Disease Control

Protocols set to fight disease, including bacterial wilt of tomato, eggplant

USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service announced Sept. 27 that it will conduct annual certification visits in peak harvesting time to offshore facilities that wish to ship geranium (Pelargonium spp.) cuttings to the United States... more »

Scientists find new watermelon viruses in Florida; help available

Florida watermelon growers, the most productive in the nation, face two new viruses. But finding a disease is the first step to managing it, says a University of Florida scientist who helped pinpoint the diseases.... more »

Strawberries in the Southeast get emerging disease pestalotia

Growers are beginning to prepare the ground for strawberry planting, which typically begins late in September and continues through mid-October – depending on the location in the state. Plants are ordered in June or July... more »

Enhanced disease protection to greenhouse industry, several crops pursued

USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service will begin testing randomly selected imported Pelargonium( geranium) plant material for the bacterial pathogen Ralstonia solanacearum at Plant Protection and Quarantine’s Plant Inspection Stations located at major ports of entry.... more »

Fall-planted strawberry plug plants’ disease management recommendations

The production of strawberry plugs involves multiple stages during which pathogens can infect the plug plants before they are distributed to growers. Despite regular scouting by propagators, and chemical sprays applied to avoid diseases, these... more »

Plectosporium blight in some pumpkin fields seen again this year

I am seeing some plectosporium blight in a few pumpkin fields this year, not as bad as last year but still there. This disease will probably increase if we continue having frequent rains in some... more »

Be on the lookout for fusarium fruit rot, other threats in the mid-Atlantic

There continue to be no reports of late blight on tomato or potato in the mid-Atlantic region. But, this week there was a confirmed report on tomato in eastern Tennessee determined to be caused by... more »

Some tips to control fungal leaf blights of carrot

Powdery mildew, alternaria and cercospora are three important fungal foliar pathogens that can cause early defoliation in carrots, thus reducing yields and making harvest difficult. Each pathogen produces distinct symptoms. Powdery mildew causes characteristic white, powdery lesions on... more »