Author: Justin Ballew
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Charcoal Rot Showing Up in Cantaloupe
From Clemson Extension Agent Rob Last and Plant Pathologist Tony Keinath. Charcoal rot was identified in a cantaloupe crop in South Carolina this week. The fungus responsible for the disease is Macrophomina phaseolina, a soil-borne fungus that survives as microsclerotia. The fungus affects more than 800 host plants. These range from corn and soybean to…
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Question of the Week – TSWV
This week, the question was: What is going on with this pepper leaf? This pepper leaf is showing symptoms of a virus, likely tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV). TSWV is an important virus of tomato, pepper, eggplant, peanuts, tobacco, etc. that causes significant yield loss to infected plants. Numerous ornamental and weed species are also…
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Weekly Field Update – 6/20/22
Be sure to scroll all the way to the bottom to see this week’s Question of the Week and check back on Thursday for the answer! Coastal Region Rob Last reports, “Pest and diseases are beginning to increase in the area. Powdery mildew is apparent in cucurbit crops. The most efficacious treatments are Vivando and…
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Question of the Week – Cross-striped Cabbageworm
This week, the question was: Which brassica-feeding caterpillar is commonly found in groups on a single leaf, as shown here? These are cross-striped cabbageworms (CSCW). CSCW moths lay eggs in clusters of 3 to 25 rather than singly like most other brassica caterpillar pests. Because there are numerous caterpillars feeding on a single leaf once…
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Resistance to Tebuconazole is Widespread in the Gummy Stem Blight Fungus in South Carolina
From Clemson Plant Pathologist Tony Keinath. Cucurbit growers should reduce the use of tebuconazole to manage gummy stem blight as the pathogenic fungus has become moderately resistant to this very commonly used fungicide. Seven watermelon fields were sampled in 2019 (six fields) and 2021 (one field) in Beaufort, Bamberg, Barnwell, and Hampton counties. Of 229…
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Weekly Field Update – 6/13/22
Be sure to scroll all the way to the bottom to see this week’s Question of the Week and check back on Thursday for the answer! Statewide Extension Entomologist Tom Bilbo reports, “As tomatoes and other fruiting vegetables progress, make sure you’re protecting yields from insect and mite pests. I’ve seen a fair bit of…
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Managing Southern Blight on Tomato and Pepper After Detection
From Clemson Plant Pathologist Tony Keinath. As reported in the June 6 edition of SC Grower, southern blight is showing up in crops of tomato and pepper. At this late date in the growing season, the best fungicide option for conventional growers is Priaxor, two applications made 2 weeks apart at a cost of $34…
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Question of the Week – ICW Crysalis
This week, the question was: What is stuck to this collard leaf? This is the chrysalis of an imported cabbageworm (ICW). The ICW is an unusual brassica feeding caterpillar in that the adult stage is a butterfly, rather than a moth. Because of this, it pupates in a chrysalis, instead of a cocoon. The adult,…
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Field Testing for Bacterial Wilt
Bacterial wilt and Southern blight have been showing up in SC over the last couple weeks. While both diseases cause indistinguishable wilting in the infected plant, it is important to determine which disease is present in order to appropriately manage it. The test shown below is a quick field test that will help distinguish between…
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Managing Phytophthora Blight on Pepper
From Clemson Plant Pathologist Tony Keinath and Extension Agent Andy Rollins. After 3.28 inches of rain in the Upstate from May 23 to 26, symptoms of Phytophthora blight showed up in one or more fields of pepper and tomato after June 1. The heavy downpour and the volume of rain saturated the soil, providing the…
The South Carolina Grower 