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Horticulture Newsletter
Elk County Fair Week Tuesday, August 6 to Saturday, August 10 at the Elk County Fairgrounds in Kersey. Come on out and see the best of Elk County! 2002 Farm Bill/Dairy Options Pilot Program Round IV Informational Downlink Tuesday, August 6, 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Elk County Emergency Management Center in Ridgway. Cosponsored by Penn State Extension, Cornell University and USDA/RMA. See enclosed information for details. Cooper Farm and Farm Market Twi-Light Tour Wednesday, August 14, 6:00 p.m. at Bob Cooper's farm in Fall Creek. See
enclosed information for details. 2002 Fruit and Vegetable Field Day Monday, August 19, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Penn State's Rock Springs Research Farm. Call 776-5331 (Elk) or 486-3350 (Cameron) for more information. Cameron County Fair Week Monday, August 19 to Saturday, August 24 at the Cameron County Fairgrounds in Emporium. Come on out and see the best of Cameron County! Ag Progress Days Tuesday, August 20 to Thursday, August 22 at Rock Springs Research Farm. See enclosed information for details. The Ins and Outs of Fairy Rings
"Fairy rings" is the common name given for the large circles that sometimes appear on home lawns, golf course fairways and other turfgrass areas. The rings are usually composed of darker green grass in an area of lighter-colored grass. White "mushrooms" are sometimes, but not always, associated with the rings. Occasionally a ring of just mushrooms will appear without the dark turf as well. There are about 60 different fungal organisms that can cause fairy rings, which belong to the basidiomycete class of fungi. Button mushrooms, the most common edible type, are in this same class, but Mike cautions against eating the mushrooms associated with fairy rings. The name "fairy ring" comes from a Scottish legend. During
the Middle Ages people believed that where fairies danced the night before
a ring of mushrooms would appear the following morning. Three symptoms may be seen in connection with fairy rings. First, mushrooms may appear, especially after a rainfall. Secondly, dark, lush rings of turfgrass appear ranging from a few inches to many feet across. Lastly, rings of dead turf may be seen as the fungal mycelium (body of the fungus) moves through the soil and creates hydrophobic (water repellent) conditions in the soil. Experts believe there has been more fairy rings occurring in the past four to five years, especially on putting greens. This may be due to the actions of golf course superintendents to reduce fertility (to keep the turf lean) and to reduce mowing heights (aimed at increasing green speed). Fairy rings on young (two year old), sand-based greens are most probably due to the fungus invading from the native soils. Management includes several options. To mask the problem increase the nitrogen fertility or use iron products like Spring 330. Soil surfactants (Primer, Lesco Flow, Lesco Wet or Cascade) will alleviate the hydrophobic conditions. Chemical solutions include using a fungicide such as ProStar (flutolanil) with a wetting agent. Heritage (azoxystrobin) has shown to work marginally to well in field trials. Two application methods are possible. The first involves spiking the area, using the tank mix (in two to four gallons of water per thousand square feet), and then irrigating to push the material through the thatch into the soil. Another method involves apply the wetting agent in two gallons of water per one thousand square feet on day one and the applying the fungicide and watering it in on day two. One last solution, suggested by other researchers, is for very ambitious turf managers. The sod and underlying soil is a band 18 to 24 inches in front and back of the ring should be removed to a depth of eight to 36 inches, depending on the development of the ring. The resulting hole should be filled with clean topsoil or soil mix. New sod or seed can be established where the fairy ring was removed. This method sounds like a tremendous project and may still result in a ring of different turfgrass in the lawn. Typically, two fairy rings on a lawn will not grow together, since they are mutually antagonistic toward each other. Pennsylvania Certified Organic Accredited by USDA
This is truly a milestone for PCO producers, board and staff, who have worked hard over the past year and a half to fulfill the requirements for USDA accreditation. All certified organic farms, processors and handlers must be certified by an accredited certification agency by October 21, 2002. The full list of accredited certifiers can be viewed on the National Organic Program website: www.ams.usda.gov/nop If you are a PCO-certified operator or a supporting member, you will soon be receiving the new PCO Certification Manual including the national standards and PCO's certification policies and procedures. You will also receive the OMRI Brand Names and OMRI Generic lists separately. If you are not certified or a member and would like to receive these materials, contact the PCO office for information on membership or prices. In 1985, a group of organic farmers in the Lancaster County area of Pennsylvania formed a Pennsylvania chapter of the Organic Crop Improvement Association, now based in Nebraska. The PA chapter performed certification services for its members for about 15 years. In 1997, some chapter members believed that a Pennsylvania-based organization would better serve the needs of our state's organic community and incorporated as non-profit organization named Pennsylvania Certified Organic. PCO started out with 27 members and by the end of that first year had certified 54 crop and livestock farms. In 1998 the organization expanded to include dairy producers and certified about 100 farms. Over the years, PCO has added certification services for processing, handling, distribution. Brokering, mushrooms, maple products and poultry. In 2000, the USDA published its final National Organic Rule, which became effective in April 2001 and is to be fully implemented by October 22, 2002. PCO has revised its standards to reflect these federal regulations and has been accredited to perform certification services under the USDA. In 2001, PCO certified about 250 operations throughout the state. Also in 2001, PCO added certification services for operations outside of Pennsylvania, but only if the operation has a base within Pennsylvania. PCO conducts seminars, meetings and training sessions each year to help Pennsylvania's organic producers remain informed and in compliance with the national standards. Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus (TSWV) By now you have probably heard about the tomato spotted wilt problems in Maryland and neighboring states. TSWV, a member of the thrips-transmitted tospovirus group, affects vegetable and field crops such as tomatoes, peppers, peanuts, potatoes and tobacco. However, it is occasionally found in many ornamental and greenhouse crops. This growing season, TSWV was first detected in newly transplanted tobacco fields in St. Mary's and Prince George's Counties. Below is a news release prepared by Dave Conrad, which summarizes what we currently know about the situation on tobacco. Since the mid-80s, epidemics of tomato spotted wilt virus have been troublesome throughout the South. TSWV has been a serious disease problem on tobacco in the flue-cured regions of Florida, Georgia and southern South Carolina. The disease has already caused major losses in Georgia fields and more cases are being reported every day. So far this season, the disease has showed up earlier than normal and further north in the eastern states. North Carolina tobacco and potato growers have reported serious losses due to TSWV which spread across the state rapidly. Moderate levels of the disease have been detected in potato plots at the Painter Research Station on the VA Eastern Shore and have occurred in tomatoes on the VA Eastern Shore and Tidewater Area. In the past, Maryland growers have had sporadic problems with TSWV on processing tomatoes due to transplants already infected or infested with the thrips vector shipped in from the south. This problem was solved by producing transplants in local greenhouses with strict thrips management. However, this is the first time that TSWV has occurred in commercial fields with transplants produced locally in outdoors seedbeds, suggesting the possibility of over wintering of thrips that vector the disease.
Hopefully, our TSWV problems are the result of an unusual mild winter and thus probably would not occur following a normal or severe winter. However, in a typical scenario, TSWV will appear sporadically in an area, perhaps for years, then suddenly surge to epidemic proportions in agriculturally important host plants. Wherever, TSWV incidence has increased enough to cause economic losses, it has remained a chronic problem. This pattern has been repeated in India, Australia, Hawaii and in the southern United States. In some areas of California and Hawaii, tomato can no longer be grown due to TSWV infection. Scouting for specific vectors of TSWV for control decisions is not feasible. Identification of different thrips species is very difficult in the field because most species are similar in appearance. Western flower thrips adults are slender, about 1.5 mm long, yellowish and hold their fringed wings over their backs. Larvae are smaller and wingless, but otherwise resemble adults. Thrips are commonly found in the underside of leaves and in flowers and generally move quickly to shelter when disturbed. The vector-virus relationship between thrips and TSWV is important to understanding how virus spread occurs. The tospoviruses replicate in their thrips vectors, thus the insects not only spread the virus, but serve as a virus host. Thrips cannot transmit tospoviruses unless they acquire the virus during their immature stages. When larvae feed on infected plants, ingested virus crosses the midgut barrier and enters the salivary glands. A midgut barrier in adults prevents virus ingested during this stage from moving to the salivary gland. While the insects remain infective for life, there is no evidence of transovarial passage from one generation of thrips to the next. The adult thrips is the critical stage for transmitting the virus between plants, since this winged state is more mobile than the wingless larval stage which tends to remain on the same plant upon which it emerged. Thrips feed upon plants by rupturing leaf epidermal cells and slurping up the contents with a mixture of their saliva. It is at this point that the virus, being released with their saliva, has the opportunity to enter damaged plant cells and infect the plant. The thrips life cycle varies from seven to 14 days at fluctuating temperatures between 68 to 98 F, so there are multiple generations on weed hosts and during the growing cycle of crop plants.A systemically infected plant cannot be cured. Upon finding infected plant material the best course of action is to dispose of the plant as soon as possible. One infected plant can serve as a source to any other susceptible plant nearby. However, roguing out symptomatic plants is not always effective as a control for secondary infections because TSWV has often spread before symptoms develop. Generally, controlling weeds, avoiding contaminated host plants near the vegetable crop and eliminating thrips in greenhouses is the best way to manage this problem. To repeat, once symptoms start developing in the field, it is often too late to head off an epidemic. In general, the use of insecticides to control thrips has been an ineffective means of suppressing TSWV. In theory, lowering overall thrips populations with insecticides should effectively reduce in-field spread of TSWV. However, insecticides have proven to be ineffective at suppressing primary infection, which accounts for most virus transmission. There are several reasons why insecticides have not been effective for control of TSWV. Thrips tend to be hidden in flowers and buds (resulting in incomplete spray coverage), have a rapid life cycle with a high reproductive potential (eggs inserted in plant tissue are unaffected and hatch quickly replenishes the population) and have a wide host range including many weeds (thrips are constantly being blown into fields from these external virus reservoirs). In addition, widespread resistance has made chemical control more difficult. For example, resistance to certain pyrethroids, carbamates, organophosphates and abamectin (not labeled for thrips) has been documented in certain thrips populations in the field. In studies of nontarget effects of Bt and conventionally-sprayed nonBt sweet corn, high populations of thrips are relatively unaffected by Warrior treatments. This should give you an idea of how difficult it is to control a virus vector which only has to feed for five minutes to transmit the disease. For more information on tomato spotted wilt, there is plenty of information via the Internet. In particular, good images of disease symptoms on tomato can be found at http://vegetablemdonline.ppath.cornell.edu/PhotoPages/Tomatoes/Tom_SpWilt/Tom_SpWiltPhotoList.htm Section 18 Approved for Use of Spartan 4F on Strawberries in PA
Four to eight fluid ounces of Spartan 4F can be used per acre per application. A maximum of 12 fluid ounces may be applied per acre per season. This can be applied as either a single application of no more than eight fluid ounces of Spartan 4F per acre, or as two split applications made at renovation and dormancy applying no more than a total of 12 fluid ounces per acre. The material should be applied in 20 to 40 gallons of water per acre. Applications can be made to the entire field as a broadcast spray or as a treatment to only those areas where targeted weeds are present or expected. For the material to be effective as a preemergent herbicide, rainfall or irrigation is required for activation. If 0.5 to one inch of rainfall or irrigation is not received within seven to ten days after application, a shallow cultivation should be used to lightly incorporate the herbicide. The material should not be used if the soil is saturated or if heavy rainfall is predicted to occur within the next 24 hours. The dates when sulfentrazone can be applied are: 1) at renovation, after harvest and immediately after mowing, June 20 through July 20 and 2) when the plants are dormant in the fall, from October 15 through December 15. A 105-day preharvest interval must be observed. Because this material can leach to groundwater under certain conditions, this material cannot be applied on soils classified as sand which have less than one percent organic matter. "Dog-On-It" Lawn Problems
Understanding the Causes: The fundamental problem with the presence of urine or feces on the lawn is related to the nitrogen content and concentration of these waste products. Urine, when produced as a waste product in animals, primarily removes excess nitrogen from the body via the kidneys. Nitrogen waste products are the result of protein breakdown through normal bodily processes. Carnivores, including cats and dogs, have a significant protein requirement and urine volume/production varies due to size and metabolism. Urine is a more serious problem for lawns because it is applied all at once as a liquid fertilizer, whereas feces slowly releases the waste products over time. since stools are usually solid, owners have the option of frequent manual removal. With more time for the nitrogen waste to dissolve into the lawn, stools that are frequently removed damage lawns less than urine. Young dogs of both sexes frequently squat to urinate. Leg lifting is often learned by male dogs around a year of age; castration or neutering does not seem to affect nature's timetable related to this behavior development. While most male dogs will hike their leg and mark once they are over a year of age, a few will continue to squat which is more common in female dogs. Female dogs may also mark although less commonly than male dogs. Once dogs begin urine marking, they often utilize many and numerous scent posts resulting in numerous, small volume urinations rather than large volume puddles. Grass can handle small volume nitrogen bursts easier than fertilizer overload. Unfortunately, the young bush, shrub, vine or tree sprout that becomes a marking post may have nitrogen (fertilizer) overload with repeated marking and may die if continually "marked." The primary concern in addressing urine damage to lawns is minimizing the nitrogen concentration added to the lawn at any single time. Female dogs, being less likely to urine mark and more likely to squat, are the primary culprits of lawn damage since they will go anywhere on a lawn and usually all at once. This results in a single nitrogen dump confined to a small patch of grass. The brown spot that results will often have a green ring around the outside. The nitrogen overload at the center causes the burn, but as the urine is diluted toward to periphery, it has a fertilizer effect. This characteristic brown spot, green ring pattern has been called "female dog spot disease" by some horticulturists. As might be expected, lawns are most susceptible to nitrogen burns when standard fertilizers are maximized in the lawn. Homeowners making the extra effort to have a green lawn may be quite discouraged by their neighbor's dog damage or their own housepet's potty residue. Speculations on the actual cause of the lawn burn has resulted in numerous theories on what else in the urine may be contributing to the damage. Dr. A. W. Allard, a Colorado veterinarian, examined numerous variations in dog urine and the effects on several common lawn grasses. His results support the fact that volume of urine (nitrogen content) and urine concentration had the most deleterious effects on lawns. The pH of the urine did not have any variable effect nor did common additives designed to alter the urine pH. Of the four grasses tested, Festuca sp. var. Kentucky 31 (fescue) and Lolium perrene (perennial ryegrass) were the most resistant to urine effects. In fact, the urine routinely produced a fertilizer effect on these grasses at diluted concentrations. Poa pratensis (Kentucky bluegrass) and Cynodon sp. var. Fairway (bermundagrass) were very sensitive to any urine concentration and severe burns resulted, persisting greater than 30 days after initial exposure to even four ounces of diluted urine. Even on the most urine resistant grass tested (fescue), urine concentration was a bigger problem than urine volume. Concentrated urine with volumes as little as 30cc (one ounce) caused lawn burn even on fescue grasses. Problem Area Avoidance Technique: Where applicable, fences can be used to keep neighboring dogs from eliminating on the lawn. Advising neighbors of the legality of leash laws, where applicable, can restrict damage to areas near sidewalks and on tree lawns/median right of ways. Unfortunately, no repellents are universally effective, although a variety of home remedies have been tried. Hot and bitter products are most likely to have taste or odor aversive properties to dogs. Most repellents function better as taste repellents than to touch or odor repellents. Some odor repellents may actually encourage a dog to overmark the strange smell. Some of the better known commercial repellents have these limitations as well. A newly developed motion activated sprinkler, primarily designed to keep cats and rabbits out of gardens, may have benefits for some yards. The sprinkler may provide some benefit in small yards or at corners of front yards where damage is most likely to occur; however the presence of numerous squirrels, stray animals or children may result in over-watering and very high water bills if they continuously trigger the device.
A more feasible approach may be to train the pet to eliminate in a designated area of the yard. This area would be a landscaped area specifically designed for the dog. It will need a substrate like pea gravel or mulch that the dog finds acceptable and may even include a marking post like a large boulder, bird bath, lawn ornament or even faux hydrant. Collecting the dog's urine in a cup and using it in this area for several days can provide some odor attractant value to this area. Feces can also be collected and transported to the new designated area. Consistency for at least two-three weeks is important to establish this as a routine, trained behavior; several months may be necessary in some cases. Initially, training can occur with the dog on a short leash and food rewards employed to encourage use of this area. Dogs should not be unsupervised in the yard while this initial training is occurring. It is often easier to train a young puppy to a particular ground texture than an adult dog, but never impossible in any age dog. A variable reward system utilizing one standard treat if urinating anywhere outside and several treats or a special treat if in the designated area can be helpful in this process and avoid confusing the dog regarding the new housebreaking rules. Excessive food rewards in the form of meat or protein products will contribute to increased nitrogen content in the urine. Dogs that are being obedience trained should not be trained with treats on the lawn during this housebreaking or pets and reward systems can really become confused. Many dog owners will also find it helpful to train their dog to an elimination command during this time. common commands might include: potty, piddle, do your business, hurry up, etc. and take less time to accomplish the task when inclement weather is present or time schedules are busy. Dietary Modification Techniques: A great many dietary modifications for dogs have been tried, often based on home remedies or anecdotal experience. A veterinarian should always be consulted prior to making any dietary modifications, whether they include additions or subtractions from standard nutrient guidelines. As stated earlier, the pH of the urine has little or no effect on the urine damage to the lawn. The addition of acidifying agents, including nutritional supplements like D-1, Methionine (Methioform), Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C) or fruit juices, will have no benefit for this problem and may predispose the dog to an increased incidence of certain bladder stones. Likewise, alkalinizing agents, including baking soda and potassium citrate, can predispose to other types of bladder stones or infections. The addition of any of these supplements has enough potential to cause harm, with limited to no known benefit for the lawn and are not recommended. When owners have reported successes, as is sometimes the case on internet forums, liquids likely improved the situation because the urine concentration after treatment was diluted. Safer ways to accomplish more dilute urine include feeding canned food, moistening dry food with water prior to feeding and adding salt or garlic salt to the regular food. One particular home remedy, tomato juice, likely has its primary benefit through both increased salt and water intake. While salt will make the dog drink more and dilute the urine, increased salt intake can cause problems for dogs with existing kidney or heart conditions. Owners should not alter their dog's diet without consulting with their veterinarian. Dogs with more dilute urine may have to go more frequently as well and need more frequent elimination opportunities. While specific breed differences haven't been noted, smaller dogs produce less urine than larger dogs so are dumping less nitrogen waste. Dogs with bladder infections often demonstrate an urgency to urinate and typically squat several times, leaving small amounts or drops each time. These dogs may be less of a problem for lawns than normal dogs who empty their whole bladder in one sitting. Dog owners who actually note that their dog's urine is no longer causing lawn burn without having made any changes should have their dog examined by their veterinarian and a urinalysis performed to make sure there are no medical conditions causing this change. The other option to consider besides diluting the urine is to reduce the amount of nitrogen waste being dumped in the urine. The average family dog doesn't have the activity level that requires as high a protein level as most commercial maintenance dog foods provide. Although dog food purchasing often reflects consumer perception that high protein equals better food, in fact moderate to low protein foods are often adequate for all but the most energetic working and hunting dogs. When examining a food label, protein content must be compared on a dry matter basis and unfortunately it is not like comparing apples to apples. Dry foods vary in how much moisture they have, so the protein percent listed can't be immediately compared to all other foods. Canned foods will have a much lower protein percent listed than dry foods but also have much higher water content.The quality of the protein also has an impact since some proteins are highly digestible, meaning less is dumped in the feces and possibly the urine than other proteins. In general, the premium and super premium pet foods, available from pet stores and veterinarians, will have higher quality protein and more digestible proteins than standard grocery store brands. The higher digestibility translates into smaller fecal size as well. It is probably best to discuss individual pet needs with a veterinarian or nutrition consultant in the practice to determine what is the best fit, based on feasibility, palatability and economics. In many cases, if a dog food is currently providing good overall nutritional support for the pet, diluting the urine by simply adding water to the food may be the easiest place to start. Repair/Recovery of Damage Area: A leash can function to bond owners to their dogs and increase the time pets spend interacting with their owners. A leash can also be part of a responsible neighbor policy, be a great training aid, and is also one of the best ways to be at the site to intervene when urinations occur. Watering the spot after urinations will accomplish the dilution with no ill effects on the dog. Dr. Allard's study looked at watering feccue at different intervals following urination. Water volumes three times that of the urine were used to assess their dilution effects. A fertilizer effect rather than burn was noted when the site was watered at any time up to eight hours after the urination. When the delay in watering was extended to 12 or more hours, progressively worse burns were noted. It appears that routine watering of the grass in early mornings would not be sufficient to prevent all urine burns. The use of gypsum or lime has been advocated, but it is uncertain exactly what mechanism this would have in helping prevent urine damage. Improved soil quality over time may result in better drainage and less urine concentration at the grass and root level, but additional information is needed in this area. Lawn burn, when mild, will often repair itself over time, especially in the case of the warm-season turf grasses that spread by stolons and rhizomes. Dark green spots and taller grasses may remain for several weeks. Sodding can be a quick way to patch severely damaged individual areas that would otherwise be invaded by weeds. While a high fence and dog-less lifestyle can ensure that "female dog spot disease" is not a problem in your clients' yards, homeowners and dog lovers have several practical solutions available to manage this problem. Coordinating these options can keep their four-legged friends on good terms and out of the dog house so they, too, can enjoy romping in your clients' well-manicured yard. 2002 FARM BILL Penn State Extension, Cornell and the USDA/RMA are teaming up to provide
an informational satellite downlink on two subjects:
Both programs will be presented Tuesday, August 6 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Elk County Emergency Management Center on Boot Jack Hill south of Ridgway. The Farm Bill portion will be from 9:00 to 10:15 a.m. and the DOPP IV program will be from 11:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. with a one hour lunch break. Producers are welcome to participate in either or both sessions. If you would like to attend please call the Elk or Cameron Extension offices at 776-5331 (Elk) or 486-3350 (Cameron) no later than Monday, August 5 to register. There are critically important provisions in both of the above sessions. I hope to see you there! TWI-LIGHT TOUR
This season the Cooper farm has volunteered to become a demonstration site for two Penn State Extension field trials. The first one was a variety comparison of eight different snap bean cultivars and the second was an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) station to detect damaging insects before they can attack sweet corn. If pest advances can be detected early only the minimum number of sprays need be applied to control each particular insect. Excessive spraying is avoided saving both time and money. The results of the Cooper IPM traps will be given out to any grower that requests them. To register for the tour please call the Elk or Cameron Extension offices at 776-5331 (Elk) or 486-3350 (Cameron) no later than Monday, August 12. If you are interested in new and improved vegetable varieties or in controlling
sweet corn pests using fewer pesticides or simply in visiting a unique,
entrepreneurial family farming operation this tour is for you! I hope
to see you there. Sincerely, Gregory K. Burns Editor, Supporting Agents:
This publication is available in alternative media on request. Where trade names are used no discrimination is intended and no endorsement by Penn State Cooperative Extension is implied. Penn State encourages qualified persons with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. If you anticipate needing any type of accommodation or have questions about the physical access provided, please contact Greg Burns at (814) 776-5331 (Elk) or (814) 486-3350 (Cameron) in advance of your participation or visit. The Pennsylvania State University is committed to the policy that all persons shall have equal access to programs, facilities, admission and employment without regard to personal characteristics not related to ability, performance, or qualifications as determined by University policy or by state or federal authorities. It is the policy of the University to maintain an academic and work environment free of discrimination, including harassment. The Pennsylvania State University prohibits discrimination and harassment against any person because of age, ancestry, color, disability or handicap, national origin, race, religious creed, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status. Discrimination or harassment against faculty, staff, or students will not be tolerated at The Pennsylvania State University. Direct all affirmative action inquiries to the Affirmative Action Office, The Pennsylvania State University, 201 Willard Building, University Park, PA 16802-2801, Tel 814-865-4700/V, 814-863-1150/TTY. |
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Penn State is an Affirmative Action, Equal Opportunity University This page was last updated on Tuesday, 6 August, 2002 21:10 |
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You are here
Every
Thursday morning, Dr. Frank Rossi, Cornell's Statewide Turfgrass Specialist,
sponsors a regional conference call to discuss turfgrass issues. The last
guest was Dr. Mike Fidanza, Penn State University Turfgrass Specialist
stationed at Reading, PA. One of Mike's interests is fairy rings, which
he reported on for the group-here is the summary.
Pennsylvania
Certified Organic has been accredited to perform organic certification
services for the USDA. The announcement was made on April 29, 2002. PCO
was one of 28 private domestic certification organizations to be accredited
by the USDA, along with ten state departments of agriculture and four
foreign certification agencies.
TSWV
is vectored exclusively by thrips. Only nine of the more than 5000 described
thrips species are proven vectors. Three of these, Frankliniella fusca
(tobacco thrips), F. occidentalis (western flower thrips, WFT) and Thrips
tabaci (onion thrips) are the chief vectors in the southern United States.
Of these, the western flower thrips has the broadest host range affecting
a diverse variety of ornamental and vegetable crops. WFT is the chief
TSWV vector in greenhouse settings around the world, as well as in vegetable
growing regions in the south where it can over winter. Tobacco thrips
is the major vector in tobacco and peanut fields, whereas the onion thrips
vector a strain of tospoviruses in onion and garlic crops. Both species
are widely distributed in tropical, warm and cool temperature areas around
the world. In the mid-Atlantic states, WFT can over winter in greenhouses,
whenever temperatures are favorable for their development and host plants
(including weeds) are available for food. Field infestations appear to
be somewhat local and often occur later in the season in the proximity
of greenhouses with a history of high incidence of WFT. A recent study
showed that adult thrips can over winter outdoors in nectarine orchards
in southeastern Pennsylvania. This spring capture followed high WFT population
densities in the fall and a milder than normal winter. Obviously, the
record mild winter that just passed has probably accounted for the unusual
occurrence of TSWV problems. Successful over wintering of WFT and other
thrips species in outdoors habitats can result in the spread of TSWV to
perennial weed hosts early in the spring. In one study, Canadian researchers
collected weeds both in and near greenhouses where there was a history
of TSWV. Many weeds were found to be both susceptible to TSWV and suitable
hosts for thrips to lay eggs. Fifty species, including such common weeds
as redroot pigweed, chickweed, lambsquarters, bindweed, thistle, galinsoga,
pineapple weed, burdock, shepherd's purse, purslane and black nightshade
may be susceptible to TSWV.
A
Section 18 emergency exemption was approved for the use of Spartan 4F
from FMC (sulfentrazone) on strawberries in PA. this exemption is for
the control of common groundsel, a problem in a number of growers' fields.
The intent was for these growers to have a material that would be a replacement
for the Goal Section 18 use that PA had a couple of years ago. The timing
for use is similar to what it was for Goal, with one important addition.
Because groundsel seeds can germinate all season long, half of the total
yearly amount can also be applied at renovation, with the remainder applied
at dormancy in the fall. This material is similar to Goal in that, while
it inhibits establishment of new weeds, it will also burn foliage that
it contact. Here are the details on the use, directions and restrictions.
Dog
urine and feces can often be a frustrating problem related to lawn care.
Small amounts may produce a green up or fertilizer effect while larger
amounts often result in lawn burn or dead patches. While most burn spots
will recover with time and regrowth, dead areas can be large enough in
some cases to require reseeding or sodding. For homeowners who are also
dog lovers, this can present a dilemma, particularly when one family member
prefers the dog and another prefers a well-manicured lawn. An understanding
of the interaction between dogs and the lawn can keep the yard (and family)
at peace, not in pieces.
In many
cases, the problem dog is a housemate to the homeowner. While somewhat
time consuming, walking the dog to a park or field away from the house
is a simple remedy to this. The time can be well spent since exercise
has physical and emotional benefits for both dogs and their owners. Homeowners
are encouraged to choose an appropriate destination and not create problem
lawns elsewhere that may affect the over-all aesthetics of the neighborhood.
On Wednesday,
August 14 Penn State Extension will sponsor a twi-light tour to the Bob
Cooper Farm and Cooper Farm Market in Falls Creek. Bob, along with his
parents Blake and Mabel and sister Sue, operate a multi-faceted greenhouse
and vegetable enterprise near Falls Creek. Consisting of 15 acres they
raise a wide variety of annual and perennial flower and foliage plants
which are marketed as bedding plants, hanging baskets, bowls and much
more from their own retail store.