Wet weather throughout the Midwest has resulted in explosive anthracnose outbreaks in Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and Ohio. Although it is too late to save the fruit crop, actions can be taken to protect daughter-plant establishment and to develop a plan for future disease management. Anthracnose is one of the most devastating diseases impacting strawberry production[Read More…]
Janna L Beckerman
Professor of Plant Pathology
Department of Botany
Area(s) of Interest: Ornamental and Fruit Diseases
Janna L Beckerman's website
Department of Botany
Area(s) of Interest: Ornamental and Fruit Diseases
Janna L Beckerman's website
Wet weather has led to an uptick in shot hole disease, caused by the bacterium Xanthomonas arboricola pv. pruni (XAP). We started to see a significant uptick in shot hole on peaches, cherry and plum already. Leaves and fruit susceptibility to XAP infection decreases after pit hardening. Keep in mind that any change to warm,[Read More…]
Indiana seems to experience the entirety of US weather, sometimes in the same day. The recent spate of cool, wet weather has left apple scab one happy fungus (Fig. 1). Most of the state just underwent an extreme scab period, and unfortunately, few of us could do anything about it because of the combination of[Read More…]
Fire blight, caused by the bacterium Erwinia amylovora, is a devastating disease of apples and pears. Epidemics of the disease develop quickly, particularly in a climate of warm, wet weather like this weekend! The type of management program developed by each orchard will vary considerably based upon a variety of orchard factors, including apple variety,[Read More…]
The only thing predictable about Indiana weather is that it will certainly be unpredictable! The past few weeks of cool weather and intermittent freezes has slowed some things down. Unfortunately, scab isn’t one of those things. Failure to control early season scab infections increases the risk of economic losses. When managing scab, it is important[Read More…]
Purdue recently joined and became one of twenty US states that are in the NEWA network. NEWA is a partnership of land grant universities and grower associations. If you live in one of the states listed, you can buy a weather station for your farm and connect to NEWA. For Indiana growers, this means your membership is[Read More…]
In Indiana, our ‘normal’ or average weather is one of extremes, punctuated with an occasional glorious summer day of sun and 76 degrees F. This year has been one of flooding and droughts, freezes and scorching heat. Again. With these weather extremes come physiological disorders and summer fruit rots, for those lucky enough to even[Read More…]
Pesticide Product Registration: Draft Human Health and/or Ecological Risk Assessments for Several Pesticides, including chlorothalonil and tebuconazole. https://www.regulations.gov/document/EPA-HQ-OPP-2011-0840-0035 This notice announces the availability of EPA’s draft human health and/or ecological risk assessments for the registration review of chlormequat chloride, chlorothalonil and tebuconazole. Dates Comments must be received on or before July 20, 2021. Addresses Submit[Read More…]
Throughout Indiana orchards, Phytophthora root and crown rot continues to be a major cause of tree death (Fig. 1), and losses in small fruit, as well (Fig. 2). The disease is caused by the several members of the genus Phytophthora, and includes (but is by no means limited to) the following species): P. cactorum, P.[Read More…]
Frogeye leaf spot, caused by the fungal pathogen, Botryosphaeria obtusa, has been quite prevalent this year, probably due to the combination of potential (and realized) crop loss and our cool, wet spring. This is the same fungus that causes cankers on the tree, along with black rot of apple fruit (Fig. 1). Frogeye leaf spot[Read More…]