Pumpkins/Squash
Tracking a bacterial culprit in the case of the warty pumpkin
On a Halloween pumpkin, warts and bumps have a certain spooky charm. But some unwanted bacteria-caused blemishes open the door to infections that rot and ruin this bright, seasonal fruit. Pseudomonas syringae is a rod-shaped bacterium... more »
Value of Texas pumpkin production surpassed other states at $25.9M in 2020
Pumpkin production is widely dispersed throughout the United States, with crop conditions varying greatly by region. All states produce some pumpkins, but six states produce most of them. In 2017, about 40%t of pumpkin acres... more »
Pythium in cucurbits: Temperature decides species
There are more than 300 species of pythium. Many don’t harm plants, but many do, and cucurbits are particularly susceptible. New research at Clemson University has identified some of the pythium species that most commonly... more »
North Carolina State salutes Quesada-Ocampo’s ‘40 Under 40’ honor
Lina Qusada-Ocampo, North Carolina State associate professor and vegetable pathology Extension specialist, was named to this year's list of the Fruit + Vegetable 40 Under 40 honorees. Quesada-Ocampo, faculty member in the Department of Entomology and... 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 »
Ampersand adjuvant approved for use with fungicides in California
Attune Agriculture, the leader in developing performance based agricultural products using hydrocolloid technology, announced Aug. 5 that Ampersand adjuvant is now approved for use with fungicides in California. Ampersand is now officially approved for use... more »
Quality problems in fruiting vegetables reported in Delaware
We are seeing quality problems in many fruiting vegetables in the Delaware region. Often this is due to poor pollination. Signs of incomplete pollination in cucurbits include bottlenecked fruit or fruit with a pinched end,... more »
