Author Archives: Steven Rideout

Late blight found near Winchester, VA in West Virginia

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Late blight has been found in a tomato greenhouse operation just across the state line near Winchester, VA. We are working to get more information and samples. In the meantime, potato and tomato growers in that part of the Commonwealth are urged to take preventative measures and scout their crops. The cool and rainy weather has provided a conducive climate for spread of this disease. For information on late blight please visit the following extension publication and please let me know if you have any questions or encounter any suspicious samples:
http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/ANR/ANR-6/ANR-6_pdf.pdf

Vegetable Disease Update

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It has been a busy week for vegetable diseases in the Commonwealth. Late blight was confirmed by the VT Plant Disease Clinic (Elizabeth Bush and Mary Ann Hansen) in Floyd Co., VA on both potato and tomato. This is the first report of late blight in the western part of the state. In addition, downy mildew was found on cucumber in both Accomack and Northampton Co. Reports from NC indicate strains that are starting to infect pumpkin and other cucurbits. ALL cucurbit growers should be diligent about scouting and take preventative measures. Please let me know if you have any questions regarding these developments.

Virginia Tech’s Eastern Shore AREC Field Day set for July 18, 2012

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Virginia Tech’s Eastern Shore Agricultural Research and Extension Center (ESAREC) has scheduled their 2012 Research Field Day for Wednesday, July 18, 2012. Registration is free, open to the public, and will begin at 8:00 AM at the ESAREC complex located at 33446 Research Drive, Painter, Virginia 23420. Research projects to be showcased include: herbicide resistant weeds, plant disease management, insect pest management, alternative fertilizers and fertilizer management, fumigant alternatives, and water quality best management practices. Virginia Private Pesticide Applicators and Certified Crop Advisor recertification credits will be offered.

The Virginia Tech ESAREC is committed to supporting commercial vegetable and agronomic crop production throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia. Centrally located on Virginia’s Eastern Shore, the center conducts basic and applied research on more than 25 agricultural crops including, but not limited to, alfalfa, barley, broccoli, cabbage, cantaloupe, collards, cotton, cucumbers, dry beans, edamame, eggplant, field corn, lettuce, lima beans, peppers, potatoes, pumpkin, snap beans, soybeans, spinach, squash, sunflowers, sweet corn, switchgrass, tomatoes, watermelon, wheat, and zucchini.

For more information, visit http://www.arec.vaes.vt.edu/eastern-shore/index.html. If you are a person with a disability and desire any assistive devices, services or other accommodations to participate in this activity, please contact Lauren or Carrie at 757-414-0724* (*TDD number is (800) 828-1120) during business hours of 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. to discuss accommodations.
Additional information: 2012-esarec-field-day-program-27june2012-docx

Late blight on tomato continues to show up in Virginia

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Late blight continues to be found on tomato in Virginia. New reports from the Eastern Shore of Virginia and Charles City County have been confirmed this week. The upcoming heat wave should suppress some of the damage and spread that late blight can achieve, however, growers and gardener should be diligent in scouting for the disease and take appropriate measures. Additional information: anr-6-pdf-pdf