Latest News
I lost a lot of tomato plants to Sclerotinia/White mold/Timber Rot this past season, while I’ve seen some in past years, why was it so bad this season?
Garlic growers in Canada and several northeastern states have seen crop losses of 80-90% in sections of fields infested with the stem/bloat nematode (Ditylenchus dipsaci). Pennsylvania growers obtaining garlic seed/bulbs from Canadian and other northeastern sources may unknowingly introduce this serious pest into their fields.
On Tuesday morning, June 28, 2011 at 5:00 am, Sandea (halosulfuron-methyl) herbicide was applied postemergence on fields of pepper and cantaloupe growing in research plots at the Horticulture Research Farm, Rock Springs, PA. Sandea is labeled for application on both peppers and cantaloupes for weed control.
Announcement from Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture's Secretary Greig
An announcement from Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture Secretary Greig.
Revised publication on greenhouse heating. Opportunities to increase efficiency in your greenhouses.
As we head into fall, the cool and wet conditions favor the continued development of late blight on both tomato and potato.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is working closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state health agencies to investigate a multi-state outbreak of listeriosis. At least 15 people infected with the outbreak strain of Listeria monocytogenes have been reported in Colorado, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas. State and local public health officials have interviewed most of the patients and discovered that the majority of them consumed whole cantaloupes, most likely marketed from the Rocky Ford growing region of Colorado.
Luke Laborde, Penn State Food Science Department, passes along this notice from FDA in response to questions on what to do with produce crops that have come into contact with flood waters. Bottom line? The crop should be destroyed.
Questions are arising about what to do with produce crops that have come into contact with flood waters. FDA provides recommendations; the bottom line is that the crop should be destroyed.
The Sept 13th Biodegradable Mulch Walk is canceled. Visit us in Montgomery or Northampton County or email for handouts.
Seven farms laid biodegradable mulch this year as part of a demonstration project with Penn State Extension. The following are the initial experiences of two cooperating farms. For more information join us this week for biodegradable mulch walks in Schuylkill, Northampton and Montgomery Counties.
Due to the cool and wet conditions over the past wekk or so there have been an increasing number of reports of late blight in Pennsylvania and New York.
The the continuous rain, there has been increasing concern about Phytophthora fruit rot.
The continued unsettled weather first from Hurricane Irene and now Tropical Storm Lee this past weeks has put most of PA at high risk for downy mildew disease development and localized spread!
eOrganic is a website dedicated to providing relevant information for the organic community based on science, regulations and experience. The web address is http://eorganic.info. Funding for the site was provided by the United States Department of Agriculture’s Integrated Organic Program.
Given that spotted wing drosophila (SWD) has been found in PA, many growers are scrutinizing their berries a little more closely. The main concern is that there could be SWD larvae in the fruit. Blackberries and raspberries are two favorite foods of SWD, and fall-harvested cultivars are the most at risk since SWD populations increase throughout the growing season. However, there are other types of larvae that could be in fruit, including those of fruit fly species that lay eggs in overripe fruit.
I want to write about some present day activities in the City of Philadelphia and some good “old style” extension and applied research that we have been undertaking in the heart of the city under the gaze of William Penn, perched high atop City Hall. As you may or may not know, myself and other colleagues in the department have been working with high tunnels since 1998 when we started the High Tunnel Research and Education Facility located on the Horticulture Farm at Rock Springs, PA.
Farmers know how important it is to be careful when using pesticides. We all strive to use the least toxic, effective option, read the label and follow the directions, calibrate, measure carefully and wear the required personal protective equipment.
