrees, shorten the spray interval by one day. Rotation is important for avoiding resistance, and there are four IRAC groups that are registered in silking sweet corn: 1 (carbamates), 3 (pyrethroids), 5 (spinosyns), and 28 (diamides). Corn earworm is at least partly resistant to several pyrethroids, so a spray program should not rely solely on pyrethroids, although they are useful in tank-mixes or as pre-mixed products, such as Besiege or Elevest (Group 28 + Group 3). For detailed information about resistance and potential spray programs, the University of Delaware has an excellent resource on corn earworm management.

Caterpillar pests in the whorl and tassel stage. We have been seeing sporadic fall armyworm infestations at various levels throughout the state. Young larvae cause “window paning” damage, in which the top surface of the leaf is eaten away, leaving behind thin, white, membranous-looking scratch marks (A). As the larvae get bigger, these feeding marks become ragged holes (B). The damage can look similar to European corn borer feeding, but FAW damage will be more severe and will lead down into the whorl. The caterpillars have a dark head capsule with a distinct, inverted Y-shaped suture (C). They can also be identified by four dark dots arranged in a square on their last segments (D). We use a treatment threshold of 12% fresh feeding damage in pre-tassel corn. Below this level, treatments for FAW are unlikely to pay off and can flare up aphids. For treatment, we recommend using products other than diamides (IRAC Group 28), as diamides are important to save for silk protection. Effective products include Lannate (Group 1A), Radiant (Group 5), Intrepid (Group 18), Intrepid Edge (5+18), and Avaunt (Group 22). Note that Avaunt can only be used through tassel push.

Fall armyworm identification: A) Windowpane damage, B) ragged holes, C) larva with inverted “Y” on head capsule, and D) larva with 4 dots arranged in a square. Pictures by Maria Cramer.

Aphids. We’re seeing aphid infestations in corn tassels. We are beginning to scout corn silks for heavy aphid pressure, like in the picture below. Aphids don’t hurt the edible ear of corn, but in large numbers they can cause honeydew and sooty mold that reduce marketability. If you’re seeing a lot of aphids on corn tassels, you can start your CEW spray rotation with Lannate (group 1A), which has some efficacy for aphids. Come back a week later and check ear tips for aphid populations. If they are high, as in the below picture, use a product more targeted for aphids, such as Assail 30SG or 30 SC (group 4A), Transform WG (group 4C), or Sivanto Prime (group 4D). Keep in mind that Transform WG and Sivanto Prime have 7 day PHIs.

Corn leaf aphids on the tip of an ear. Note blue-green color with dark tail pipes (also called cornicles), legs, and antennae. Picture by Maria Cramer.

Tomatoes and Peppers

TSWV symptoms: A) Stunting of infected planted compared to healthy plants, and B) closeup of affected foliage showing curling and brown lesions. Pictures by Maria Cramer.

Thrips on a tomato leaf. Picture by Maria Cramer.

Pay attention to fertility: over-fertilized plants are more attractive to thrips.

Nealta (group 25)
Oberon (group 23)
Portal (group 21A)
Agri-Mek (group 6) *7 day PHI
Kanemite (group 20B)
Acramite (group 20D) *3 day PHI
Incipio is also considered a very good miticide that also has activity against thrips. In cases where thrips and spidermites are both high, this may be a good choice.

Cucurbits

Powdery mildew on pumpkin leaf. Photo by Amanda Quadrel.

Bacterial Diseases: Bacterial diseases are still present at low levels in many fields. Bacterial diseases can be difficult to manage, and heavy rainfall will encourage spread of the disease. Regular copper sprays plus mancozeb may help reduce spread in the field. If possible, try to avoid overhead irrigation or working in the plants when they are wet.

Squash bug eggs (A), newly hatched nymphs (B), and an adult (C). Photos by Amanda Quadrel

We want to give a huge thanks to our scouting team for keeping an eye on things for us throughout the season!

North NJ: James Johnson, Shayne Miller, and Cassandra Dougherty

South NJ: Alex White, Renee Carter, Peter Combs, and Kris Szymanski

Authors: Amanda Quadrel (Northern NJ Veg IPM coordinator) and Maria Cramer (Southern NJ Veg IPM coordinator)

Questions or comments? Contact us below:

[contact-form]

Blueberry Webinar Series September 2026 – Registration is Open!

Janine Spies — Fri, 07 Aug 2026 18:04:02 +0000

Registration is open for a 4-part live virtual webinar series for commercial blueberry producers co-organized by Rutgers University and Penn State University. Scan the QR-code on the attached flyer or follow the link to register: https://extension.psu.edu/commercial-blueberry-update

When: Tuesdays, September 8, 15, 22, and 29, 2026
(11:00 AM-12:30 PM ET)

Registration deadline: September 7, 2026

Registration fee: $20

NJ recertification credits are available:

Certification Area 1A (Agricultural Plant): 2 units
Certification Area 10 (Demonstration and Research): 2 units
Private Applicator Category (PP2): 2 units

Registration is required to receive the link to access the webinar.

Farming Twilight Meeting

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 13:48:20 GMT

October 22, 2026
6:00PM – 8:30 PM

Location:
1076 Seahorse Winery
Seashore Road
Cape May NJ 08204

Program

6:00 PM – Registration / Light Refreshments

6:15 PM – Welcome – Claudia Gil Arroyo, County Agent III, Rutgers Cooperative Extension of
Cape May County; Rutgers NJAES

6:20 PM – James Shope, PhD., Assistant Extension Specialist in Climate Services
Department of Environmental Sciences, SEBS, New Brunswick; Rutgers NJAES

6:50 PM – Joseph Heckman, PhD., Extension Specialist – Soil Fertility, Department of Plant Biology, SEBS, New Brunswick; Rutgers NJAES

7:20 PM – David Hlubik, Burlington County Agent III, Rutgers Cooperative Extension of
Burlington County; Rutgers NJAES

7:50 PM – Patrick McMullen, County Agent III, Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Atlantic
County; Commercial Vegetable Production; Rutgers NJAES

Light refreshments will be served.

The following pesticide recertification credits will be awarded:

Please RSVP by October 20, 2025:
Jocelyn Shillingford 609-465-5115 ext. 3607 or capemayag@njaes.rutgers.edu

Research Twilight Meeting for Vegetable Growers – RSVP by August 10

Kate Brown — Thu, 06 Aug 2026 17:30:55 +0000

Join us for a Research Twilight Meeting at the picturesque Rutgers Snyder Research and Extension Farm on Wednesday, August 12, 2026! Attendees will gain practical information on management of corn earworm and cucurbit downy mildew paired with timely reminders on resistance management. We will tour the research plots and share updates on the current research activities underway, including new technology (drones, biodegradable mulch, autonomous robots) and updates on the IR-4 and tomato breeding programs. See the full agenda below.

Pesticide recertification credits have been approved for CORE (1), PP2 (3), 1A (3), and 10 (3).

The meeting will be held from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM. Arrive on time for a light dinner thanks to sponsorship from the Vegetable Growers Association of New Jersey. Please note the address of the farm is 140 Locust Grove Rd, Pittstown, NJ 08867.

We request that you RSVP by August 10 so we may plan for the meal and the number of wagons needed. To RSVP, please complete this form or contact Ashley Higgins at higgins@somersetcountynj.gov or 908-526-6293.

5:00 PM – Sign-In at Main Building, Load Wagon, Welcome Remarks

5:15 PM – Insecticide Resistance: Recognition and Management (30 min)

Grayson Tung, Senior Coordinator, Pesticide Safety Education Program (PSEP), Rutgers University

5:45 PM – Corn Earworm Management: Bt Corn Variety Trial & Alternative Insecticides (30 min)

David Hlubik, Agricultural Agent, Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Burlington County
Amanda Quadrel, Senior IPM Program Coordinator, Rutgers Cooperative Extension

6:15 PM – Biodegradable Plastic Mulch Evaluation in Tomato (15 min)

David Hlubik, Agricultural Agent, Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Burlington County

6:30 PM – Drone-Seeded Cover Crops into a Standing Pumpkin Crop (15 min)

Kate Brown, Agricultural Agent, Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Somerset County
Peter Nitzsche, Agricultural Agent, Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Morris County

6:45 PM – Cucurbit Downy Mildew: Monitoring and Management (30 min)

Amanda Quadrel, Senior IPM Program Coordinator, Rutgers Cooperative Extension
Andy Wyenandt, Extension Specialist in Vegetable Pathology, Rutgers NJAES
Stephen Komar, Agricultural Agent, Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Sussex County
Peter Nitzsche, Agricultural Agent, Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Morris County

7:15 PM – Updates from the Scarlet Sunrise Tomato Breeding Program (15 min)

Peter Nitzsche, Agricultural Agent, Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Morris County

7:30 PM – Organic, Interrow Weed Management in Bell Pepper: An Economic Comparison (15 min)

Kate Brown, Agricultural Agent, Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Somerset County
Meredith Melendez, Agricultural Agent, Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Mercer County
Sophie Lee, Extension Specialist in Farm Viability, Rutgers NJAES
Thierry Besanҫon, Extension Specialist in Weed Science for Specialty Crops, Rutgers NJAES

7:45 PM – Overview of the IR-4 Project and On-Site Trials (15 min)

Peter Nitzsche, Agricultural Agent, Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Morris County
Jennifer Fisher, Field Research Director, IR-4 Project, Rutgers University

8:00 PM – Return to Main Building, Sign Out, and Depart

Pesticide Credits Assigned- Specialty Crop Twilight Meeting August 20

Wed, 05 Aug 2026 17:26:25 GMT

Pesticide credits have been assigned for this event:

CORE (1), PP2 (1), 1A (1), 10 (1)

Join us at the Rutgers Specialty Crop Research and Extension Station on Thursday August 20, 2026 for a Specialty Crop Twilight Meeting. The event will run from 5:30pm to 7:30pm and will be held at 283 Route 539, Cream Ridge, NJ 08514.

This event will be a great opportunity for growers to see a demonstration of eight biodegradable plastic mulches and various ornamental nursery crops in a field setting. The full agenda is below.

This event is free, but pre-registration is required:

Please RSVP by August 13th to reserve your spot:

Contact Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Monmouth County

at 732-431-7260 or Catherine.vanBenschoten@co.monmouth.nj.us

5:30 PM – Sign-In, Light Dinner Served

5:55 PM – Welcome Remarks

6:00 PM – Pesticide Safety: Reading the Label and Selecting the Proper Product

David Hlubik, Agricultural Agent, Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Burlington County

6:30 PM – Biodegradable Plastic Mulch for Tomato Production (Field Tour)

David Hlubik, Agricultural Agent, Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Burlington County

7:00 PM – Blight Resistant Boxwoods and Alternative Shrubs (Field Tour)

William Errickson, Agricultural Agent, Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Monmouth County

Special thanks to the Vegetable Growers Association of New Jersey for sponsoring dinner!

Introduction to GAP Audit Prep – Online Training

Meredith Melendez — Wed, 05 Aug 2026 17:00:34 +0000

GAPs for fruit and vegetable producers: GAP audit prep and food safety plan writing workshop
Presented by educators from University of Minnesota, Colorado State University, Kansas State University, and Rutgers Cooperative Extension. August 19th 9:30 – 2:30.

Using good food safety practices on your farm can reduce risks of foodborne illness, improve product quality and open new markets. Join national experts and experienced farmers for a deep dive into on-farm food safety practices you can use right now to reduce risks related to your fresh produce. The day will include practical guidance, tips and science-based best practices to ensure your produce is safe, fresh and wholesome. Register online. (registration form will indicate CST zone)

The course consists of two parts:

The morning is the educational training on GAPs concepts on the farm
The afternoon is preparing for and passing a GAP audit for your farm.

You can opt to attend just the morning, just the afternoon, or both sessions.

All attendees of the morning session will receive a certificate of attendance.

Morning: 9:30 – 1:30 EST: GAPs for fruit and vegetable farms

-Deep dive into best practices for the production and postharvest handling of fresh fruits and vegetables to reduce potential for contamination with foodborne pathogens

-Topics will include compost/manure use, water testing, safely washing vegetables, sanitizer use and guidelines, packing area designs and ideas, coolers, managing wildlife and pets, low-cost handwashing stands, employee training and more

-Time for questions and discussion about using the practices on your farm

Afternoon: 2:00 – 4:30 EST – Prepare for a GAP audit and write a food safety plan

-Do you want to prepare for and pass a GAP audit to sell your fresh produce to a buyer who requires it?

-The session will help cover the GAP audit process and your food safety plan so that you can pass an audit if needed.

-A farmer and educator from K-State will share what he has learned from years of passing GAP audits on his farm (costs, who to contact, what to expect), how to create a farm map, records, and reviewing the core aspects of a food safety plan. You will have all the information you need to prepare the needed documents for a GAPs audit.

-Note that the workshop will focus on the GAP/GHP audit, and will also provide information on the Harmonized GAP and the Harmonized GAP Plus+ audit.

Choose either the morning session only, afternoon session only, or the full day training (both are included for the $20 course fee). All participants of the morning session will receive a certificate of attendance.

Save the Date for Salem County Agronomy Twilight Meeting-2

Ramandeep Kumar Sharma — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 19:04:49 +0000

Salem County Agronomy Twilight Meeting- 2

Monday, August 31, 2026

6:00 pm – 8:30 pm

Rutgers Cooperative Extension

51 Cheney Rd, Woodstown, NJ

(program starts at 6 pm; please arrive earlier)

Please Save the Date!

To register

856-769-0090

e_dehart@salemcountynj.gov

Schedule & Topics to be Covered

6:00 pm Welcome & Introduction

– Salvatore Mangiafico and Ramandeep Sharma, Rutgers Cooperative Extension (Salem County)

6:15 pm Planting Timing and Nutrient Availability in Corn and Soybean Systems

– Jarrod Miller, University of Delaware

6:45 pm Sweet Corn Pest Management Updates: Scouting, IPM Strategies, and Responsible Pesticide Use

– Amanda Quadrel, Rutgers Cooperative Extension

7:15 pm Assessment of Agricultural Crop Damage by Black Bear in New Jersey

– Salvatore Mangiafico, Rutgers Cooperative Extension (Salem County)

7:45 pm Corn Lodging Insights and Agronomic Research Updates

– Ramandeep Sharma, Rutgers Cooperative Extension (Salem County)

8:15 pm Wrap-Up, Evaluations, & Pesticide Credit Submissions

– Salvatore Mangiafico and Ramandeep Sharma, Rutgers Cooperative Extension (Salem County)

Pesticide Recertification Credits Applied for:

CORE (1), 1A (2), PP2 (2), and 10 (1). Credits are pending NJDEP approval.

Vegetable IPM Update 7/31/26

Sat, 01 Aug 2026 01:44:33 GMT

Greetings from the Veg IPM team! Read more for the latest pest and disease updates.

Sweet Corn

Sprays should be initiated at 10% green silks, and continued in intervals as determined by your local CEW pheromone trap counts. Refer to the map below to see this week’s CEW pressure. In South and Central Jersey, the pressure is quite high (3-4 day spray intervals), and North Jersey pressure is lower, but increasing. Remember, when the average maximum temperature for the next 3 days is above 80 degrees, shorten the spray interval by one day. Rotation is important for avoiding resistance, and there are four IRAC groups that are registered in silking sweet corn: 1 (carbamates), 3 (pyrethroids), 5 (spinosyns), and 28 (diamides). Corn earworm is at least partly resistant to several pyrethroids, so a spray program should not rely solely on pyrethroids, although they are useful in tank-mixes or as pre-mixed products, such as Besiege or Elevest (Group 28 + Group 3). For detailed information about resistance and potential spray programs, the University of Delaware has an excellent resource on corn earworm management.

Fall armyworm identification: A) Windowpane damage, B) ragged holes, C) larva with inverted “Y” on head capsule, and D) larva with 4 dots arranged in a square. Pictures by Maria Cramer.

Tomatoes and Peppers

TSWV symptoms: A) Stunting of infected planted compared to healthy plants, and B) closeup of affected foliage showing curling and brown lesions. Pictures by Maria Cramer.

Thrips on a tomato leaf. Picture by Maria Cramer.

Pay attention to fertility: over-fertilized plants are more attractive to thrips.

If late plantings are planted near earlier plantings that have TSWV infections, thrips are very likely to spread to the late plantings bringing the virus with them. You may need to initiate sprays sooner on these later plantings under these circumstances, and other interventions, like using metallized plastic will provide less protection. Additionally, destroy older plantings as soon as harvest is done or if management becomes non-economical in order to prevent spread to younger plantings.

Nealta (group 25)
Oberon (group 23)
Portal (group 21A)
Agri-Mek (group 6) *7 day PHI
Kanemite (group 20B)
Acramite (group 20D) *3 day PHI
Incipio is also considered a very good miticide that also has activity against thrips. In cases where thrips and spidermites are both high, this may be a good choice.

Beet armyworm. We track beet armyworm with pheromone traps deployed in south Jersey. Beet armyworm is an occasional pest of peppers, swiss chard, and beets and can cause serious damage and crop loss if outbreaks occur unexpectedly. Our traps indicate that beet armyworm flights have been low so far, with captures in Atlantic County below 2 moths per night for the last week, and captures in Salem County below 12 moths per night.

Cucurbits

Powdery mildew has been detected at very low levels in scouted fields where there are fruits on the plant. If you detect more than 1 leaf with lesions out of a 50 leaf sample, you should initiate your fungicide program. Anthracnose continues to be present, although the dry weather seems to have prevented it from spreading in most locations. Fungicides that control powdery mildew should also aid in controlling anthracnose.

Powdery mildew on pumpkin leaf. Photo by Amanda Quadrel.

Squash bug eggs (A), newly hatched nymphs (B), and an adult (C). Photos by Amanda Quadrel

Cucurbit Downy Mildew (CDM) Status: There have not been any new reports of CDM this week on the IPMPipe website for CDM. So far, we still have not detected CDM in our sentinel plots at the Snyder Farm in Pittstown and RAREC in Bridgeton. These plots contains two varieties of cucumber (a susceptible and resistant variety), watermelons, cantaloupe, and various types of winter squash. If we detect CDM, either in our sentinel plots or elsewhere in the state, we will send out an alert immediately, but the IPMPipe site can be used to see the most recent sightings of the disease throughout the country.

We want to give a huge thanks to our scouting team for keeping an eye on things for us throughout the season!

North NJ: James Johnson, Shayne Miller, and Cassandra Dougherty

South NJ: Alex White, Renee Carter, Peter Combs, and Kris Szymanski

Authors: Amanda Quadrel (Northern NJ Veg IPM coordinator) and Maria Cramer (Southern NJ Veg IPM coordinator)

Questions or comments? Contact us below:

[contact-form]