Address any questions or comments regarding this newsletter to the individual authors listed after each article or to its editors, Nathan Johanning, 618-939-3434, njohann@illinois.edu or Bronwyn Aly 618-695-6060, baly@illinois.edu. The Illinois Fruit and Vegetable News is available on the web at: http://ipm.illinois.edu/ifvn/. To receive or be removed from email notification of new postings of this newsletter, contact Nathan Johanning or Bronwyn Aly at the phone numbers or email addresses above.

In This Issue:

Upcoming Programs (listings for beginning and established growers)

Regional Reports (from western, central, and southern Illinois)

Vegetable Production and Pest Management (Updates to the 2016 Midwest Vegetable Production Guide, New Fungicide Labeled in for Vegetable Crops)

Fruit Production and Pest Management (Updates on Fire Blight of Apple)

Food Safety Updates (Produce Safety Rule: Agricultural Water Testing, article 4 of 7)

University of Illinois Extension educators and specialists in fruit and vegetable production and pest management

Upcoming Programs

Check the Illinois SARE calendar for a full list of programs and links for registration.
http://illinoissare.org/ and http://illinoissare.org/calendar.php
Also see the University of Illinois Extension Local Food Systems and Small Farms Team's website at:
http://web.extension.illinois.edu/smallfarm/ and the calendar of events at http://web.extension.illinois.edu/units/calendar.cfm?UnitID=629.

Regional Reports

From western Illinois ... We've been missing the rains thus far in March, as I've received less than 0.5" as of March 14th.  With a day or two of sunshine and wind, there will be opportunities to get back into the field, and as of the March 15th , one grower shared that they got their first planting of sweet corn in the ground.  Many corn farmers have their NH3 and dry fertilizer applied.  Overall, soil conditions and date have held them back, but I'm guessing that planting may begin fairly soon depending upon rain and temperatures the next week or so. There was a rumor of a corn field planted last week in southern Pike County. The last year we saw temperatures this warm in March was in 2012, which many will not care to remember nor experience that again.

We're observing new growth on the plasticulture strawberries that have been uncovered. I did see one early bud emerge on some carryover plasticulture berries last week, but the ones planted last fall are nowhere near that mature. Forecasted temperatures are for low's in the mid 30's later in the week, but that shouldn't cause any harm. The bare root strawberries, planted on white plastic last July and covered with straw at Thanksgiving, have lost a lot of leaves. You can see on the accompanying photo that many leaves succumbed to desiccation over the winter. According to Nate Nourse, we covered too soon, as they were not yet acclimated to the cold.


Bare roots strawberries planted on white plastic (2 left photos). Plasticulture strawberries on black plastic from plugs (right). Photos: M. Roegge

Peaches have really taken off, with bud swell occurring, especially on the early to mature varieties, and it may be a little late for peach leaf curl sprays. I don't recall what stage of growth peaches were at mid-March of 2007, but we had a very warm March that year, which advanced bloom quite a bit. Many fruit crops that year were adversely affected by the Easter freeze, when we had temperatures down to the high teens from Maundy Thursday through Easter Sunday (the first week of April). Many fruit growers experienced very damaging freeze injury. The one remaining apple grower in this area (Edgewood Orchards) lost their apple crop that year, which was only the second time in over 75 years. Our plasticulture strawberries were in full bloom and we lost nearly every open flower, even with single and double row covers.  Let's hope that either temperatures moderate some or that we avoid any cold temperatures within the next month or so. Our last average frost for this region is April 15-20.

Blueberries are showing bud swell and blackberries are showing ½" or so of green tissue. 

High tunnel crops are very much enjoying this weather, although the lack of many days with sunshine is causing some delay in growth. I talked to Roger Martin, R and R Hydroponics, and he mentioned how the tomato plants (planted late Dec- early Jan) are beginning to stretch some due to low sunlight levels.

Plant starts have been seeded for transplanting, and a number of crops with succession seedings being done as necessary to allow for several plantings.

The FSA office has an effort out to contact growers about NAP insurance for specialty crop growers. If you have an interest, contact your local office for more information.

Mike Roegge (217-223-8380; roeggem@illinois.edu)

From central Illinois ... A few local farmers were preparing their vegetable beds and seeding early season crops ahead of the weekend rains. Soils were dry and workable up until the rains of Sunday, March 12. Vegetables in high tunnels are growing well with the mild temperatures of March and farmers are having to use ventilation and sometimes increased ventilation on the warmer, sunny days.

Tree fruit growers are a little concerned with our recent warm early March temperatures and buds are breaking dormancy. In this area, orchardists are still remembering last year's 24o F temperatures on April 4, which hurt yields in some areas. Picture of pear bud was taken on March 13, 2016.

Doug Gucker (217-877-6042; dgucker@illinois.edu)

From southern Illinois ... Temperatures have been in the 60s for highs with a few warmer and colder days here and there, but temperatures have not gone below freezing recently.  The end of last week we had some rain with 1.4 inches of rain in Murphysboro.  Although the rain delayed some thoughts of field work, the rain is much needed as we don't want to head into summer with dry soils from a warm dry spring like we had in 2012.  For now the forecast is for temperatures to remain in the 50s and 60s for highs for the next week or so and no major chances for rain.


Blueberry bush at DSAC showing bud break on March 10, 2016. Photo by B. Aly.

With these warm temperatures things are really coming to life out in the field.  During our pruning clinic on March 10th at DSAC, we had blueberries at bud break and peaches had a few buds that were starting to show pink.  Blueberry buds are starting to open at home on my 'Duke' and 'Earliblue'.  The 'Kiowa' blackberries at my office have about one inch of green shoots and local growers have reported that some early peaches are starting to bloom.  Also, some of varieties of asparagus are already starting to emerge as early as last Friday (3/11) and now I have some spears just about ready to harvest.  Make sure to scout your fields and get the necessary burndown herbicide application made prior to spear emergence.  Let's just hope that mother nature doesn't come back and decide that winter is not quite over yet with all of this activity out in the field.

Nathan Johanning (618-939-3434; njohann@illinois.edu)

Vegetable Production and Pest Management

Updates to the 2016 Midwest Vegetable Production Guide

If you have a paper copy of the 2016 Midwest Vegetable Production Guide note that there have been some corrections and additions to the guide and they can be found at the following link from the Purdue Vegetable Crops Hotline:
https://vegcropshotline.org/article/updates-to-the-2016-mw-vegetable-production-guide-for-commercial-growers/

Also note that the updates have been made to the PDF available at: 
https://ag.purdue.edu/btny/midwest-vegetable-guide/PublishingImages/2016PDFs/ID-56.pdf

Nathan Johanning (618-939-3434; njohann@illinois.edu)

New Fungicide Labeled in for Vegetable Crops

I would like to announce the release of a new fungicide, Orondis from Syngenta.  It is a good product and should help commercial vegetable growers in combating downy mildew of cucurbits; Phytophthora blight of cucurbits, peppers and tomato; Buckeye rot of tomato; and late blight of potato and tomato.  However, I also want to discuss Orondis because of the complicated way in which it is being released.  Be advised that the listing for Orondis in the MW Vegetable Production Guide for 2016 (ID-56) is incorrect.   Please see the on-line version of the ID-56 for the most current information.  

Orondis has a new active ingredient which does not appear in any other fungicide and a novel mode of action, FRAC code U15.   But you will not be able to purchase Orondis on its own.  It will be available as 3 different multi packs or co-packs. Each multi-pack will contain two jugs, each with a different active ingredient and mode of action.   The products in the multi-pack are intended to be used as a tank mix.  The correct use of the products will help to prevent the emergence of strains of the pathogens that are resistant to FRAC group U15.  See Table 1 below for details.

This blog discusses the use of Orondis products with cucurbits and solanaceous crops because I believe that Orondis should have the greatest impact on these crops.  However, many other crops are listed on the Orondis label.  For more details, check with Syngenta, your local chemical representative, or myself. 

Table 1: Orondis products will be available in 2016 as multi-packs. That is, growers will purchase a box with 2 different jugs. Each jug contains a different fungicide. Mix both products together as a tank mix in water for application. Follow the rate information on each product. Use the most restrictive REI and PHI* for each product in the multi-pack. After using one of the Orondis products, alternate to a product with a different mode of action. Do not apply a foliar application of an Orondis product after a soil application of an Orondis product. That is, use soil or foliar applications of Orondis, but not both. 

Name of multi pack

Products in multi pack (REI hrs)

Common name of a.i. (FRAC code)

Crops
(PHI days)

Rates

Orondis opti

Orondis Opti A (4)

Oxathiapipropilin (U15)

Cucurbits (0)

2-4.8 fl. oz/A

Pepper (0)

Tomato (0)

Potato (5)

1.6-4.8 fl. oz/A

Orondis Opti B (12)

Chlorothalonil (M)

Cucurbits (0)

2 pts/A cucurbits

Pepper (3)

1.5 pts/A

Tomato (0)

2 pts./A

Potato (7)

¾ pts/A

Orondis Ridomil Gold SL**

Orondis Gold 200 (4)***

Oxathiapipropilin (U15)

Cucurbits (0)

2.4-19.2 fl. oz.

Pepper (0)

Tomato (0)

Ridomil Gold SL (48)

Mefenoxam (4)

Cucurbits (5)

1-2 pts/A 

Pepper (7)

1 pt/A

Tomato (7)

1-2 pt/A

Potato (14)

3.2 fl oz./A

Orondis Ultra

Orondis Ultra A (4)

Oxathiapipropilin (U15)

Cucurbits (0)

2-4.8 fl. oz

Pepper (0)

Tomato (0)

Potato (5)

1.6-4.8 fl. oz/A

Orondis Ultra B (4)

Mandipropamid (40)

Cucurbits (0)

8 fl oz/A

Pepper (1)

Tomato (1)

Potato (14)

*PHI=Pre-harvest Interval in days; REI=Restricted Entry Interval in hours.
**Orondis Ridomil Gold SL may only be applied to soil.  
***Orondis Gold 200 is not labeled for potato.

Dan Egel, Extension Plant Pathologist, Purdue Vegetable Crops Hotline, Purdue University (812-886-0198; egel@purdue.edu)

Fruit Production and Pest Management

As warm temperatures have prompted perennial crops to break dormancy a bit early this season, we wanted to include this article from last year as a reminder to stay on top of the developmental stages of your crops and be ready to make timely pest management applications when needed.

Bronwyn Aly (618-382-2662; baly@illinois.edu) and Nathan Johanning (618-939-3434; njohann@illinois.edu)

Updates on Fire Blight of Apple in Illinois

Fire blight is a bacterial disease caused by Erwinia amylovora.  Fire blight occurs in Illinois every year and causes shoot blight, canker blight, and rootstock blight on apples and pears.  I consider fire blight the most destructive disease of apples and pears in Illinois.  Blossom blight symptoms of the fire blight are not common in Illinois, but shoot blight is widely observed during June and July.  

In 2008 and 2009, we had widespread and severe fire blight in apple orchards in Illinois. This resulted in speculation that streptomycin-resistant strains of E. amylovora might be present. Resistance to streptomycin in E. amylovora has been reported from other states, such as California and Michigan.

We conducted statewide surveys in 2010, 2011, and 2012, and collected 117, 129, and 170 E. amylovora isolates, respectively, from 20 counties.  None of the 416 E. amylovora isolates tested were resistant to streptomycin (Agri-Mycin 17WP) at 50 mg/liter (50 ppm).  However, seven non-E. amylovora bacterial isolates were collected from E. amylovora-infected shoots that were streptomycin-resistant, which could be a potential source of streptomycin-resistance for E. amylovora in Illinois in the future.  In 2011 and 2012, we conducted field trials to evaluate efficacy of oxytetracycline (Mycoshield 17WP), kasugamycin (Kasumin 2L and ARY-0416-06), copper hydroxide (Kocide-3000 41.6DF), Bacillus subtilis (Serenade Max, QST713), and Pseudomonas fluorescens (Blight Ban A506) for management of fire blight.  Only kasugamycin (Kasumin 2L and ARY-4016-06) reduced blossom infection significantly.

Kasumin 2L is registered for control of fire blight of pome fruit (e.g., apple, crabapple, pear, Asian pear, quince) and should be used wherever resistance to E. amylovora has been confirmed.  Otherwise, streptomycin is still the most effective chemical for control of E. amylovora.  Based on the label for Kasumin 2L, spray volume must be sufficient to provide good coverage of treated foliage; begin applications at 20–30% bloom or when conditions favor disease development and repeat applications at 7-day intervals or when conditions favor disease development; do not make more than two consecutive applications of Kasumin 2L, if additional applications are needed, rotate with another product with a different mode of action that is registered for this use; and do not make more than 4 applications of Kasumin 2L per season.  Follow all label directions (http://www.cdms.net/LDat/ldB4M000.pdf).

Spraying all of pome fruit trees in the orchard is essential.  Spray the trees with a fixed copper compound at silver tip; use the MARYBLIT program for predicting infection and timing spray applications, and apply streptomycin during bloom, as predicted by MARYBLIT; apply streptomycin after a major hail or storm damage; do not make more than four applications of streptomycin per season.  Refer to the 2016 Midwest Fruit Pest Management Spray Guide for the updates on fire blight management.

Mohammad Babadoost (217-333-1523; babadoos@illinois.edu)

Food Safety Updates

Produce Safety Rule: AGRICULTURAL WATER TESTING – article 4 of 7
The Produce Safety Rule, which came into effect on January 26, 2016, bases testing frequency on the type of water source; surface water, which is considered the most vulnerable to external influences, and ground water. 

UNTREATED SURFACE WATER DIRECTLY APPLIED TO GROWING PRODUCE (other than sprouts):

UNTREATED GROUND WATER DIRECTLY APPLIED TO GROWING PRODUCE (other than sprouts):

 (STV = 410 CFU E coli/100mL of water)   

UNTREATED GROUND WATER - NO DETECTABLE GENERIC E coli IS ALLOWED

There is no requirement to test agricultural water that is received from public water systems or supplies that meet requirements established in the Produce Safety Rule.  Farms should have access to the public water system results or certificates of compliance should it be required.  The Produce Safety Rule prohibits use of untreated surface water for any purpose relating to usage during or after harvest.  Certain uses of agricultural water, where there is a possibility of potentially dangerous microbes being transferred to produce through direct or indirect contact, require that no detectable generic E coli be present.

QUESTIONS/COMMENTS:
The Food and Drug Administration has established a Food Safety Technical Assistance Network to provide a central source of information to support industry understanding and implementation:
http://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceRegulation/FSMA/ucm459719.htm

Laurie George (618-548-1446; ljgeorge@illinois.edu)

Less Seriously ...

Slightly different definitions of some commonly used words:

ADULT -A person who has stopped growing at both ends and is now growing in the middle
BEAUTY PARLOR - A place where women curl up and dye
CANNIBAL - Someone who is fed up with people
CHICKENS - The only creatures you eat before they are born and after they are dead
COMMITTEE - A body that keeps minutes and wastes hours
DUST - Mud with the juice squeezed out
EGOTIST - Someone who is usually me-deep in conversation
GOSSIP - A person who will never tell a lie if the truth will do more damage
HANDKERCHIEF - Cold Storage
INFLATION - Cutting money in half without damaging the paper
MOSQUITO - An insect that makes you like flies better
RAISIN - Grape with a sunburn
SECRET - Something you tell to one person at a time
TOOTHACHE - The pain that drives you to extraction
TOMORROW - One of the greatest labor saving devices of today
YAWN - An honest opinion openly expressed
WRINKLES - Something other people have. You have character lines



University of Illinois Extension Specialists in Fruit and Vegetable Production & Pest Management

Extension Educators – Local Food Systems and Small Farms

Bronwyn Aly, Gallatin, Hamilton, Hardin, Pope, Saline, and White counties

618-382-2662

baly@illinois.edu

Katie Bell, Franklin, Jackson, Perry, Randolph, & Williamson counties

618-687-1727

klbell@illinois.edu

Sarah Farley, Lake & McHenry counties

847-223-8627

sfarley@illinois.edu

Nick Frillman, Woodford, Livingston, & McLean counties

309-663-8306

frillma2@illinois.edu

Laurie George, Bond, Clinton, Jefferson, Marion, & Washington counties

618-548-1446

ljgeorge@illinois.edu

Zachary Grant, Cook County

708-679-6889

zgrant2@illinois.edu

Doug Gucker, DeWitt, Macon, and Piatt counties

217-877-6042

dgucker@illinois.edu

Erin Harper, Champaign, Ford, Iroquois, and Vermillion counties

217-333-7672

harper7@illinois.edu

Grace Margherio, Jackie Joyner-Kersee Center, St. Clair County

217-244-3547

gracem@illinois.edu

Grant McCarty, Jo Daviess, Stephenson, and Winnebago counties

815-235-4125

gmccarty@illinois.edu

Katie Parker, Adams, Brown, Hancock, Pike and Schuyler counties

217-223-8380

keparkr2@illinois.edu

Kathryn Pereira, Cook County

773-233-2900

kpereira@illinois.edu

James Theuri, Grundy, Kankakee, and Will counties

815-933-8337

jtheu50@illinois.edu

Extension Educators – Horticulture

Chris Enroth, Henderson, Knox, McDonough, and Warren counties

309-837-3939

cenroth@illinois.edu

Richard Hentschel, DuPage, Kane, and Kendall counties

630-584-6166

hentschel@illinois.edu

Andrew Holsinger, Christian, Jersey, Macoupin, & Montgomery counties

217-532-3941

aholsing@illinois.edu

Extension Educators - Commercial Agriculture

Elizabeth Wahle, Fruit & Vegetable Production

618-344-4230

wahle@illinois.edu

Nathan Johanning, Madison, Monroe & St. Clair counties

618-939-3434

njohann@illinois.edu

Campus-based  Extension Specialists

Kacie Athey, Entomology

217-244-9916

kathey@illinois.edu

Mohammad Babadoost, Plant Pathology

217-333-1523

babadoos@illinois.edu