Lexington, KY 40546

Online at: www.uky.edu/KPN

Number 1343
TOBACCO - Disease Update for the Week of June 10 WHEAT -Wheat Fusarium Head Blight Active in Parts of Kentucky VEGETABLES - Late Blight of Tomato Reported in Western Tennessee

June 11, 2013

FRUIT CROPS -Update on Spotted Wing Drosophila -Cherry Fruit Fly FUNGICIDES - Some Principles of Fungicide Resistance II: Increased Crop Disease Pressure Increase DIAGNOSTIC LAB HIGHLIGHTS INSECT TRAP COUNTS

TOBACCO Disease Update for the Week of June 10 Kenny Seebold, Extension Plant Pathologist Current situation Very high temperatures back at the end of May caused a few problems on newly-set tobacco in some areas. A problem that seems to be common at the moment is sun scald on the stems of transplants. When tobacco seedlings are transplanted in very hot weather, they tend to wilt in the heat of the day and can be damaged by intense sunlight. Wilting is most likely to occur with tender plants, plants with poor root development, plants with active Pythium root rot, or plants set into very dry soil. In most cases, a scalded area will appear on the side of the stem that is exposed to the sun and injured plants will recover. We do see situations in which plants are killed or stems are girdled above the soil line. With the latter, its possible to see regrowth below the girdled zone. Ive also seen a little chemical injury from materials that were used in the setter water; the symptoms are yellowing or mottling of lower leaves. In all cases, plants have recovered and have begun to grow after getting a little rain.

Blue Mold As of June 10, no blue mold has been reported in the tobacco-growing areas of the United States.

WHEAT Wheat Fusarium Head Blight Active in Parts of Kentucky By Don Hershman, Extension Plant Pathologist There is a considerable amount of Fusarium head blight (FHB) showing up in many wheat fields in the central and northeastern parts of the state. With some exceptions, west and southern KY are in pretty good shape, overall. The field shot (Figure 1), taken by David Harrison, Larue County ANR Agent, is from a farm in Larue County in the heart of the state. I have received other reports of significant FHB from the same part of the state. This development is not a surprise based on the output of the FHB risk prediction tool for the period May 10-12 (see Figure 2). I suspect many wheat fields east of I-65 (especially in the more northern areas) were flowering during this period, which is about a week later than when most wheat fields flowered in the western half of

the state. Flowering is the time when FHB takes hold in a crop if weather conditions are favorable. FHB Symptoms begin to show up in force about 3 weeks following infection.

Figure 3. Screen shot of FHB Prediction Tool website (www.wheatscab.psu.edu/) on May 11, 2013 for Elizabethtown, Hardin County, Kentucky. Figure 1. Field in Larue County, Kentucky, showing severe Fusarium head blight.

Figure 2. Screen shot of FHB Prediction Tool website (www.wheatscab.psu.edu/) on May 11, 2013. Red indicates high FHB risk areas; yellow indicates moderate risk areas; green indicates low FHB risk.)

It is my understanding that the field shown in the above photo was sprayed with a fungicide, but still has what looks to be about 50-60% incidence of disease. It is possible that the application was made too early or too late or that there was some other factor that limited efficacy. On the other hand, the grower might have actually gotten reasonable control from the application, in that 4045% control of FHB and DON is about all one can expect from a FHB fungicide when the FHB risk is high and the variety is susceptible. In fact, it is common to have 80-90 percent incidence of diseased heads in a FHB-susceptible variety when the risk is high and a fungicide IS NOT deployed. Thus, 50-60% incidence may actually represent reasonable disease control. This is all speculation for this specific field since I do not know the variety or the details of fungicide application. But my statements are in line with years of research data and past experience. Aside from the obvious yield and grain quality problems associated with FHB, the mycotoxin, deoxynivalenol (DON), is most certainly going to be a factor in grain, silage, hay or straw harvested from fields with significant levels of FHB. DON affects both marketability and, potentially, end use. For example, grain destined for human consumption cannot have greater than 2 parts per million (ppm) DON. Grain with greater than 2 ppm will be docked at the point of sale. Very high levels may be a cause for rejection at the

I have selected the Elizabethtown, Hardin County, weather station (Figure 3) as an example of what the FHB models were showing during the critical infection window. As you can see, the FHB risk was very high for this weather station and surrounding area.

elevator. For grain, silage, hay, or straw destined for animal feed/bedding, the allowable levels of DON are greater than 2 ppm, but maximum allowable/safe levels vary according to the animal species in question. Check with your county ANR agent for more information on DON risk and standards relative to specific animal species. My main role is to alert you that where FHB symptoms are widespread and severe, high DON levels are most certainly going to be encountered in grain and miscellaneous harvested spike tissues. For fields harvested for grain, turning up the air on the combine and blowing light-weight scabby kernels out the back of the combine has been shown to limit DON in harvested grain. Fields destined for silage and hay should be harvested as soon as possible since DON levels will continue to increase while the crop is still in the field. Keeping track of grain from specific fields may be a good idea since it is probable that DON levels will vary from field to field, depending on when the crop flowered and the weather conditions at flowering, among other factors. Grain elevators and mills will test grain for DON levels using ELISA test kits. There are also various test kits that you may purchase and test for DON yourself (www.gipsa.usda.gov/fgis/techservsup/metheqp/testkits.pdf). Kits tend to not be as accurate as more specific tests often used by mycotoxin testing laboratories; nonetheless, test kits often provide the general information needed to make appropriate decisions. You may also send samples off to a laboratory that has the capability of testing for DON. If you need DON analysis for complex feeds, such as hay, it would be wise to call the laboratory before sending samples to determine if they only test for DON in grain (such is the case with the UK Regulatory Services Testing Laboratory) or are set up to test for DON testing in complex feeds (such is the case for the UK Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory).

VEGETABLES Late Blight of Tomato Reported in Western Tennessee By Kenny Seebold, Extension Plant Pathologist Back in 2009, a massive epidemic of late blight caused severe losses to tomato and potato growers in 16 eastern and midwestern states (including Kentucky). The summer of 2009 was unusually cool and wet, setting the stage for the large-scale epidemic of late that was initiated by infected tomato transplants sold at garden centers. The weather in Kentucky this season has been similar to what we saw back in 2009; however (and fortunately), there are no indications that tomato transplants are a source of the late blight pathogen this year. That being said, late blight was recently reported on tomatoes in a home garden located in Dickson County, Tennessee. This location is due south of Hopkinsville, Kentucky and the weather patterns over the past couple of days had potential to move the late blight pathogen into Kentucky. Potatoes and tomatoes in southeastern Kentucky are at risk in particular and all tomato and potato growers in the state need to be on the lookout for late blight. Prevention should be a priority at this stage, meaning that growers (gardeners and commercial producers alike) need to put out a protectant fungicide application as soon as possible. Information and treatment guidelines for late blight are listed below. Refer also to fact sheet PPFS-VG-13, Late Blight of Tomato (http://www.ca.uky.edu/agcollege/plantpathology/ ext_files/PPFShtml/PPFS-VG-13.pdf). Visit http://www.uky.edu/Ag/kpn/kyblue/Galleries/TLB KY/index.html for images of symptoms on tomato. The Disease. Late blight is caused by Phytophthora infestans, a fungus-like organism, and is a fast-moving and highly destructive disease of tomatoes and potatoes under cool and wet conditions. Late blight epidemics in the late 1840s were responsible for the Irish potato famine and subsequent migration of millions of people to the United States. All plant parts are affected, including fruit and tubers. Total losses are common in gardens and fields if control measures are not put in place. Late blight can easily enter greenhouses and high tunnels as well.

Symptoms. Early symptoms of late blight are large water-soaked blotches on foliage that will enlarge and form green-to-brown lesions. Sporulation may be evident on the undersides of lesions under moist conditions; this sporulation will be gray to white in color. Necrotic leaf tissue will blacken and shrivel, giving affected plants a blighted appearance. The pathogen will also attack petioles and stems, killing the plant in some cases. Tomato fruit affected by late blight develop as darkened spots that enlarge over time, and fungal growth may be seen in rotted tissue. Infected fruit are invaded by secondary organisms and develop soft rot. Potato tubers can become infected from spores washed from leaves into the soil and will decay. Control Commercial Growers. Preventive application of fungicides is necessary to prevent losses to late blight. Protectant fungicides such as chlorothalonil (Bravo and generics), mancozeb (Dithane, Koverall, Penncozeb, or Manzate), and fixed coppers can help when disease pressure is low; however, when inoculum levels increase or if disease is found in fields, stronger products are recommended. Late-blight-specific fungicides are summarized below (as published by Dr. Meg McGrath, Cornell University): Curzate 60DF (Group 27). 3.2-5 oz/A (3.2 oz for potatoes). 5 oz on 5-day interval when late blight present. 30 oz/A seasonal max. 3 d PHI.EPA Reg No. 352-592. Active ingredient is Cymoxanil. 12 h REI. Must be tank-mixed with a protectant fungicide. Forum (Group 40). 6 fl oz. 30 fl oz/A seasonal max. 2 consecutive spray max. 4 d PHI. EPA Reg No. 241-427. Dimethomorph. 12 h REI. Must be applied with another fungicide. Gavel (Group 22). 1.5-2 lb/A. 16 lb or 8 application seasonal max. 5 d PHI tomato; 3 d PHI for potato (14 d in some states). Latron surfactant recommended. EPA Reg No. 62719-441. Zoxamide + mancozeb. 48 h REI. Omega 500F (Group 29). 5.5 fl oz/A for potatoes only. 3.5 pts/A seasonal max. 14 d PHI. EPA Reg No. 71512-1-100. Fluazinam. 48 h REI.

Presidio (Group 43). 3-4 fl oz/A for tomatoes only. 12 fl oz/A seasonal max. 2 consecutive spray max. EPA Reg No. 59639-140. Flupicolide. 12 h REI. 2 d PHI Previcur Flex (Group 28). 0.7-1.5 pt/A (1.2 pt max for potatoes). 7.5 pt/A seasonal max for tomatoes; 6 pt/A for potatoes. 5 d PHI for tomato; 14 d PHI for potato. EPA Reg No. 264-678. Propamocarb hydrochloride. 12 h REI. Ranman (Group 21). 1.42.75 fl oz/A (2.1-2.75 for tomato). 16.5 fl oz or 6 application seasonal max for tomatoes; 27.5 fl oz or 10 applications for potatoes. 0 d PHI for tomatoes; 7 d for potatoes. EPA Reg No. 71512-3-279. Cyazofamid. 12 h REI. Revus (Group 40). 5.5 to 8 fl oz. 2 consecutive sprays max. 32 fl oz/A seasonal max. 1 d PHI for tomato; 14 d PHI for potato. EPA Reg No. 1001254. Mandipropamid. 12 h REI. Zampro (Groups 45 & 40). 11 to 14 fl oz/A (14 fl oz for tomato). 2 consecutive sprays max. 42 fl oz/A seasonal max. 4 day PHI. EPA Reg No. 7969-302. Ametoctradin plus dimethomorph. 12 h REI. Strobilurins, such as azoxystrobin (Quadris), pyraclostrobin (Cabrio/Headline), and fenamidone (Reason) have not performed as well as the products listed above in university trials. Ridomil Gold Bravo and Ridomil Gold Copper are not recommended due to widespread resistance in pathogen populations to Ridomil. Consult ID-36 (KY Production Guide for Commercial Vegetables) for specific use rates. Keep in mind that some of these products may be difficult to find in local dealerships and may have to be special-ordered. Of the materials listed above, Ranman, Revus, Forum, Curzate, or Gavel may be the easiest to obtain in Kentucky, and are effective against late blight when used as directed. Control Homeowners. The general management practices listed above apply also to the homeowner. Regular scouting of plantings, and prompt removal of infected plants is an important consideration. The bulk of cases

reported thus far have come from home gardens, where regular application of fungicides is less common than in commercial fields. Few fungicides are available to home gardeners; however, products containing chlorothalonil, maneb/mancozeb, or fixed copper are the tools of choice. These should be applied regularly, and the user should refer to the product label for rates, PHI, and safety precautions. These products, as mentioned earlier, will not function well if pressure is high or if disease is present before spray programs are started. Control Organic Producers. Control measures for organic producers are similar to those recommended for home gardeners. OMRIapproved fungicides such as fixed-copper (depends on the product) can be used in a preventive program. Other OMRI-approved products include: Sporatec, Sonata, Serenade Max, Oxidate, and Companion. As with the protectants recommended for home gardeners, these products do not perform well under high disease pressure or if disease is present prior to treatment. Consult product labels for rates, PHI, and safety precautions. All Producers. Scout plantings regularly for late blight and other diseases. Preventive fungicide applications are recommended at this point for all Kentucky tomato and potato growers to help combat late blight, and also early blight and Septoria (tomato). Growers should not wait to see symptoms of late blight before treating. A good protectant program aimed at late-blight prevention will also aid against other foliar fungal diseases. During favorable conditions, sprays need to be made every 5-7 days, and every 7-10 days during drier weather. If late blight is found, growers should immediately destroy plants in the affected area plus bordering plants (as these are likely infected). Plants can be sprayed with an herbicide, or removed and disked under. Do not handle plants when they are wet, as this may spread disease; perform this operation when conditions are sunny and dry if possible. At the end of the season, promptly destroy crop residues. Do not leave cull piles out in the open, as the pathogen can spread or potentially survive in this residue. Bury this material if at all possible.

FRUIT CROPS Update on Spotted Wing Drosophila Ric Bessin and Patty Lucas, Entomologist and Extension Entomologist Patty and I have been working with county agents and producers of small fruit crops in strategic locations across Kentucky to trap for spotted wing drosophila (SWD). In these locations we have been using apple cider-baited traps that have been placed in fields of small fruits as the initial fruits begin to turn color and soften. The good news is that with each of the locations, with the exception of one, we have captured a number of drosophila fruit flies but no spotted wing drosophila. In these early summer locations we have been trapping in strawberries and blueberries. As the summer progresses we will trap in other small fruit crops as they progress toward harvest. So far, this is very good news for our small fruit producers.

Figure 4. A spotted wing drosophila male on a sticky card.

In one location Patty Lucas did find one female fruit fly that is a SWD suspect. That suspect was from Warren County and at the same farm where we did confirm SWD last year. This week I will look at the suspect to see if it is our first SWD on the year. While searching a cherry tree in Fayette County for SWD damage this spring, I came across a large number of brown lesions on the fruit and found brown marmorated stink bugs on the foliage. The damage was consistent with BMSB.

Cherry Fruit Fly Ric Bessin, Entomologist The have been a number of reports of cherry fruit fly this summer and people begin to harvest cherries from their backyard trees. Some of the fruit that was sent to me revealed plum curculio larvae rather than cherry fruit fly. We do have both of these pests that need to be managed on sour and sweet cherries in Kentucky, but how we manage them can be different. It is helpful to distinguish between plum curculio and cherry fruit fly in order to better manage them in subsequent years. Cherry fruit fly is a maggot without a distinct head capsule and without legs. Some people refer to this as a headless larva which isnt correct, it is just that the head is not easy to distinguish from the rest of the body. The fruit fly larva has a whitish body that tapers toward the head. The plum curculio larva is also legless, but has a distinct brown head capsule. The body is widest in the middle tapering at both ends. Plum curculio females lays their eggs singly after shuck fall and creates a crescent wound and lays an egg in the flap. This egg laying wound results in a small visible scar at harvest. Plum curculio sprays are usually most effective at shuck fall and the following two cover-spray periods. Cherry fruit fly sprays begin about 10 days after the shuck fall stage with the first cover spray and rare reapplied at 10 day intervals. For homeowners, Sevin can be a good spray for cherry fruit fly but this can thin the fruit when used within 30 days of petal fall.

The title summarizes the present article perfectly: higher disease pressure means higher risk of fungicide resistance. Figures 1-2 help in understanding why this is so. Field 1 (represented by Figure 5) has approximately twice the spore numbers as Field 2. Clearly, Field 1 has higher disease pressure. You can also see that Field 1 has two resistant spores, rather than one.

Figure 5. Initial step in fungicide resistance development: Occurrence of mutant spores with resistance to the fungicide (filled circles). Note that there are two resistant spores in this imaginary crop field.

FUNGICIDES Some Principles of Fungicide Resistance II: Increased Crop Disease Pressure Increases Risk By Paul Vincelli, Extension Plant Pathologist This is the second in a series of articles on fungicide resistance.

Figure 6. Imagine that this a second crop field, where the population of infectious spores is about half that of Figure 1. Only one mutant spore with resistance has occurred, instead of the two mutants that emerged in Field 1. See text for explanation.

If you count them up, you will find that the percentage of spores with resistance is slightly over 1% in both fields. That is to say, the mutation rate is the same in both fields, which is what we expect to find in nature. However, because of the higher disease pressure, Field 1 has approximately twice the overall spore population as Field 2. Thus, no matter what the mutation rate is, twice as many resistant spores will show up in

Field 1 than in Field 2, because the overall spore population is twice as high. So does this really matter? After all, resistant spores emerged in both fields. The answer is, Yes, it matters, because resistance development is a matter of risk. Not all mutant spores that show up in a field will go on to cause disease. Some fall to the ground and never have a chance to infect a plant. Others may land on a plant but not be exposed to enough wetness to infect. Still others may infect but fall victim to plant defenses. So the higher number of resistant spores in Field 1 does definitely represent a higher risk for the producer, especially when one considers that billions of fungal spores can easily present in an acre of crop. So, what does this mean for a producer? It means that, the more we depend on at-risk fungicides 1 for disease control, the more pressure we are putting on the fungus to develop fungicide resistance. If it is possible to use others practices to reduce disease pressure, we reduce the overall risk of resistance. Anything that reduces disease pressure reduces the size of the spore population. And as Figures 1-2 show, reducing the spore population reduces the chance that a resistant mutant will occur in our fields. This guideline applies to all practices that contribute to disease control: Sanitation, crop rotation, varieties with partial resistance, etc., etc. Anything we do to reduce disease pressure, reduces the risk. Bottom line: The best way to protect the utility of fungicides is by not over-relying on them.

Pythium root rot on alfalfa; Fusarium head blight on wheat; Pythium root rot, growth regulator injury and symptoms of transplant shock on tobacco. On fruit and vegetable samples, we have diagnosed angular leaf spot, common leaf spot and Phomopsis leaf blight on strawberry; crown borer injury on blackberry; fire blight and powdery mildew on apple; leaf curl on peach; black knot on plum; angular leaf spot on squash; timber rot (Sclerotinia), early blight, leaf mold (Fulvia), bacterial pith necrosis, tobacco mosaic virus and tomato spotted wilt virus on tomato. On ornamentals, we have seen Pythium root rot on zinnia; Ascochyta leaf spot on clematis; Kabatina twig blight on juniper; blight on contorted filbert (Ansiogramma); rose rosette and rose mosaic virus on rose; bacterial leaf spot and bacterial canker on ornamental cherry; and anthracnose on maple.

2013 INSECT TRAP COUNTS

May 31 June 7 Location Princeton, Lexington, KY KY Black cutworm 11 0 Armyworm 13 56 European corn 0 2 borer Corn earworm 6 16 Southwestern 11 0 corn borer Fall armyworm 0 31 Graphs of insect trap counts for the 2013 season are available on the IPM web site at http://www.uky.edu/Ag/IPM/ipm.htm.

DIAGNOSTIC LABORATORY HIGHLIGHTS By Julie Beale and Brenda Kennedy Agronomic samples diagnosed in the PDDL in the past week have included stinkbug injury and magnesium and phosphorus deficiencies on corn;
1

If you missed last weeks article, the phrase at-risk fungicide means that the fungicide has a moderate to high risk of resistance development.

Note: Trade names are used to simplify the information presented in this newsletter. No endorsement by the Cooperative Extension Service is intended, nor is criticism implied of similar products that are not named.