FRUITAND
VEGETABLES
FRUIT
The information and recommendations in this newsletter are applicable to
North Carolina
and may not apply in other areas.
Please note that Aliette is registered for use on cucurbit crops (cantaloupes, cucumbers, pumpkins, squash, watermelons, etc.) to control downy mildew (Pseudoperonospora cubensis) and Phytophthora root and fruit rot (Phytophthora spp.). There is no preharvest interval; therefore, applications can be made on the same day as harvest.
Please make the following changes in your copy of the North Carolina Agricultural Chemicals Manual:
1. On page 231, cantaloupe, downy mildew: add Aliette to list of registered materials.
2. On page 233, cucurbits, downy mildew: change minimum days to harvest and reentry to "0".
3. On page 235, melons, downy mildew: the row with Aliette should be shifted to the right one column.
4. On page 240, pumpkin, downy mildew: downy mildew should be on a separate line from anthracnose; add Aliette to list of registered materials.
The first collections of pecan weevils on pecan occurred in Columbus County on July 23. Two male pecan weevils were collected from an on-farm test at Mr. Sproles orchard. They were captured in Tedders pyramidal traps. Emergence of pecan weevils is expected over the next 6 weeks throughout eastern North Carolina. Homeowners and commercial pecan growers should check any and all traps for pecan weevil emergence in their area and time insecticide sprays accordingly. Sevin insecticide sprays to the foliage are suggested on a weekly basis at first emergence through the adult activity period. This should be now through early September. Follow label directions and strive for good coverage and runoff to foliage, and to the area under the drip line of the trees. Homeowners can obtain some control of peacan weevils with soil drench applications to the ground from the drip line to the base of the tree. However, the best control of pecan weevils is from thorough sprays of Sevin to the tree canopy. The heavy rainfall from Hurricane Danny should provide a tight emergence period. This should favor a tight spray program. Again, check traps (including soil emergence traps) for pecan weevils to determine the treatment window in the local area.
Check the North Carolina Agricultural Chemicals Manual, pecan insect notes and other resources on the North Carolina State University IPM and Cooperative Extension Service home pages on the internet.
Note: Two male and two female weevils were collected on July 25 in Columbus County following the 2 inches of rain that fell from Hurricane Danny. Hence, I feel that pecan weevil emergence is upon us along the North Carolina-South Carolina border and that weevil emergence should commence throughout eastern North Carolina over the next 10 days.
Western flower thrips have caused wide spread damage to banana and
bell peppers in Wayne County. These thrips are known vectors of
tomato spotted wilt virus. Thrips averaged 30 adults per flower in
several fields in Wayne County. Symptoms on leaves (rough,
distorted veins on terminals) and characteristic circles on fruit
verify the presence of tomato spotted wilt in these fields. Banana
pepper fruit also has roughened lesions all along the pods. Bell
peppers seem to have escaped serious damage in these fields, to
date. However, it is just a matter of time before all plants and
fruit exhibit economic damage from feeding and spotted wilt
vectoring by thrips. Growers are urged to harvest and market fruit
as soon as possible. Reports of thrips and wilt have been received
from Lenoir, Greene and Sampson counties. Thrips and wilt were
present in Sampson County on tomatoes in early June. It is thought
that thrips and wilt were present on these pepper plants back in
early June. Now one can see small stunted plants (less than 1
percent) in the two fields visited in Wayne County. Growers have
sprayed weekly with pyrethroid insecticides with little or no
results. Applications of Orthene are suggested for thrips on
peppers. Clean, insect and virus-free plants are the first line of
defense from this complex. Early detection, roguing infected
plants, monitoring thrips population with sticky traps and staying
aware of cool, wet weather which favor thrips development are some
effective management tactics. Reports from areas to the south also
give some advanced warning. However, thrips and wilt management
can only slow economic losses and not prevent serious damage.
Web page last updated on July 28, 1997 by Stephen J. Toth, Jr..