Report from the Greenhouse Vegetable Field Day - by M.M. Peet
Hot Greenhouse Sites on the Internet - by M.M. Peet
Summer Is A Great Time To Use Cover Crops - by D.C. Sanders
Grower Guidelines: Mom was Right! - by D.C. Sanders
(For more info, see CALENDAR section at the end of VEGINEWS)
1999 4-H Horticulture Seminar, May 28-30, 1999, Raleigh, NC
28th National Agricultural Plastics Congress, May 19 - 22, 1999, Tallahassee, Florida
A greenhouse vegetable field day was held March 16, 1999 with a session in the morning at the Tim Bass Farm in Nashville, NC and an afternoon session at the Horticulture Field Laboratory, Raleigh, NC. The Field Day was sponsored by the NCGVGA as the spring tour and was co-sponsored by: North Carolina State University Agricultural Research and Cooperative Extension and North Carolina Department of Agriculture.
The Field Day, which was a first for Greenhouse Vegetables, was a big success. Over 65 growers, prospective growers, agents, students, faculty and other professionals attended one or more of the sessions. Many positive comments were received on the high quality of the talks and the information gained in the tours of the 4 greenhouses (computer control, organic, biorational and conventional greenhouses). Many people also enjoyed comparing notes with growers, agents, and other attendees on the topics and tours. Everyone enjoyed the great tomatoes donated by Jim LeTendre of SunnySlope Greenhouse for a taste test! Displays included brochures on equipment, production bulletins, and relevant NC State publication. Also on display were pollinators, spray equipment, biocontrol samples, a computer control system, and a dissecting microscope to examine whitefly adults and immatures. Part of the demonstration was to determine which of the 3 types of whiteflies were present in the houses, whether the immatures were parasitized, and by what.
The morning started with a tour of the Tim Bass Farm, which is described in an article in this issue of the newsletter.
The afternoon session started at 1:30 at the Horticulture Field Laboratory in Raleigh with a welcome from Dr. George Kriz, Associate Director, Agricultural Research Service, North Carolina State University. Dr. Tom Monaco, Head, and Dr. David Monks, Extension Leader, Department of Horticultural Science were also introduced to attendees and offered a few remarks. Judy Wiles, President, NCGVGA, also welcomed attendees and presented a certificate of appreciation to Dr. Kriz for all his efforts over the years on behalf of the greenhouse vegetable industry in North Carolina. The NCGVGA is also making a contribution of $100 to the George and Rhoda Kriz Endowment Fund. The purpose of the Endowment Fund is to support faculty on sabbatical. Dr. Peet was a recipient of this award in 1997 when she spent a sabbatical semester at Duke University. Dr. Kriz and his wife, Rhoda, who was also in attendance were very appreciative of the award and moved by the donation to the Endowment Fund.
A series of short talks and tours of the 4 greenhouses began at 1:50. The first talk, '*National and NC Trends in Greenhouse Vegetable Production' is summarized elsewhere in this newsletter as was presented by Dr. Mary Peet, Horticultural Science. Other talks presented in the afternoon included:
* 'Overview of SR-IPM Project and Preliminary Findings' by Janet Miles, Horticultural Science. Information on this project was also presented in the September newsletter.
'Disease Control Options' by Dr. Frank Louws, Plant Pathology
'Use of Biocontrols' by Dr. David Orr, Entomology
'Greenhouse Cooling' by Dan Willits, Biological and Agricultural Engineering
* 'Marketing Strategies for Greenhouse Vegetables' by Ed Estes, Agricultural and Resource Economics
* 'Ethylene Damage' by Sylvia Blankenship, Horticultural Science
* Handouts for these talks are available from mary_peet@ncsu.edu or 919-515-5362.
Mary Peet, Professor
Hort Science, NCSU
mary_peet@ncsu.edu
Originally presented at the North Carolina Greenhouse Vegetable Growers
Association Annual Meeting
October 28-29, 1998
Wake County Extension Center, Raleigh, N.C.
Greenhouse Tomatoes: The Greenhouse & Processing Crops Research Centre in Harrow, Ontario, Canada: http://res.agr.ca/harrow/ There are links to other greenhouse, hydroponic and horticulture information. An excellent production bulletin, "Growing greenhouse tomatoes in soil and soilless media" is on-line and can be downloaded: http://res.agr.ca/harrow/bk/toma99.htm Oregon State University: http://www.orst.edu/Dept/NWREC/tomatogh.html Mississippi State University: Greenhouse Tomato Frequently Asked Questions: http://ext.msstate.edu/anr/plantsoil/vegfruit/tomato/ghtomato/faq.html Rick's Vegetable Resource Page: http://www2.msstate.edu/~ricks/ Bulletin on Environmental Control for Greenhouse Tomatoes: http://ext.msstate.edu/pubs/pub1879.htm There is now also a very good bulletin on greenhouse tomato production on-line: http://ext.msstate.edu/pubs/pub1828.htm and a bulletin on calibrating injectors for greenhouse tomatoes http://www.aac.msstate.edu/mafes/pubs/b1003.htm North Carolina State University: http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/hil-32-a.htmlhil-32 a.html Farming Systems Training Site http://www.ncsu.edu/organic_farming_systems/index.htm University of Arizona: o Growing tomatoes Hydroponically http://ag.arizona.edu/hydroponictomatoes Information on greenhouses, growing media, pollination, pests, nutrient solutions, CO2 enrichment, marketing, publications and links. Also contains interactive pruning quiz. Excellent site for hydroponics information. Rutgers: Single Truss Tomato Production http://nj-nscort.rutgers.edu/visitor/tps/index.html Greenhouse Cucumbers: o Kansas State: http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/library/hort2/mf2075.pdf o The Harrow Research Station: http://res.agr.ca/harrow/bk2/cuke toc.htm Greenhouse Lettuce o Cornell: http://www.cals.cornell.edu/dept/flori/lettuce/cea1.html Hydroponics-University Sites: o Florida State: http://hammock.ifas.ufl.edu/txt/fairs/17665 o Michigan State: http://www.msue.msu.edu/msue/imp/mod03/03900048.htm o Colorado State: http://www.colostate.edu/Depts/CoopExt/PUBS/GARDEN/07216.pdf o University of Arizona: o http://ag.arizona.edu/PLS/faculty/MERLE.html o http://ag.arizona.edu/hydroponictomatoes/hydroframe.htm Hydroponics-Commercial Sites: o http://www.hydroponics.com/index.htm o http://www.viasub.net/IUWF/13.html o The Growroom http://www.growroom.com o Virginia Hydroponics, Inc. http://www.hydro4u.com/ o Pipe Dreams Hydroponics http://www.hydroponicsonline.com/index.htm Hydroponics Links: o http://www2.misnet.com/~wfugitt/hydrmenu.html o Aqueous Search Engine at http://www.aqueous.com/aq148.shtml. Greenhouse Biocontrol: University Sites: o Biological Control Virtual Information Center: http://ipm.ncsu.edu/biocontrol/biocontrol.html The greenhouse site includes a table of biocontrols and how to use them. Choose "Where can biological control be used?" on the homepage. General Biocontrol (mostly outdoor): University Sites: o Cornell Univ. Biological Control: Guide to Natural Enemies in North America: http://www.nysaes.cornell.edu/ent/biocontrol/ o Texas A&M-The Biological Control of Pests Research Unit http://rsru.tamu.edu/bcpru/bcpru.htm Commercial Biocontrol Sites: o Arizona Biological Control, Inc.: Supplier of beneficial insects and organic fertilizers. http://www.usit.net/hp/bionet/ARBICO.html o Koppert Biological Systems. http://www.koppert.nl/english/index.html (bumblebees for pollination and biocontrol organisms. The chart of pesticide interactions is also on-line.) o Mycotech Corporation www.mycotech.com (Suppliers of biopesticides, including the mycoinsecticide, BotaniGard for whitefly control.) o Natural Insect Control, www.natural-insect-control.com. (Suppliers of beneficial insects, books, garden supplies). o Beneficial insectary home page http://www.insectary.com/ o The Bugstore http://www.bugstore.com/ Greenhouse IPM o Mississippi State: Greenhouse Tomatoes: Pest Management in Mississippi http://ext.msstate.edu/pubs/pub1861.htm o Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences Perspectives http://www.cas.psu.edu/docs/CASHOME/PROGPER/GREENHOUSE.HTML o Ohio Bulletin on Greenhouse Insect Control: http://www.ag.ohio state.edu/~ohioline/b672/b672_33.html o Virtual Center for Integrated Pest Management: http://cipm.ncsu.edu/ o NC State Extension Entomology: - http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/ent/extent.htm - http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/ent/notes/Vegetables/veg17.html o West Virginia University/Rutgers: o Sticky Board Traps for Greenhouses http://www.wvu.edu/~agexten/hortcult/greenhou/fs638.htm o Greenhouse Screening for Insect Control http://www.wvu.edu/~agexten/hortcult/greenhou/fs640.htm Whiteflies o Univ. of California Integrated Pest Management Project: o http://axp.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PHENOLOGY/encarsia.html o http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn002.html o Maryland Greenhouse IPM site: http://www.agnr.umd.edu/users/ipmnet/ o USDA Whitefly Knowlegebase http://WWW.IFAS.UFL.EDU/~ent2/wfly//index.html Magazines o The Growing Edge http://www.growingedge.com/ o Practical Hydroponics & Greenhouses Magazine http://www.hydroponics.com.au/ o Greenhouse Product News: www.greenhouseproductnews.com Postharvest o NCSU: , Postharvest cooling and handling of field- and greenhouse-grown tomatoes http://www2.ncsu.edu/bae/programs/extension/publicat/postharv/tomatoes/tomat.html Diseases o NC State Plant Pathology Information notes: http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/pp/ - Crop protectants for controlling diseases of vegetable crops in greenhouses. VG5 - High salt injury to vegetable crops. Vg10 - - Edema. GP03 - Blossom-end rot of tomato, pepper and watermelon. Vg19 - Virus diseases of greenhouse tomato and their management. Vg15 o Mississippi State: http://ext.msstate.ed/pubs/pub1861.htm Design and Engineering o Mississippi State: Bulletin on Environmental Control for Greenhouse Tomatoes: http://ext.msstate.edu/pubs/pub1879.htm o Florida Greenhouse design: http://hammock.ifas.ufl.edu/txt/fairs/ae/1596.html o West Virginia University/University of Maryland: - Planning and Building a Greenhouse: http://www.wvu.edu/~agexten/hortcult/greenhou/building.htm - Greenhouse Construction and Cost Estimates http://www.wvu.edu/~agexten/hortcult/greenhou/grencons.htm Newsletters o Greenhouse Coverings', Alberta, Canada: http://www.agric.gov.ab.ca/crops/hort/grnhouse/ o Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Newsletter: http://www.gov.on.ca/OMAFRA/english/crops/hort/greenhouse.html o Cultivating Concepts. The May issue features research on greenhouse vegetables at the Harrow Research Station. http://res.agr.ca/harrow/ccvol4.htm o Mississippi State University http://www.ext.msstate.edu/newsletters/vegpress/ o DeRuiter Seed Company: http://www.deruiterusa.com/newslet.html o An on-line discussion group which covers greenhouse and other vegetables is available at http://www.greenhouse-bbs.com/dis veg/veg.html o Rutgers University newsletter on Greenhouse Engineering: http://www.cook.rutgers.edu/~roberts/ Hydroponic Discussion Groups o Hydroponic growers may be interested in joining the hydroponics mailing list. This is an on-line discussion group where people send in email questions or comments and other subscribers send short messages in response. If you want to check out past postings, connect to their web site at: http://www.growroom.com/HydroList/index.html/. The complete hydro list archives is available in downloadable ASCII files at ftp://ftp.growroom.com/HydroList. Associations o The Hydroponic Society of America http://www.intercom.net/user/aquaedu/hsa/index.html o North Carolina Greenhouse Vegetable Growers Association http://www.agr.state.nc.us/markets/assoc/ghvga/index.htm o New England Greenhouse Conference (Vegetables and Floriculture) http://www.uvm.edu/~pass/greenhouse/negc.html Services North Carolina Department of Agriculture, Agonomic Division-soil and tissue testing. http://www.agr.state.nc.us/agronomi/ Equipment-General o The Greenhouse Industry Trade Show On-line lists many suppliers and also has classified ads and discussion groups. http://www.greenhouse-bbs.com/ o Homegrown Hydroponics (http://www.hydroponics.com/index.htm) lists selected suppliers in Canada and also has a description of many types of greenhouse equipment Equipment-Directories o Greenhouse Product News publishes a directory of suppliers of all types of greenhouse products www.greenhouseproductnews.com. It is possible to search their site for both particular products and particular supplies. You can also access articles in back issues of the magazine which discuss particular topics. Equipment-New Greenhouses o Acme Eng. & Mfg. Corp. www.acmehort.com o Westbrook Greenhouse Systems. www.westbrooksystems.com o X.S. Smith Incorporated www.xssmith.com o Nexus Greenhouse Corp. www.nexuscorp.com o Stuppy Greenhouse Supply. www.stuppy.com Supplies-Hardware o E.C. Geiger, Inc. www.hortnet.com/ecgeiger (parts, timers, fittings, misc. greenhouse hardware) o Gempler's, Inc. www.gemplers.com (pesticide application equipment, tools, hardware) o Green-Tek, Inc. www.green-tek.com (greenhouse covers) Supplies-Plant Growing o Fafard, www.fafard.com (growing media). o Dosatron International, Inc. http://dosatron.com/ (nutrient injectors) o DeRuiter Seeds, Inc., website: http://www.deruiterusa.com/ (seeds for greenhouse crops) The website also has back issues of newsletters. o Eco Enterprises http://www.bhw.com/eco. (hydroponic supplies) Supplies of Greenhouse `Packages' and complete product lines o Crop King, Inc. http://www.cropking.com. (complete line of greenhouse products, including training sessions; catalog also available for hobbyists) o Hydro-Gardens, Inc. http://www.hydro-gardens.com/. (greenhouse systems, fertilizers, control equipment, biological controls.)
Mary Peet, Professor
Hort Science, NCSU
mary_peet@ncsu.edu
How many of us leave fields vacant during the summer because we are too busy with other work, did not get a 'round toit', or don't know what is best? Thus, the field grows up to weeds and creates problems for next year or we disk it several times, further adding to the plowpan. If we had only plan ahead we could have a cover crop working for us during this the summer. Summer cover crops can be an important component of a cropping system since they have several beneficial characteristics. They can:
Recover and/or retain nutrients--both above and below cash
crop root zones;
Add organic material to soil--increasing tilth and
aeration;
Provide habitat for beneficial insects--reducing need to
spray;
Reduce nematodes;
Suppress weeds, especially perennials;
Provide green manure
Break disease cycles supported by weeds;
Provide allolopathic* weed suppress for fall cash crops.
The value of cover crops for green manure, soil retention and erosion control is generally well understood. However, many growers do understand the value of cover crops for generation of nitrogen or the cover crop's 'mining effect' in returning nutrients from soil layers below the normal crop root zone. A colleague of mine, Dr. Greg Hoyt, has done extensive studies of that demonstrate the value of various winter covers in moving nutrients from deep in the soil for eventual use in the surface layers. Regrettably, this same information is not yet available for summer covers. However, we fully expect that they will recover and provide more nutrient, due to the deeper rooting of some of the summer covers. Some of the nutrient recovery values for common winter covers are seen in Table 1. Note high level of potassium recovery as well as large amounts of calcium and phosphorus. One of the side benefits for crimson clover is that it will reseed itself and continue to grow during the summer.
Table 1. Biomass yield and nutrient recovery by selected winter cover crops. (after Hoyt and Hargrove, 1986, HortScience 21: 397-402)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
<----Nutrient Recovery---->
Cover crop Biomass N K Ca P Mg
<-----pounds per acre----->
Rye 5,608 89 108 22 17 8
Hairy vetch 3,260 141 133 52 18 11
Crimson clover 4,243 115 143 62 16 11
Austrian winter pea 5,608 144 159 45 19 13
-----------------------------------------------------------------
It is important to remember that cover crops, like harvested crops vary in their response to location and climate. The sequence of cropping can also play an important part in the accumulation of biomass and nutrients. Much of this information is still in the development stage.
It is important to not that size of residue affects breakdown, nutrient release and mulching. When destroying the crop it is important to determine your purpose.
Is it green manure?
Is it nutrient recovery?
Is it mulching and/or allolpathy?
Is it breaking the disease cycle?
For green manure should cut up fine and turned in for rapid decomposition. Forage choppers followed by disking, works well for this purpose.
For nutrient recovery over a long period, longer pieces like those from flail mower are best. Caution, rotary mowers attached with mulching blades are a poor substitute and standard rotary mowers will not work, because they tend to put the residue in a swath and result in uneven nutrient and residue distribution.
For long term mulching, a sickle bar mower can work, but we prefer an undercutter blade followed by a stalk cutter. The under cutter uproots the crop and the stalk cutter breaks stems into large pieces. This provides maximum mulch and long residue retention for any allopathic response.
For disease cycle interruption, it is good to leave the cover in the field as long as possible, thereby suppressing alternate disease hosts in weeds.
Crop rotation is important with cover crops as well as cash crops. Do not grow the same cover year after year because nutrient depletion and/or disease build up can occur. Avoid cover crops and cash crops in the same family following one another. For example clovers and soybeans can increase nematode levels thus devastating snap beans. Crimson clover held as a living mulch during the summer for several years can provide a ready environment for buildup of nutsedge.
Some common summer cover crops and why you should consider them:
Sudex--organic matter, nutrient recovery, tilth
Corn--organic matter, nutrients recovery, tilth
Soybean--organic matter, N nutrients and insect attraction
Sorghum--organic matter, nutrient recovery
Velvet bean--organic matter, insect attraction, nutrients and nematode control
Sunhemp--organic matter, N nutrients and insect attraction
(seed may be hard to find).
Consider summer cover crops as part of your rotation. They can improve soil, reduce costs, reduce pests, and improve the environment.
*Allolopathy-usually refers to a naturally occurring chemical produced in one organism that can have suppressive affects on another organism.
Doug Sanders, Extension Specialist
Hort Science, NCSU
doug_sanders@ncsu.edu
May 26 has been set as the date for the Precision Agriculture Technology for Vegetable Production training course. The course will be held at the Cunningham Center in Kinston. Final details are still being worked out but the session will probably begin around 9:00 AM.
Topics included in this program will include basic GPS, georeferenced soil sampling, variable rate application systems, yield monitoring for vegetable crops, electronic data systems, field computer systems, and site specific management. The training session is intended to be an introduction to the concept and technology used in precision agriculture and how it may apply to vegetable production. Intermediate participants will benefit for updates on the current status of technology
For more information, please contact:
Gary Roberson
Biological and Agricultural Engineering
NCSU
919-515-6715
gary_roberson@ncsu.edu
Mom always told me to wash my hands before I ate or touched food! If only we as vegetable growers could get that across to our people. In this day and age of growing concern about food safety, hand washing can provide an important first line of defense in reducing the spread of microbes to fruits and vegetables. Now a company has done something to reduce a lot of the difficulties associated with something as simple as washing your hands. The machine is call CleanTech for hand and glove washing. CleanTech is form Meritech Inc, Englewood, CO, provides washing in 10 seconds. The company reports that several studies have shown CleanTech is more effective than manual handwashing and works were more willing to use it that conventional 'soap and water'. The system uses 1/3 of the water as in mom's methods. Since the user does not touch faucets, soap, etc. its use helps the possibility of cross contamination of viruses, and bacteria such as hepatitis A, E. coli, listeria, staph aureus, and chigella. The system even comes with a counter so managers can track the use. This machine and others like it offer a way to resolves mom's age old problem of 'did you wash your hands?' easier to resolve.
Along this same line, we have heard a lot in recent news about food safety and increasing demand for more testing for contamination of food. Who will bare the responsibility for these costs and for food safety? Some chainstores are moving toward bar coding that will allow them to trace a tomato back to its home producer, if not the plant that gave it birth. Will the grower be left holding the responsibility for any contamination? Hopefully not, because as we all know there are many handling points from the field to the consumer's kitchen and each of these is a potential point of contamination. But who knows where hazards could be introduced?
We do know that 71 percent of Americans in a recent survey considered home grown (US) fruits and vegetables more safe than imports, while only 3 percent considered US produce less safe than imports. Also, more citizens with children considered US produce safer, while those without children were not as sure about US produce. A few years ago all of this concerns would not have been as meaningful as they are today. In the past we did not have the testing to determine what sort of 'critters' resided on our produce, except when people got sick. Some recent developments put both chainstores and growers in a better position to do preemptive testing. There are several laboratories around the country that offer testing options. One of these labs is ABC Research Corp., Gainesville, FL, that tests for the contamination of produce. They test for microbes of concern, like E. coli as well as E. coli 0157:H7, salmonella, listeria, yeast, mold, and lactic acid bacteria (the indicator of spoilage in juices). Products such as Clean-Trace from Biotrace Inc, Plainsboro, N.J., allow on site determinations. This product allows the user to swab an area in question, activate and shake the swab, and take a reading in less than 30 seconds. The company says the individual test swabs can be used as needed. If hazard points are found then the grower or the chain can begin to change procedures to eliminate these hazard points.
On a recent tour with the National Pepper Conference we visited H.E.B., a large foodstore chain in San Antonio. We were told that the company has an internal testing program. Hugh Topper and his staff told us that they run over 300 microbe testing plates per week. The plating process is done to find general levels of microbes as an indication of potential hazard and is not specific beyond microbe species. Their system is designed to help the company and their producers reduce surface contamination. The company has been doing this system of checking for over a year and have helped producers reduce surface microbe levels. The system H.E.B. is using is not designed to reduce or reject purchases from any producer, but to reduce consumers potential hazard if improper washing of produce is followed.
As I see it installation of these systems can have value to our industry in several ways:
* predictor of microbial stability;
* a basis for correcting potential hazards;
* a scientific basis for development of specifications of
produced supplied;
* an early warning of potential hazards; and
* a means of avoiding major biohazards that could result in major
product stoppage.
An example of how these systems of testing can work, was a California herb grower in 1998 whose product showed unusually high plate counts. When the grower was contacted he knew the problem immediately was not his crop, but the rainy weather from El Nino. The heavy rains had increased splashing and had caused a spike in plate counts. The grower increased his wash time and solved the problem. In this case testing had headed off a problem without incident.
Of course the best way to avoid hazards is to reduce the number of points where a bio hazard can be introduced. Another strategy is to remediate that hazard by treatment, either irradiation or ozonation. Both processes have met with mixed reviews both in the US and Europe. But further discussion of these processes is better left for a later column. I did want growers to be aware of some of what is happening and be thinking about how they fit in. Concerns about food safety will increase and the degree of interest by the public and wholesale buyers will increase with time and the rate of increased interest will be related to frequency and degree of mishaps. Let us hope that incidents are few, far between, and not fatal. Growers and buyers have to be vigilant to reduce possible contaminations where appropriate. Good Luck.
Doug Sanders, Extension Specialist
Hort Science, NCSU
doug_sanders@ncsu.edu
Strawberry:
Spider Mites. 75% of strawberry fields observed in Eastern NC recently have high populations of spider mites and damage. Plants are off-color and somewhat stunted. Mite populations have been present since January. They have come on transplant plugs from nurseries and from surrounding broad leaf weeds. The hot, dry periods over the last several months have caused populations to rise. They have gone undiagnosed or have not been controlled due to poor selection and application of miticides. One must monitor old, lower leaves for mites using a 10 X hand lens. Look at "dirty" plants first. Keep up with hot, dry periods. Check plants weekly and keep records. Select a miticide based on effectiveness. The most effective miticides to least effective are Agrimek, Brigade, Danitol, Vendex, Kelthane, Soap and pyrellin. A second application may be needed within 5 -7 days where populations are high. Predatory mites also may be used.
However as harvest is in progress, predators work slow and the application of miticides to hot spots is suggested first. Then release predatory mites at the rate of 10,000 to 20,000 to the acre. Also use caution when using other pesticides that might disrupt the predators. Agrimek and Vendex are safe to use. Also consider time limitations to harvest when using a miticide during the picking season. The TLH interval is 3 days from Agrimek, 0 days for Brigade, 2 days for Danitol and for Kelthane, and 1 day for Vendex. We continue to evaluate miticides and predatory mites and have test in progress at the Castle Hayne research station. In fact field days are planned for April 30 at Castle Hayne and on May 6 from 6-8 pm in Clayton.
Potatoes:
Several fields in eastern NC have been seriously attacked by adult beetles. Beetles move from overwintering sites by crawling and devour potato stems as they emerge. Sprays of Provado will give some control of adults. Preplant use of Admire is also effective in preventing feeding damage by adults. Other sprays only give marginal control at best. Of course rotation of plantings of several hundred feet will help plants get established before beetles "walk or crawl" and find their way to them.
Cucurbits:
Cucumber beetles are also searching out seedlings as they emerge in eastern NC. Scouting for beetles and timely application of Sevin, Phaser or Asana will prevent loss of plants and prevent poor stands. Beetles should remain active for the next several weeks. Be sure to check cucumber, melon and watermelon fields for beetles and feeding damage.
Beans:
Some bean leaf beetle damage has been observed. However with good germination and growing conditions beans can often out grow bean leaf beetle damage. Two fields in Sampson county were observed to have foliar damage due to the placement of Thimet granules to close to the seed. Some plants with the recent rain should grow out of the marginal burn and bleaching of the leaves. However, in some rows considerable stunting and damage was observed and these plants will not recover. Hence once over harvesting will be difficult and yields per acre will be lowered by some 25 to 50 %.
Sweetpotato:
Soil baiting stations of corn placed 6 inches in the soil has yielded a good supply of wireworms. !7 fields in 8 counties were baited and checked for soil insects after 3 weeks. Only 3 fields contained no wireworms and one field in Sampson county had 27 wireworms from three holes. This field also had nematodes and received an application of Telone. Sweetpotato growers are encouraged to bait fields and check for wireworms and other soil insects as they break their land. Again avoid those fields with a high number of soil insects (especially white grubs and whitefringed beetles). And be prepared to treat fields preplant with lorsban and follow-up with foliar sprays as adult cucumber beetles, sweetpotato flea beetles, Phyllophaga species and adult click beetles are observed or feeding damage is noticed.
Ken Sorensen, Extension Specialist
Entomology, NCSU
kenneth_sorensen@ncsu.edu
The target audiences will be agents, volunteer leaders and 4-H'ers (9 years or older). 4-H'ers that attend the seminar will hopefully get an opportunity to experience the Horticulture Contest on a half scale basis (plus other hort workshop/tour activities). Information will be shared regarding the connection between 4-H and the National Junior Horticultural Association (NJHA). There will be an opportunity for youth to apply to be an officer: President, NCJHA; Vice-President, NCJHA; and Secretary, NCJHA.
Visit the following web site for more information in "PDF" format:
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/4h-hort.html
The seminar costs are the same as last year:
Registrations must be post marked no later than May 7, 1999. Checks made payable to the: "NCSU 4-H Club Fund"
[$65.00 for entire weekend]
This includes all meals, two nights housing in NCSU Residence Hall, (Linen
Package: pillow case, towel, sheets and wash cloth, bring blanket and pillow)
and Friday evening pizza.
Must include an extra $3.50 if you want to use the NCSU Gym on Saturday. [Total: $68.50 for weekend with NCSU gym use]
Must indicate in registration if gym will be used. Cannot go to gym if not pre-arranged prior to arrival.
[$20.00 for Saturday Only]
This includes all meals and workshops and refreshments.
The "4-H Code of Conduct/Medical Release Form 4-H Sponsored Events" must be returned with the registration for each youth to be a valid participant at the seminar.
4-H Horticultural Seminar
N. C. State University
Tentative Program
Friday, May 28, 1999
5:00 - 5:45 P.M. Registration - Sullivan Residence Hall, NCSU
(Must check in dorm prior to 6:30 PM or make
special arrangements regarding arrival time at
NCSU!)
6:00 - 7:00 P.M. Pizza at Sullivan Residence Hall
7:15 - 7:30 P.M. Walk to Kilgore Hall
7:30 P.M. Greetings and Orientation, Kilgore Hall, Room
159
7:45 - 8:15 P.M. Ice Breaker Activities, Kilgore Hall, Room 159
8:15 - 9:00 P.M. Extemporaneous Speaking Contest, Kilgore Hall,
Room 159
9:00 - 9:15 P.M. Break with Refreshments - Kilgore Hall, Room
159
9:15 - 9:40 P.M. Wrap-up Extemporaneous Speaking Contest
9:40 - 9:45 P.M. Instructions for Saturday
9:45 P.M. Return to Sullivan Residence Hall
11:15 P.M. Lights Out!
-------------------------------
Saturday, May 29, 1999
7:30 - 8:30 A.M. Breakfast, NCSU Dining Hall
7:30 - 8:30 A.M. Saturday Registration, Kilgore Hall, Lobby
8:30 -10:00 A.M. Horticulture Contest, (Half Scale)
Horticultural Science Greenhouse, Hort Contest Site
9:15 - 11:30 A.M. Clover Bud Session, Scott Hall, Room 216
10:00 - 10:30 A.M. Break with Refreshments
10:30 - 12:00 Noon Ornamental I.D. Pointers, Paul Fantz
10:30 - 11:30 A.M. Officer Interviews
12:00 - 1:00 P.M. Lunch, NCSU Dining Hall
1:15 - 5:45 P.M. Workshops and Tours - Concurrents Session
Titles
1. Plant Propagation, Daniel Norden
2. Wildflowers, Cameron Cobb
3. Strawberry Production, Eric Bish
4. Beauty Nature's Way, Carrie Cornelius
5. Fruit Tree Production/Pruning, Mike Parker
6. Greenhouse Tour
7. J.C. Raulston Tour, Bob Lyons
3:30 - 5:45 P.M. Recreation at NCSU Gym
6:00 - 7:00 P.M. Dinner, NCSU Facility
7:15 - 8:15 P.M. Horticultural Connections, A Jeopardy Like Game
Kilgore Hall, Room 159, Prizes Awarded
8:15 - 8:30 P.M. Refreshments, Kilgore Hall, Room 159
8:30 - 9:30 P.M. Horticultural Connections, Cont'd
9:30 P.M. Return to Sullivan Residence Hall
11:15 P.M. Lights Out!
----------------------------------------------------------------
Sunday, May 30, 1999
7:30 - 8:30 A.M. Breakfast, NCSU Dining Hall
Check out of dorm room prior to closing session
8:45 -10:15 A.M. Morning Session, Kilgore Hall, Room 159
Meditation Reading
Guess Speaker, Michael Reithwisch
University of California at Davis
Topic: "Mirrors and Eyeglasses"
Business Meeting/Officer Announcements
Horticultural Contest Awards Presentation
Evaluation of weekend
10:00 A.M. Adjourn
Have A Safe Trip Home!
Larry Bass, Extension Specialist
Hort Science, NCSU
larry_bass@ncsu.edu
Preliminary Program:
Wednesday - evening Welcome Reception
Thursday - 3 concurrent tours and evening night out
optional spouse tour
Friday - keynote session. research presentations,
trade show, Awards Banquet
Saturday - research presentations, trade show
Keynote Session:
"Climate Deja Vu"
Dr. Dale Linville, Agricultural Meteorologist, Clemson University,
South Carolina
Trade Show of Plasticulture Technology and Related Industry Suppliers
Additional Educational Opportunities:
Southeastern U.S. Greenhouse Vegetable Growers Conference and
Trade Show
Wednesday, May 19, 1999 - Tallahassee site
Extension Agent and Grower Plasticulture Workshop scheduled as part of the Congress, targeting topics of special interest to county agents and growers, with certified crop advisor credit available to congress attendees
Location:
Tallahassee is located in a region well-known for its picturesque
oaks, historic plantation homes, and intensive agricultural
production. This area, once home to "shade tobacco," is now an
established production center for vegetables and ornamental plant
materials, much of it grown on plastic, and shipped throughout the
eastern United States and into Canada.
Congress Co-Chairs:
Darbie M. Granberry and K. Dean Batal, University of Georgia
Stephen M. Olson, University of Florida
For more information, contact:
American Society for Plasticulture
526 Brittany Drive, State College PA 16803-1420
Phone: 814-238-7045, FAX: 814-238-7051, e-mail: peh4@psu.edu
Web page last updated on May 5, 1999 by Stephen J. Toth, Jr..