Summer is finally over. Brassica transplants are in the ground, and direct-seeded broccoli and lettuce plantings are now beginning.  In the past week, I’ve observed or received reports from PCAs of key insect pests beginning to show up (or not) on melon and early produce crops in the desert.   
 
Seedling pests:  Flea beetles (FB) are beginning to show up in transplanted crops like they always do, but pressure has been light so far. We haven’t seen much in our experimental plots at YAC either.  Remember, FB adults lay eggs in the soil of their favored local host plants (i.e., alfalfa, cotton, purslane, pigweed and nightshade) where larvae feed on the roots to later emerge as adults. So, keep in mind, the source of that FB infestations hitting your new stands may not just be freshly cut hay, defoliated cotton, or disked weeds. In some areas (Yuma Valley), crickets seem to be very abundant. Crickets like moisture and are often found under sprinkler pipes but can also be found in cracks in soils around fields or in drainage areas. 
 
Bagrada bug:    We’ve already had reports of bagrada bug adults on two transplanted cauliflower fields in Dome Valley. Not sure whether they arrived with the transplants or are moving from surrounding crops. However, it’s still early and they might surprise you as the season progresses.   Look for those fresh feeding signs on cotyledons and young leaves.  Experience suggests that they are most abundant after the humidity breaks.
 
Lepidopterous Larvae (worms):   Worm pressure seems to be below normal. Trap catches so far show that Cabbage looper moths are almost non-existent, and no reports on melons to date. They should pick-up as we approach October. No reports of Beet armyworm larvae on the earliest transplants yet, and areawide pheromone traps suggest that moth activity is below normal. But they will show up sooner or later, so get ready.  You have numerous insecticide alternatives at your disposal to control them.  Have had a couple of reports of Diamondback moth larvae on newly transplanted brassica crops. However, we’ve yet to capture moths on pheromone traps which suggests that adult immigration on high altitude winds associated with storms has not occurred. Remember, DBM disappear each summer and reestablish on desert crops via transplants or migrate in on monsoon/tropical storms. I strongly stress that you check your Cole crops closely this fall, particularly following storms or on plants originating from coastal CA. 
 
Whiteflies:       Area wide sticky trap captures have been about normal for early September, but whiteflies can migrate long distances on high winds. Adult numbers increased on my melon plants last week and remain high. Reports in area melons range from light to moderate numbers so far, but there is still a lot of cotton out there yet to be picked. The good news is there are several insecticide alternatives to control them in produce. 

With the start of 2021 growing season we are gearing up for field trials on vegetables. Listed below are our research trials for this growing seasons addressing the need of the agriculture community. For more information and/or collaboration contact: bpoudel@arizona.edu
Integrated management of downy mildew in lettuce :

Three different most commonly grown iceberg lettuce cultivar will be evaluated against downy downy mildew using different chemical treatments. Partially funded by Arizona Iceberg Lettuce Research Council. 
Foliar diseases of Celery

You asked and we listened! Fungicide trials for foliar disease of celery starting this growing season. The disease could be powdery mildew or late blight depending on disease pressure. We will be evaluating chemicals and biological fungicides. Partially funded by Specialty crop block grant. 
 
Sclerotinia drop of Lettuce

In this game of all or nothing, we will continue to do field trials on sclerotinia drop of lettuce. We will be doing trials on both species S. sclerotirum and S. minor. 
 
Powdery mildew of lettuce

We will continue with field trials on powdery mildew of lettuce. 
 
Downy mildew of Spinach 
Downy mildew of spinach field trials won’t start until January of next year. But we are requesting industry reps to contact us ahead of time.

Vol. 12, Issue 4, Published 2/22/2021

Keeping up to date with the latest developments in automated weeding machines is challenging. It’s a very fast-moving space with significant private and public investment. At the “Advances in Weed Control Technologies” breakout session at the 2021 Southwest Ag Summit, university experts and cutting-edge innovators will provide updates on the latest developments in automated weeding, autonomous ag robots and non-chemical weed control. The first presenter will be Tony Koselka, COO and Vice President of Engineering, Vision Robotics Corp. Tony will be giving a history on the evolution of automated thinning/weeding technologies and real-world examples of how vision systems and artificial intelligence (AI) is being used with automated weeding machines today. Following Tony will be Paul Nagel, Chief Revenue Officer, Stout Industrial Technology, Inc. Paul will be discussing AI technologies available today, their capabilities, and where the technology is headed. Jaime Eltit, Head of Commercial Farming Operations, FarmWise, Inc. will be also be discussing AI technology and how machine learning is used for robotic in-row weed control. Additionally, he will be presenting information on the latest developments in autonomous weeding robots and their application in Arizona vegetable production systems. Finally, Dr. Steve Fennimore, Weed Scientist, UC Davis will be presenting information on a novel technique for using steam heat to control sclerotinia lettuce drop, Fusarium wilt of lettuce and in-row weeds in vegetable crops.

The session will be held TOMMOROW Thursday, February 25^th from 1:30-3:30. If you are unable to attend the live session, recordings of the presentations will be available on March 2 and March 3. For those interested in CEU’s, the session offers 2 AZ/CA PCA and CCA credits. One last thing, you must be registered for the 2021 Southwest Ag Summit in order to attend the session. To register or for more information about the Southwest Ag Summit, visit https://yumafreshveg.com/southwest-ag-summit/. Hope to see you there for what promises to be an enlightening and informative session.

Although it is not vigorous or vegetative, Shepardspurse is one of the most widespread and difficult to control broadleaf weeds worldwide. I used to think that it spread when there was more alfalfa here and because it is not controlled with 2,4-DB (Butyrate & Butoxone) but it has continued to spread in vegetable crops. It likely has become worse each year because of its growth habits more than its tolerance to herbicides. It germinates from on or just below the soil surface. Herbicides that move or are placed below the surface often miss it. It is difficult to control with Kerb, for instance, because it leaches easily with overhead sprinklers. The seed is less than 0.1 inch in diameter and moves easily in wind and water. It is very small, and the cotyledon leaves are hardly ever seen. By the time you see it, it is at the 3 or 4 leaf stage. It grows rapidly in a rosette that is low to the ground and often covered by the crop. Herbicide coverage is difficult. It soon puts up a thin seed stalk and several seed pods (“purses”). Unlike many annual broadleaf weeds, it can produce several generations in one season. It can grow year round in many regions but has a difficult time surviving the summers in the low desert.

Area wide Insect Trapping Network   VegIPM Update, Vol. 15, No. 21, Oct 16, 2024

Results of pheromone and sticky trap catches can be viewed here.

Corn earworm: CEW moth counts increased in most traps; about average for early October.

Beet armyworm: Trap counts increased in most areas last week, and about average for early October.

Cabbage looper: Cabbage looper trap counts still most locations, below average for this time of the season.

Diamondback moth: Adult activity increasing, particularly in the Yuma and Dome Valleys.  Above average for this time of season.

Whitefly: Adult movement increasing Tacna, Dome Valley and Yuma Valley; overall about average for early October.

Thrips: Thrips adult movement picking up in all areas, overall activity above average.

Aphids: Winged aphids beginning to show up the north Yuma and Gila Valleys; about average for early October.

Leaf miners: Adult activity light in all areas, about average for this time of season