Fumigant Label Changes: Learn about them on January 29

Soil Fumigant Phase 2 Labels have taken effect.  These new labels have some significant changes that will impact all growers who utilize soil fumigants.  To learn more about fumigants and implementation of the labels visit the EPA's Soil Fumigant Toolbox.

On Tuesday January 29th, the NC Cooperative Extension Service in collaboration with Southern States and the NC Department of Agriculture will hold a meeting on the new fumigant labels.   This meeting will begin at 8:30 am and will be held at the Buncombe County Cooperative Extension Office located at 94 Coxe Ave in Asheville.

Below you will find the agenda for this meeting.

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8:30 am – 9:00 am	Breakfast and Introduction
9:00 am – 10:00 am	What you need to know about the changes in Fumigant Labeling for 2013 Bruce Nicely – NC Pesticide Inspector Charlie Clark – NC Pesticide Inspector
10:00 am – 11:00 am	RUP Record Keeping and Storage Sue Colucci Area Specialized Agent, Agriculture
11:00 am – 11:30 am	Questions

Pesticide Use and IPM

I think many of you will find this statement interesting and very applicable for both conventional and organic producers of all crops.


Statement on “Least Toxic” & “Last Resort”

Recommendations and decisions to use “least toxic pesticides” and “pesticides as a last resort” have flourished in the last decade, but according to three scientific organizations – the Weed Science Society of America (WSSA), the American Phytopathological Society (APS) and the Plant-Insect Ecosystems Section of the Entomological Society of America (P-IE ESA) – these are not the correct approaches to the pesticide component of an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program. The three organizations have joined to take an objective look at these two descriptions and prepared a position statement.

It is essential to practice integrated pest management (IPM), whether managing weeds, insect pests or plant disease - on the farm, on commercial sites, on public lands, or in or around the home. Key components of IPM include making the habitat unfavorable for pests, excluding pests where feasible, using proper sanitation practices, monitoring the infestation level, knowing the pest tolerance level for the specific situation and implementing the necessary management practices. Judicious use of pesticides is a critical component of many IPM programs.

Judicious (careful) use refers to various practices - following all label directions and making all appropriate stewardship decisions required in the particular situation. This includes applying a product registered for the target pest(s) after accurate pest identification, and consideration of the level of infestation and the potential for economic, health or other negative pest impacts. Careful use extends beyond pesticides to household chemicals, automobiles, medicines, alcoholic beverages, and countless other products that are part of our daily lives.

“Least toxic” implies there are pesticides available for every pest spectrum that are least toxic to everything else. This is not true. The toxicity of a pesticide depends on what is being evaluated and who or what may be affected. It is also important to remember that toxicity is not the same as risk, which is dependent on both toxicity and exposure. The risk associated with the use of pesticides and other chemicals is managed by establishing safe exposure levels based on the toxicity specific to each product. Assigning a “most” or “least” toxic rating does not equate to actual risk when the product is properly applied.

“Last resort” implies that pesticides will work as well when every non-chemical control technique is attempted first. However, delaying application of a pesticide can cause buildup of the pest(s) in crops, gardens, buildings and other sites, with negative impacts on yield, quality and/or health. In fact, delaying treatment can significantly increase the ecological and economic damage to crop and non-crop areas.

Using pesticides as the last line of defense can result in a more limited choice of pesticides, as well as reduced crop tolerance, the need for higher rates, and less effective control because of higher infestation levels and/or more tolerant pest stages. For example, seedling weeds and early-stage insect larvae and diseases are usually more easily controlled than later pest stages. Effective pesticide choices, when they are applied as a “last resort,” means fewer options to rotate pesticides, which is a critical step in preventing a pest from becoming resistant to a pesticide. “Last resort” pesticide strategies may also increase the need for multiple products and higher application rates to control the pest effectively. The term also suggests pesticides are always the worst choice, which is not true. First using non-chemical techniques that are ineffective or inefficient has the potential to add to the cost of pest management, intensify the pest problem or create new problems.

Finally, by branding pesticides as the “last resort” choice certainly does not stimulate a strong public interest in funding education on their proper use. Pesticides are widely used, but discretionary federal funding of the U.S. Pesticide Safety Education Program has been eliminated in 2011 and 2012.

This program is vital to educate pesticide users and dealers who must be certified to apply or sell pesticides, and to teach the public how to use pesticides safely. There is no benefit or scientific basis to simplistic messages like “use least toxic pesticides as a last resort” for the large number of pesticide users who apply pesticides according to the label and practice good stewardship. Nor are these messages beneficial for those who neither seek training nor adequately read the label believing instead that it is safe, practical, and effective to simply choose a product considered a “least toxic pesticide” and apply it only as a “last resort.” These messages hinder pesticide safety and stewardship education and practices that are in the best interest of the pesticide user, our food supply, public health and ecosystem preservation.

(WSSA/APS/P-IE ESA joint statement, 11/12/12).

Pesticide Disposal Day August 1

Henderson County Cooperative Extension and the NC Department of Agriculture are hosting a Pesticide Disposal Day!

Who: Farmers, Gardeners and Homeowners

What: Any pesticide (insecticide, herbicides, fungicides, etc.)  NO PAINT

When: Wednesday August 1, 2012

Where: Jackson Park Field 8-9 Parking Lot.  Hendersonville, NC

Contact:  Henderson County Cooperative Extension, 828-697-4891

Provisions: Register with Cooperative Extension.  No unlabeled products will be accepted.

Winter Vegetable Meeting 2012

The 44th Annual NC Tomato Growers Meeting and Winter Vegetable Conference and Trade Show is taking place on February 22-23 at the Crowne Plaza Resort in Asheville.

This is the premier vegetable conference and trade show for western NC.

Topics include:

• Emerging insect pests for vegetables (brown marmorated stink bug and kudzu bug)
• Emerging diseases of tomato
• Marketing opportunities, featuring a panel of local experts including representatives from Ingles, Custom Pak and Bejo Seeds
• Weed management
• Grafting for disease management
• Irrigation management
• Physiological disorders of vegetables (identification and control)
• Vegetable for human health
• Labor update
• East Coast broccoli project update
• Colored and green bell peppers
• Twospotted spider mite management
• Tomato breeding update

Pesticide credits will be available.

Also, new this year we will be conducting a survey of vegetable growers in order to find out what it important to you! This will be an interactive survey with anonymous audience participation (sound intriguing, huh?).

View the complete schedule.

Visit www.nctomatoes.com for more information or to register.

How Does Bt Work?

Some of you may be interested in this information especially in light of the Bt resistance that has been identified: Researchers Identify Insect Resistant to Bt Pesticide.

Thanks to Gene McAvoy in Hendery County Florida for passing along this great info!

Bacillus thuringiensis, the active ingredient in the “Bt” insecticides, is a commonly occurring soil bacterium that was first discovered in 1901. Since their commercial introduction in the 1950’s, Bt products have become the most successful and widely used of the biopesticides.

Insecticidal activity of Bt derives from proteins that are produced and crystallize during bacterial sporulation (thus referred to as “Cry” toxins).

Most Bt products contain a mixture of Bt spores and toxin crystals. When a caterpillar ingests Bt, the crystals are dissolved in the alkaline gut environment. The insect’s own digestive enzymes convert the protein to an activated “delta endotoxin” which binds irreversibly to receptor molecules on the surface of cells lining the insect’s midgut, opening holes in the membrane that destroy the cellular lining of the digestive tract. The larva stops feeding (typically within hours) and may die quickly from septicemia as Bt and other spores in its food germinate, or may linger and die eventually of starvation.

Many different subspecies and strains of Bt have been described, producing different combinations of unique Cry toxins. Bt insecticides used for worm control are based on two of these subspecies which produce a few important Cry toxins.

Bt subspecies kurstaki (Btk) products such as Javelin®, Deliver®, and Dipel® contain primarily Cry1A and Cry2 toxins. These give broad spectrum activity against loopers, diamondback moth, imported cabbage worm, tomato fruitworm/corn earworm, tobacco budworm, hornworms, and other defoliating caterpillars common to vegetable production.

Xentari® and Agree® are based on Bt subspecies aizawai, which produces another toxin (Cry1C) effective against beet armyworm and other Spodoptera species, which are not very sensitive to Cry1A toxins.

Agree® contains a “hybrid” Bta, the offspring of a cross (transconjugation) between parent strains of Bta and Btk. As a result, Agree contains Cry1Ac (from Btk) in addition to Cry1C (from Bta). Other products such as Condor® represent unique combinations of Cry toxins resulting from transconjugation between different Btk strains.

Still other advanced Bt’s are products of genetic engineering to create unique Cry toxin combinations or higher levels of expression. CryMax® is such a recombinant Btk product, producing high levels of Cry1Ac in addition to Cry1C. Lepinox® is engineered for high expression of a combined Cry1Ac/Cry1F toxin particularly effective against fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda), which is not highly susceptible to other Cry toxins.

All Bt products must be ingested by the target caterpillars in order to be effective, and small larvae in earlier stages of development are more susceptible than large, mature larva. This means that proper spray timing and technique are important to ensure that vulnerable plant tissues are uniformly covered by Bt spray deposits when young larvae are actively feeding. Worms that enter fruit or stems soon after egg hatch (such as squash vine borer, melon worm, and European corn borer) or are protected within mined or rolled leaves (such tomato pinworm) are susceptible to Bt if applied before they enter these protected environments.

Bt is not a systemic insecticide and tends to have shorter residual effect compared to many chemical insecticides (one of the reasons they present little risk to the environment, workers, and consumers). Reapplication may be required, especially during periods of rapid crop growth when new, untreated tissues may be exposed to infestation. Be sure to read the Bt product label for specific information regarding crops, target insects, and application instructions (such as rates, timing, and reapplication intervals).

Bt in IPM and Resistance Management

Bt insecticides are an ideal tool for the grower focused on IPM due to their selective control and low environmental risk. Bt also provides a unique mode of action (IRAC group 11) that can complement other insecticides in resistance management strategies. No evidence of cross-resistance has ever been detected between Bt and other insecticides; insects resistant to multiple classes of insecticides are still susceptible to Bt. Btk and Bta products also can be rotated to reduce risk of resistance to specific Bt’s.

At a recent symposium on “Insect Resistance in Vegetable Production” organized by the Entomological Society of America (Southeastern Branch), entomologists and IPM specialists (including Dr. Dakshina Seal of IFAS in Homestead) pointed to Bt products as the best rotational partners for delaying resistance to new insecticide chemistries such as the diamides.

Symposium participants listed the following benefits of Bt insecticides in a rotation program:

• High efficacy on a wide variety of worm pests

• Very low impact on beneficial insects.

• Avoidance of secondary pest problems.

• Not toxic to bees and predatory mites.

• No preharvest interval required after application.

• No restrictions on amount used.

• Resistance to Bt is slower to develop than resistance to chemical insecticides.

Through proper field scouting, correct identification of the worm pest, good timing of applications, correct selection of the Bt used, and judicious application of the Bt’s in rotation with new or older conventional chemistries, growers can gain effective control while reducing the risk of resistance and maintaining beneficial insect populations.

For more information contact Dr. Brett Highland, Certis USA, at bhighland@certisusa.com, or visit www.certisusa.com.

Downy Mildew on Cucumber in WNC

Well, this has been a very exciting week to be a plant pathologist! First, downy mildew on basil, now downy mildew on cucumbers.
*These are two different disease problems, just because they have the same name DOES NOT mean that these two disease are caused by the same organism and will cross-infect one another!*

Cucurbit downy mildew, caused by pathogen Pseudoperonospora cubensis, has been confirmed on pickling cucumbers in Henderson County. Growers are advised to scout their cucurbit plantings which include cucumber, squash, melons and other gourds. Last year we found the downy mildew in Henderson County late in July.

Symptomatic downy mildew cucumber leaf. Angular lesion are first light green and then turn brown with age.

The underside of a downy mildew infected cucumber leaf. You can see the dark spores of the pathogen as they arise from the angular lesions which are bound by the leaf veins.

Downy mildew of cucurbits has the potential of spreading very quickly. Its wind-borne spores can spread easily throughout the region - especially on cloudy days. The pathogen prefers cool temperatures and wet conditions, which we certainly have not had in WNC as of late! I believe that recent hot, dry and sunny conditions are the reason that the downy mildew on cucurbits is not widespread at this time. For example, large cucumber plantings just miles away from where I initially found the disease are unaffected at this time.

With rain possible this weekend, it is very important to prevent downy mildew from infecting your cucurbits, especially cucumber. Growers are advised to protect their plants using fungicides. For conventional producers, review the June 4th North Carolina Pest News or review my blogpost from June 2009 for control recommendations.

Management of downy mildew on cucurbits is tricky for organic producers. There are a number of OMRI-listed products that are labeled for the control of downy mildew on cucurbits, including copper, OxiDate, Serenade and neem. In research studies, copper products were proven to be the best option (only option, really) for managing downy mildew on cucurbits. Copper is only efficacious in plants that are not yet infected or exhibit only mild symptoms.

Visit the Cucurbit Downy Mildew Forecasting Website to see where the disease is currently located and where the team predicts it to show up next.

If you need help diagnosing a problem on your cucurbits, please contact your local NC Cooperative Extension Office.

To see more pictures of the downy mildew on cucurbits and to learn more about the disease, visit my previous posts.

Downy Mildew on Cucumber Confirmed in Eastern NC!

Downy mildew has been confirmed on cucumbers in Columbus County (May 27) and Duplin County (June 1). Both of these counties are located in eastern NC.

Downy mildew has not been found on cucurbits in WNC yet this season and current forecasts do not indicate risk to our production. If the forecasts show risk for our area, or downy mildew is found in our region, I will update the blog.

The Cucurbit Downy Mildew Forecasts can be found at http://cdm.ipmpipe.org/.

Current recommendations for cucurbit downy mildew can be found in the latest issue of North Carolina Pest News.

Recommendations for powdery mildew on cucurbits can be found in this issue, as well as information on late blight of tomatoes.

Downy Mildew on Hops Present in WNC

This week I have been visiting with our WNC hops growers. To my dismay, I found the dreaded downy mildew, Pseduoperonospora humuli, in two of the yards.

We saw the beginnings of this problem late last season on the hop cones. See my post from September 2008 on downy mildew of hops.

When determining if you have downy mildew in your hops yard, look for pale green to yellow newly emerged spikes that appear stunted.

Note the pale green, stunted spikes of this hops plant.

A closer look at the pale green to yellow new spike. Note the shorten internodes and miniature leaves.

Another shot of the infected, newly emerged shoot. Take note of the curled and brown lower leaves.

A close up of the browning, curled leaves on the hops shoot. The leaf looks dirty, but those are actually millions of downy mildew sporangia!

A hops leaf exhibiting foliar symptoms of downy mildew.

The underside of the downy mildew infected leaf. Note the fuzzy spores.

The worst downy mildew infection that I noted was on 'Nugget'. 'Nugget' is considered to be susceptible to downy mildew. Interestingly, in the hops yard where downy mildew was found on 'Nugget', it appeared to be the most vigorous variety.
**Update May 21**
Some sources report that 'Nugget' is resistant to downy mildew, while others report it is susceptible.

Downy mildew was also found to be prevalent on 'Centennial' which is considered to be tolerant to downy mildew.

One of the best management strategies for the control of downy mildew on hops is to remove primary basal spikes and to heavily prune and strip leaves. This is important in order to prevent downy mildew from moving up the bines and eventually infecting the cones. Pruning and thinning also helps to reduce moisture and humidity in the lower part of the canopy which is favorable for disease development.

Hops yard with lower leaves stripped up to 3 feet.

Because we are expecting wet weather in the next few days here in WNC, action needs to be taken quickly to prevent the spread of disease to other bines. The first step is to prune and thin the bines.

In addition, the application of fungicides is recommended as soon as the wet weather is over or before if product is rainfast. For a complete list of fungicides (conventional and organic) used to control downy mildew on hops, visit the Oregon State University Downy Mildew Fact Sheet. Before you apply any pesticide make sure you follow the specific label directions and make sure that the product is labeled for downy mildew on hops in NC.

*UPDATE*

Organic Fungicides Labeled for Management of Downy Mildew of Hops in NC:

• Sporatec (rosemary oil, clove oil and thyme oil)
• Copper products (look for OMRI label)
• Sonata (Bacillus pumulis strain QST 2808)
  

Conventional Fungicides Labeled for Management of Downy Mildew of Hops in NC (not a complete list):

• Curzate (cymoxanil) - must be tank mixed with a fungicide of different mode of action, such as copper
  
• Tanos (cymoxanil + famoxadone) - must be tank mixed with a fungicide of different mode of action, such as copper
• Acrobat and Forum (dimethomorph) - must be tank mixed with a fungicide of different mode of action
• Fosphite and other phosphorous acid products
• Legion (Aluminum tris)
  

The best approach would be to incorporate a few of these products in order to slow down the possibility of fungicide resistance. Again, always follow the directions on the label - it's the law!

Herbicide Carryover: Bioassay Results

About a month ago I reported on a farmer who had received manure that was contaminated with the herbicide picloram and applied it to his vegetable production fields. We conducted a bioassay on the contaminated land to see if the soil was safe to plant. Last week we assessed the results of the test.

The first site we tested was "Moses". This field had been contaminated by the manure, however the manure was only applied in a small amount in each of the holes where tomatoes were planted. From the test, it looks like this site should be safe for planting this year.
Side note - The greenhouse where the seedlings were located was very hot, so some of the "crispy" edges are more than likely due to the temperature because some of the control plants also were affected.

Beans are sprouting in soil that was contaminated with manure containing the herbicide picloram.

Control test using soil that was not contaminated.

Next up was the field we called "Fred". Manure was applied to this entire field. The field appears to be unsuitable for vegetable production at this time. The grower will not be producing on this plot this season.

Bean seedlings did not emerge from the soil collected from field "Fred".

Control soil taken from part of field where no manure was applied. Seedlings look pretty good.

We were also concerned about the field below "Fred". There were a few spots where the grower's Austrian winter peas did not emerge. So we tested these areas to see if runoff from "Fred" was the reason. Looks like that field should be okay.

Bean bioassay of soil taken from a field below "Fred" where some water runoff from "Fred" flows.

The final plot that was tested was a field that is located next to the growers house. This field had the most manure applied and there was no soil available to test as a control. As you can see, this soil appears to be unsuitable for vegetable production.

No bean seedling emerged from the soil taken at the home site. This plot had the most manure applied to it.

Overall, we were not surprised by the results. All of our seedlings from the control plots emerged successfully. The seedlings planted in soil from the field with the least amount of manure applied ("Moses") emerged and there appeared to be no damage. The grower is planning on producing vegetables in this field this season. Luckily, the grower did not lease field "Fred" this season due to other reasons.

The most unfortunate situation is the field that is located next to the house. The grower will continue to work this land to allow for the elements, sun, rain, etc to break down the herbicide. He is considering growing a less susceptible crop in this field, such as corn or a grass cover crop.

To read more about the bioassay and herbicides that may be a problem in manure, read Dr. Jeanine Davis's article "Herbicide Carryover in Hay, Manure, Compost and Grass Clippings".

**UPDATE May 2010**
New Herbicide Carryover publication available!

Herbicide Carryover: Bioassay

Last year, a grower that I work with was noticing some unusual growth habits and symptoms of his various vegetables. Many of these symptoms look almost like viral diseases of vegetable crops. However, the problems were seen on many different crops and they were widespread - nearly every plant was affected. This is not common of plant diseases caused by viruses.

It was discovered that he was using manure that he received for free from a neighbors horse operation. The manure was determined to be contaminated with the herbicide picloram (trade name Grazon), that is common in pasture management.

Here are some pictures of the damage.

Chlorotic (yellowing) lettuce damaged by herbicide.

Chlorotic (yellowing) peas damaged by herbicide.

Spinach leaf distortion and puckering due to herbicide damage.

Discoloration of tomato leaves caused by herbicide damage.

There is documentation that shows that this active ingredient can remain in the soil, causing problems for three years!

Today I went out and we took some samples for a bioassay to determine if there are still damaging levels of picloram in the soil.

First we walked through the contaminated field and took soil cores every few feet throughout the plot.

Then we mixed the soil all together and put it in small pots.

We planted three bean seeds in each pot.

Of course we included a control. Some soil from a field where manure was not applied.

The pots were set on separate trays and placed in different spots in the greenhouse.

Now, we wait. In three weeks, we will inspect the seedlings. If they do not germinate or the true leaves show symptoms we will know there is still residue of the herbicide present.

For the grower's sake, let's hope that these beans grow perfectly!
I will keep you updated on the progress.

Before you plant your garden this year, please be aware of the possible dangers of using manure. Question your source about herbicide use. To learn more about herbicide carryover, read about. Dr. Jeanine Davis's extension article, Herbicide Carryover in Hay, Manure and Grass Clippings.

**UPDATE MAY 2010**
New Herbicide Carryover publication now available!

Dr. Jeanine Davis just posted an article about this topic on her site, NC Alternative Crops Blog.

**I'd like to thank Amanda and Phillip for their assistance with the diagnosis of this problem last summer. You two are the greatest!**

Cucumbers and Pollinators: (Some) Questions Answered

When I first started my job in WNC in 2008, I was so excited to see that vegetable producers were growing cucumbers. Cucumber was the crop I worked with in my graduate work, so it was the only crop I felt mildly comfortable talking about (though it was still awkward at first).

To my surprise, in many of these production fields, I never saw a beehive. The areas that I had experience with in eastern NC, brought in at least one strong hive per acre of production. To learn more about bees, read Beekeeping and Cucumber Pollination.

How were these folks getting cucumbers? A cucumber flower must be visited multiple times by a pollinator to optimize fruit set. The answer was wild populations on pollinators and the nice sunny, warm weather that promotes activity and foraging of pollinators.

But, in 2009, growers noticed that yields were reduced and that fruit formation was off. The same varieties were grown and there was not downy mildew or other diseases in their early season crops. So what was different?

We were cool, cloudy and wet. How could you forget? The fact is, bees don't aggressively begin to forage until temperatures reach 70 F and they prefer dry conditions.

Could this lack of fruit also be due to a reduced population of wild pollinators? At this point we don't know, but it was obvious that the growers needed to do something. That something was to bring in some honey bee hives.

Here are some pictures of a female cucumber (top) and male cucumber flower (bottom), courtesy of Pollinator.com.


Below is an improperly pollinated fruit.

To see more pictures, visit pollinator.com's Cucumber Pollination: Visual Aids.

But, the growers were concerned. Bringing bees into their production was new and they had many questions - especially in regards to applying pesticides.

Here are a few of the questions that I received. Most answers are from NCSU Beekeeping Note 2.12.

• Where can I find honey bee hives to rent?

The NCDA&CS Apiary Services and NCSU Apiculture Program have developed Bee Linked, an online market for beekeepers and growers. www.ncagr.com/beelinked
You can also find local beekeepers through the North Carolina Beekeepers Association Website. www.ncbeekeepers.org.

• When should I apply pesticides to protect the bee hives?

Pesticides that are considered toxic to bees should be applied in the late afternoon (after 3:00 pm) or in the evening. Most honey bees have stopped foraging and have returned to the hive by 3:00 pm. This precaution will allow maximum time for the pesticide to break down before the bees come into contact the next day.

• What other considerations are important when applying pesticides?

Do your best to minimize drift. Drifting of the pesticide from the target pest and/or crop to areas frequented by bees should be minimized and pesticide formulation is the key to this problem. "Dusts" are prone to drift and are generally more dangerous to bees that sprays or granular applications. For more specifics, read Beekeeping Note 2.12.

Aerial applications are generally more dangerous than ground equipment. This is directly related to drift. Air-blast sprayers are more dangerous that pressurized pump sprayers. Never apply pesticides when wind velocities exceed 8 miles per hour.

Never apply any pesticide directly over a beehive.

Notify beekeepers who have beehives near an area to be treated, so that they may attempt to protect their bees from inadvertent exposure.

• Are there pesticides that are less toxic to honey bees?

Most pesticides are at least somewhat toxic to honey bees; however, the degree of toxicity varies considerably from product to product. Insecticides are generally the most likely to cause a bee kill. Below are some common pesticide active ingredients listed based on their toxicity to honey bees for a more complete list, see Beekeeping Note 2.12.

1. Highly Toxic: Severe bee losses may be expected if these products are used when bees are present. Abamectin, aldicarb, avermectin, azinphos-methyl, carbaryl, carbofuran, chlorpyrifos, dimethoate, imidacloprid, malathion, methomyl, pemethrin, spinosad...
2. Moderately Toxic: These pesticides can be used in the vicinity of bees IF dosage, timing, and method of application are correct. Bifenazate, disulfoton, endosulfan, fluvalinate, oxamyl, propamocarb, pyrethrum, tartar emetic, temephos, terbufos, thidicarb, zephyr...
3. Relatively Non-Toxic: These pesticides cam be used around bees with a minimum injury IF dosage, timing and method of application are correct. Bacillus thuringiensis, chlordimeform, cryolite, cymiazole, dicofol, dinobuton, esfenvalerate, methoxychlor, myriproxyfen, nicotine, Nosema locustae, pyrethrum, rotenone, tebufenozide, trichlorfon.

Visit the NCSU Apiculture Website for more details on honey bees.

To learn about cucumber production in NC: Fresh Market Production Cucumbers and Commercial Production of Pickling & Slicing Cucumbers in North Carolina.

To learn more about Bee Colony Collapse Disorder, read a scholarly article about the problem in Colony Collapse Disorder: A Descriptive Study.

Movento to be Pulled From Shelves!

Big Win for Bees: Judge Pulls Pesticide

NEW YORK (December 29, 2009) - A pesticide that could be dangerously toxic to America's honey bees must be pulled from store shelves as a result of a suit filed by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and the Xerces Society. In an order issued last week, a federal court in New York invalidated EPA's approval of the pesticide spirotetramat (manufactured by Bayer CropScience under the trade names Movento and Ultor) and ordered the agency to reevaluate the chemical in compliance with the law. The court's order goes into effect on January 15, 2010, and makes future sales of Movento illegal in the United States.

Here is a full article on the matter Bayer 'Disappointed' in Ruling on Chemical that May Harm Bees

New OMRI Approved fungicide

Many WNC producers battled this year with foliar diseases on their vegetable crops. Because of our wet season, we not only had trouble with bacterial spots on our peppers and tomatoes and downy mildew on cucurbits, but also the dreaded late blight on tomatoes.

There is a new material that organic and conventional growers can add to their toolbox for control of some of theses problems.

Marrone, Bio Innovations has just received their Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) registration for Regalia. Regalia is a bio fungicide made from an extract of Reynoutria sachalinensis, giant knotweed. Regalia activates the internal defense system of the host plant that prevents the growth of some foliar pathogens, such as powdery mildews, gray molds and even some bacterial pathogens. You can read the press release from Marrone here.

Disclaimer: Because this material is so new, I don't know if Regalia has been tested at NCSU efficacy trials or how well it will work for us here in WNC.

Has anyone tried Regalia, yet?

Late Blight Confirmed on Tomatoes In Henderson County

Late blight was confirmed in the plant pathology lab today at the research station in Mills River. The sample came from a field in Henderson County. Reports of the disease will most likely start popping up all over WNC.

Review my last post on Late Blight and Dr. Kelly Ivors Factsheet on Tomato Late Blight for details on the pathogen.

Conventional growers are advised to use a chlorothalonil product or Revus Top (mandidpropamid + difenoconazole) if late blight is not detected in the planting as a protectant. If late blight is confirmed in your planting, a combination of Presidio (fluopicolide) tank mixed with chlorothalonil is recommended. Other effecacious products labeled for late blight on tomato include: Curzate (cymoxanil) and Tanos (famoxadone + cymoxanil).

Organic growers are urged to use preventative sprays to manage late blight because the disease can progress very quickly. Do not wait to see disease to treat! Recommended control involves: Copper + Serenade (Bacillus subtilis QST 713, labeled for late blight suppression only) alternated with Copper + Sonata (Bacillus pumulis QST 2808).

Good luck!

Downy Mildew Confirmed in Henderson County!

Downy mildew has been confirmed at 2 locations in Henderson County, NC.

• July 20 - The first incidence of cucurbit downy mildew in WNC was reported from the Mountain Horticultural Crops Research Station in Mills River. The hosts were butternut squash and cucumber. Disease incidence and severity is very low at that site.

• July 24 - Cucurbit downy mildew was confirmed this morning in Zirconia (just south of Hendersonville, NC). This was a larger planting, about 8 acres. Spaghetti squash is the most severely diseased, about 65% of plants are showing early (top picture) - more advanced (second picture) symptoms. Sporulation (noticeable on the underside of the leaf) was very heavy on the spaghetti squash (third picture). Cucumber (cv. Jackson) is also affected, though less severely overall (bottom picture). The summer squash (cv. Destiny III) is showing only very early and mild symptoms.

Moral of the story, cucurbit downy mildew is in WNC and growers need to start treating now!

Review a previous post for control recommendations.

Visit the Cucurbit Downy Mildew Forecasting site for more updates.

If you feel you have downy mildew on your cucurbits, bring a sample to your local county cooperative extension office for positive identification. It is important that the outbreaks get reported to the forecasting site.

Cucurbit Downy Mildew- Moderate Risk for WNC

Downy mildew (Pseudoperonospora cubensis) has been threatening cucurbits in NC since early June. There have been no reports of downy mildew on cucurbits in WNC and we have been lucky to have been considered at LOW RISK for chance of infection, until now...

The Cucurbit Downy Mildew Forecasts for today and tomorrow show WNC as having a MODERATE RISK for infection. A MODERATE RISK means that there is a 40-60% chance for cucurbits growing in areas along the course of the trajectory (or trajectories, in the case of multiple sources) to be infected by the pathogen and develop downy mildew. To read about how this is calculated refer to the Downy Mildew Forecasting site.

The trajectories that may effect WNC can be seen below.





As you can see there is the potential of spore deposition in WNC from multiple sources. If the weather continues to include cloudy skies and the potential of rain (to wash the spores from the sky) growers should begin to take action to protect their cucurbit crops.

The following products* have proven very effective for the conventional control of downy mildew of cucurbits:

Presidio 4F (fluopicolide)
Ranman 400 CS (cyazofamid)- must use with non-ionic surfactant
Gavel 75DF (zoxamide + mancozeb)
Curzate 60DF (cymoxanil)

Chlorothalonil and mancozeb products can be sprayed as protectants, but when downy mildew is detected in a field growers need to take a more aggressive approach. *The label on some of these products require that they be tank mixed with a fungicide of a different mode of action. Chlorothalonil and mancozeb products make excellent mixing partners.

A sample spray program might look like this:

Curzate 60DF (3.2 oz/acre) + Manzate Pro-Stick 75DG (3 lb/acre) alternated with Previcur Flex 6F (1.2 pt/acre) + Manzate Pro-Stick 75DG (3 lb/acre)

OR

Presidio 4F (3 fl oz/acre) + Bravo Weather Stik 6SC (2 pt/acre) alternated with Gavel 75DF (1.5 lb/acre)

These treatments can be rotated on a 7-day schedule when downy mildew pressure is great.

ORGANIC GROWERS have a chance to combat downy mildew if they begin applications now before the onset of symptoms. If you wait until infection has established in your planting, spraying will not be effective. The same is true in conventional systems. Some OMRI-listed products that are labeled for the management of downy mildew in cucurbits include: copper, neem, biofungicides (ex. Serenade), peroxides (ex. OxiDate), and bicarbonates (ex. Kaligreen).

I have had a lot of experience with this disease, as my master's thesis was focused on the control of downy mildew on cucurbits. Our research showed that most organic fungicides were NOT effective at controlling downy mildew on cucumber. Once the disease develops and conditions are favorable, it is nearly impossible to control it.

Your best option as an organic grower is to use a copper product. Spray early in the morning to avoid phytotoxicity that may develop in the heat of the afternoon. Spraying copper prior to disease development or at very early onset (very few, mild symptoms), may help suppress the disease, but will not offer 100% control under favorable conditions (cool, wet and humid weather).

If you suspect that you have downy mildew on your cucurbits, please contact your local cooperative extension office. It is very important that these cases are documented and reported to the forecasting site in a timely manner.

To read more about this disease or to view some pictures, visit the blog post from 5 June and the NCSU Factsheet.

In addition, look for updates in the latest NCSU Pest News.

***As always, follow the product label for instructions!***

The Future of Food?

This article, Is this the future of food? Japanese 'plant factory' churn out immaculate vegetables, is quite disturbing. You have got to check out the pictures.

Here is a some of the article:

"They look more like the brightly lit shelves of a chemists shop than the rows of a vegetable garden.

But according to their creators, these perfect looking vegetables could be the future of food.

In a perfectly controlled and totally sterile environment - uncontaminated by dirt, insects or fresh air - Japanese scientists are developing a new way of growing vegetables.

Called plant factories, these anonymous looking warehouses have sprung up across the country and can churn out immaculate looking lettuces and green leaves 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Every part of the plant's environment is controlled - from the lighting and temperature, to the humidity and water. Even the levels of carbon dioxide can be minutely altered.

Rather than the conventional scruffy clothes and dirty fingernails of vegetable growers, the producers wear gloves, surgical masks and sort of dust proof protective suits normally seen in chemical plants.

Those growing the vegetables wear gloves, surgical masks and the sort of dust proof protective suits normally seen in chemical plants.

The vegetables from plant factories - which include green leaf, romaine lettuce and garland chrysanthemum - are sold at a premium to Japanese shoppers. No pesticides are used - and there is no risk of contamination with food poisoning bugs.

Because the plants are grown in a clean room, they can be eaten safely without washing. Lettuce grown in the factories can be cropped up to 20 times a year.

Some factories are vast - and can produce three million vegetables a year.

The results are hygienic, but it's about as far from real food as you can possibly get.

From the lighting to temperature and humidity, every element of the plant's environment is carefully controlled.

The spread of plant factories has been encouraged by the Japanese government amid concerns about the use of chemicals in vegetables.

A spokesman for the Ozu Corporation factory in Tokyo said: 'Vegetables are produced in the factory without being exposed to the air outside.

'Stable production is guaranteed throughout the year by controlling lighting,temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide and water. They can also meet the demands of consumers who want safe foods.'"

Daily Mail Online
By David Derbyshire
03rd June 2009

What do you think about this? Personally, I like dirt and bugs and fresh air. Hey, that's just me.

Changes in Pesticide Record Keeping Rule

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MONDAY, MAY 4, 2009

CONTACT: Jim Burnette, Jr., director
NCDA&CS Structural Pest Control and Pesticides Division
(919) 733-3556
N.C. Pesticide Board adopts pesticide record-keeping rule changes for growers and aerial applicators

RALEIGH — Several new pesticide record-keeping rules went into effect May 1 following approval by the N.C. Pesticide Board. The new rules involve recording the ending time of applications, the recording of daily applications and how long growers must maintain records.

The changes reflect recommendations of the 2008 Governor’s Task Force on Preventing Agricultural Pesticide Exposure and implement the requirements of Senate Bill 847.

Growers making applications that fall under the scope of the federal Worker Protection Standard must now add the actual “end time” of application to the records under the change. This is in addition to the “time of the application” that is required to be posted before the application takes place under the current WPS regulations.

Also each day of application must be recorded as a separate application record. After application information has been displayed for the appropriate time (30 days after the restricted-entry period expires), the application information must now be maintained for a period of two years. This coincides with the USDA Requirements for Restricted-Use Pesticides.

Also effective May 1, aerial applicators must record the year, month, date and time of day when each pesticide application was completed for every pesticide application. Additionally, each day of aerial applications must be recorded as a separate record. The commercial ground applicators regulation addressing the same issues for restricted-use pesticides became effective April 1.

Revised record keeping forms may be downloaded from the Structural Pest Control and Pesticides Division’s Web page, www.ncagr.gov/SPCAP/pesticides/Cmfo.htm#RecordKeeping, or from your local Cooperative Extension Service. Applicators requiring assistance with these or any pesticide regulation, may contact the NCDA&CS Pesticide Section at (919) 733-3556 for help.

Pesticide Furadan on 60 Minutes

The video above is a preview of a fascinating segment that 60 Minutes just had the on their program about lions in Africa and a well-known pesticide. Many farmers remember the restricted use insecticide/nematicide/miticide, Furadan (FMC Corporation). Furadan has a 24(c) registration label.

Apparently, Kenyans are using it to poison and terminate lions that kill their cattle. After a member of their herd is killed, Furadan is sprinkled on the carcass so that every other lion, or any animal, that feeds on that meat becomes poisoned and dies.

Kenyans can purchase a container of Furadan for only $2.

The read/learn more about this story visit Poison Takes Toll on Africa's Lions.