Brassica insects and diseases

Ruth Hazzard
New England Vegetable and Fruit
Conference 2013

Brassicas a diverse crop group

Brassica oleraceae

Brassica rapa
Bok Choy.
Turnip
Kale,
head
& stem

Brassica juncea

Raphanus sativus, radish

Eruca sativa, arugula
Mustard

Red Russian
Kale, Rutabaga

Brassica napa

Chronological order, more or less

Focus on farm-wide strategies, troublesome pests or
something new
Insects
Flea beetle
Cabbage root maggot
Imported cabbageworm
Diamondback moth
Cross-striped cabbageworm
Swede midge
Cabbage looper
Onion thrips
Cabbage aphid

Diseases
Black rot of Brassicas
Alternaria leaf spot
Downy mildew of Brassicas
Club root

Crop rotation goals: avoid building up pest & disease

1. 3 years out of Brassicas
Is the proportion of cropped
acreage in Brassicas too
high?
Are fields separated?
Is crop residue tilled?

2. Separate fall and spring crops

What moves in-season?
flea beetle
cabbage root maggot
thrips
Alternaria
black rot
caterpillars
Swede midge
ADD OVERVIEW OF FARM FIELDS

Overwintering
locations for
disease: crop
residue in or on
soil, weeds

Crop rotation goals:

reduce, escape insects & diseases

Overwintering
locations for
disease: crop
residue in or on
soil, weeds

Crop rotation goals:

reduce, escape insects & diseases

Overwintering
locations for
insects: field
edges, crop
residue,
alternate hosts

Overwintering
locations for
disease: crop
residue in or on
soil, weeds

Spring?
Fall?
Next Spring?
Overwintering
locations for
insects: field
edges, crop
residue,
alternate hosts

Crop rotation goals:

reduce, escape insects & diseases

General Cultural Practices

Crop rotation
Incorporate crop residue
Adequate crop spacing
Drip Irrigation
Adequate nutrition
Scout under leaves

Pre-plant Prevention: Clean Seed

Healthy Seed

Hot Water Seed Treatment

Seedborne diseases:

15-30 minutes
122 F
Needed: screen/coffee filters
accurate thermometer
hot water bath

Alternaria (fungal)
Black Rot (bacteria)
Downy mildew

Possible sources:

saved seed
purchased seed

http://vegetablemdonline.ppath.cornell.edu/N
ewsArticles/HotWaterSeedTreatment.html

Cruciferous Weeds Are

Everywhere!
alyssum hoary
Berteroa incana
bittercress
Cardamine hirsuta
bittercress cuckoo
Cardamine
pratensis
cress mouse-ear
Arabidopsis
thaliana
damesrocket Hesperis matronalis
fieldcress prostrate
Rorippa x
prostrata
mustard garlic Alliaria petiolata
mustard hedge
Sisymbrium
officinale
mustard tower
Arabis glabra
mustard wallflower
Erysimum
cheiranthoides
mustard wild Brassica kaber
pennycress field
Thlaspi arvense
pepperweed field
Lepidium
campestre
pepperweed Virginia
Lepidium
virginicum
radish wild
Raphanus raphanistrum
rocket yellow Barbarea vulgaris
shepherd's-purse
Capsella bursapastoris
whitlow grass spring
Draba verna
yellowcress marsh

For ID see: UMass Extension Weed

Herbarium mustard family

Four-petaled flower (white or yellow)

Narrow seed pot, round seeds
Rosette vegetative
Tall upright stem reproductive

Regular scouting -- You and the Crew!

Scout weekly, alone or with the crew

Notice things! early feeding damage,
tiny disease lesions
Respond when its not too late!

Flea beetles

Overwinter in field edges

Find spring crops quickly and
early
Preference for B rapa, B juncea,
arugula

Peak adult numbers:

1. May-June
2. Late July early
August

Flea beetle life cycle

Above
ground, on
foliage

ADULT

PUPA

EGG
S
LARVA

Underground, near
plant roots

Overwinter as adult
Lay eggs - May
New adults emerge
midsummer
2nd generation in fall

Flea beetle Management Strategies

1. Escape them: crop rotation between and
during the season
2. Starve them: no spring Brassicas
3. Kill them: till immediately after harvest, use
insecticides
4. Exclude them: row cover
5. Use trap crops, spray those more often

Insecticides for flea beetle

Synthetic
Pyrethroids: 3A
beta-cyfluthrin (Baythroid* XL)
bifenthrin (Brigade* 2EC)
cypermethrin (Ammo* 2.5EC)
lambda-cyhalothrin (Warrior* II)
permethrin (Pounce* 25WP)
esfenvalerate (Asana* XL)
gamma-cyhalothrin (Proaxis*)
zeta-cypermethrin (Mustang*)
Carbamates (1A)
carbaryl (Sevin XLR Plus)
Neonicotinoids: (4A)
Foliar applied:
dinotefuran (Venom)
imidacloprid (Provado 1.6F) 7 dh
thiamethoxam (Actara): 0 to 7 dh
Soil applied: thiamethoxam (Platinum): 30 dh/
in-furrow, banded, drench, or drip; Also seed trt.
Diamide: Coragen

Organic (OMRI listed)

kaolin (Surround WPOG): use

on transplants, seedlings and young

plants.

pyrethrin (PyGanic EC5.0OG)

spinosad (EntrustOG)
azadiractin (Neemix 4.5)

0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0

no entrust

Average Flea Beetle Card Count per

Plant

0.6

0.6

Average Flea Beetle Card Count per

Plant

Average Flea Beetle Card Count per

Plant

Flea beetle numbers on sticky card traps

2009 UMass Trial on Eggplant

0.6

0.5
0.4
0.3

0.2
0.1
0

no pyganic

pyganic

no kaolin

kaolin

entrust

Entrust, kaolin &

pyganic all
significantly reduced
numbers

0.5

0.4
0.3
0.2

0.1
0

Average Flea Beetle Herbivory per

Plant

0.25

0.2

0.15

0.1

0.05

no entrust

0.25

0.2

0.15

0.1

0.05

entrust

Only kaolin had significantly less

feeding damage
Mixtures seem to have an additive
effect

Average Flea Beetle Herbivory per

Plant

Average Flea Beetle Herbivory per

Plant

Flea beetle defoliation on eggplant

2009 UMass Trial on Eggplant

no pyganic

pyganic

no kaolin

kaolin

0.3
0.25
0.2

0.15
0.1
0.05
0

We have seen growers use with

success in eggplant:
--Surround alone
--Surround mixed with
Entrust

Row cover also works

great for early season
control!

Trap cropping for flea beetle

Keep it simple
B rapa, B juncea/mix
Komatsuna, mustard
cheap seed

Borders OR In-field strips

Main crop: less preferred
B oleracea, B. napa.
Scout weekly
Spray --Concentrate &
kill

Full Bloom Farm trap crop study, 2013

+ successions of bok choy

bok choy
kale 2
lacinato 2
red russian 2
border mix
kale
lacinato
red russian
border mix
road
last year's brassicas

Full Bloom Farm trap crop study, 2013

Trap crops:
Brassica rapa, B. juncea border mix DS
Sink crop (bok choy, napa) (2-4 A)
Main crop: kale, collard, lacinato, red
Russian (8 A)
Thresholds: 1 to 2/plant, 10-25%
damage call for sprays
Products: Pyganic 16 oz, Entrust 2 oz

Nufilm

Results (FB sprays) : 7 sprays on bok

choy, 1 spray on kales (June1 to Aug1)
Product strategy: Pyganic for knockdown
(rain coming), Entrust for residual, mix if
pressure is high

+ successions of bok choy

bok choy
kale 2
lacinato 2
red russian 2
border mix
kale
lacinato
red russian
border mix
road
last year's brassicas

 Multiple generations
Scout under leaves, use threshold
(35-50% early, 15-20% at heading,
for leafy greens)
Use selective insecticides to protect
natural enemies

Imported
cabbageworm and
diamondback moth

active
and
wiggly !

NIGHT

Fuzzy &
sluggish!

DAY

Cotesia rubecula, Braconid wasp

parasite of imported cabbageworm

Released 1988 by Roy Van Driesche in MA

2011 survey: spread throughout Northeast
and Central US, high levels of parasitism
Attacks second instars
Kills caterpillars before feeding damage
Look for cocoons

White larva inside

ICW caterpillar

Cross-striped
cabbageworm
(Evergestis rimosalis

Range is moving northward

Established in Connecticut & MA
Moth and group larvae photos by Dr L. T.
Kok Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA

Eggs laid in cluster

Caterpillars feed in a group and destroy
single plants
Controlled by same products as other
caterpillars

Black Rot of Brassicas,

Xanthomonas campestris
pv. campestris

Species is specific to
Brassicas
Bacterial
Plugs waterconducting
tissue with xantham,
mucilagenous sugar

Sources:

Seed (0.3% of one seed lot can infect the

field)
infected crops & weeds
Crop residue (overwinter) esp. tough stems
Survives in soil 40-60 days
Spread in the field by rain, wind,
equipment, people, insects
Enters through wounds and hydathodes

Conditions: warm moist (80-86 F optimum)

https://www.apsnet.org/edcenter/illglossary/

Photo credit: Holly Lange, Cornell U

Black Rot of Brassicas,

Xanthomonas campestris
pv. campestris
Bacterial
Plugs watercnduting tissue with
xantham, mucilagenous sugar

Symptoms

V-shaped yellow lesion from leaf

marging toward center of leaf NOTE
black veins
Mid-leaf dark patches between veins
Petiole, stem
Roots affects turnip & rutagabag
Followed by soft rot (smelly)

Black Rot of Brassicas,

Xanthomonas campestris
pv. campestris

Spray at 7-10 day

intervals
Preventatively
At first detection
When conditions
are favorable

Chemical control
Copper products
Kocide (not OG)
Organic: eg Badge X2 OG

Synthetic
Copper + mancozeb: eg Mankocide
Tanos

Plant defense activators

Actigard 50 WG (Acibenzolar-S-methyl)
Regalia BiofungicideOG (Reynoutria
sachaliensis Extract)

Alternaria leaf spot

(A. brassicae, A.
brassicicola

Species specific to Brassicas

Sources:

Infected seed
Crop residue (overwinter) esp
tough stems
Infected crops & weeds
Sporulates on infected residue
Moved around by rain splash,
wind, equipment, people, insects

Conditions: cool, moist (60-78 F

optimum)
advances in late summer & fall
Develops in the canopy long
leaf wetness periods

Alternaria leaf spot

Symptoms

Alternaria starts on lower leaves & inside

canopy, where leaf wetness is greatest

Alternaria leaf spot

Chemical control
Synthetic
Quadris (11), Quadris Top (11),
Endura (7), Bravo Weather Stik(M5)
Switch (9&12), Inspire (3), Inspire
Super (3 & 9), Aproach (11), Rovral
(2), Cabrio
Organic/biofungicide
Double Nickel Bacillus
amyloliquefaciens
Has shown efficacy in two trials

Alternaria and Black Rot on Collard

2013 UMass Trial, Sue Scheufele
ALS
Treatment and Rate (/A)x
Untreated Control
Quadris, 15 fl oz
Actigard 50WG, 1 oz
Serenade Optimum, 20 oz
Sonata, 4 qt
Double Nickel 55, 6 qt
Actinovate AG, 12 oz
Badge X2 DF, 0.75 lb
Basic Copper 53, 3 lb
Taegro, 5.2 oz
p-value

Severity
(%)
1.4 ab
0.1 a
2.0 ab
1.0 ab
1.0 ab
0.5 a
2.3 ab
2.5 ab
4.8 b
1.0 ab
0.0233

BR Severity
(%)
3.1 b
1.8 ab
1.5 ab
2.3 ab
1.6 ab
0.6 a
1.5 ab
0.6 a
1.6 ab
1.4 ab
0.0472

Onion thrips
(Thrips tabaci)

Reduces vigor, growth, &

marketability; opens wounds

Moves from mature onions

into late Brassicas

Other hosts: Aliums, alfalfa, wheat, clover

Varietal resistance: http://veg-

Rasping of epidermis becomes rough, brown

scar tissue. Cabbage: scars inside head

guidelines.cce.cornell.edu/15framese
t.html; www.nevegetable.org

Thrips,
up close

Onion thrips
(Thrips tabaci)

Organic:
Spinosad (Entrust)
controls thrips, flea beetle, and
caterpillars

Conventional:
pyrethroids,
nicotinoids,
spinosyns (Radiant)

Downy Mildew of
Brassicas

(Peronospora parasitica)

Species is specific to Brassicas

Sources:

seed
infected living crops & weeds
resting spores (long-lived, survive winter)

Conditions: cool, moist

Rain, dew, fog, GH humidity

Spores released, germinate & infect

Symptoms

Irregular angular yellow-brown spots on

upper leaf
Greyish white fluffy growth on underside

Downy Mildew of
Brassicas

More Symptoms
Seedling: cotyledons
speckled, yellowing
Brocc., caul., cabbage:
infection of head
Dark brown areas on
surface
Internal dark or purple
streaks

Cultural Controls
Resistant varieties:

Broccoli (Marathon, Arcadia)

Field: 2-3 yr rotation

Wider crop spacing, use drip

GH: clean seed, clean growing

media, manage humidity and T

Sanitation: Remove or destroy
infected plants

Control brassica weeds

Synthetic fungicides
Downy Mildew of
Brassicas
Spray preventatively or at
first detection
Confirm ID with diagnostic
lab

oomycete specific
Revus (40)
Forum (40)
Presidio
Reason SC (11)
Zampro (40 & 5)

Broad-spectrum
chlorothalonil (Bravo Weather Stik)
Ridomil (4)
Ridomil Gold (4 & M5)

Organic
Copper products

Swede Midge
http://web.entomology.cornell.
edu/shelton/swedemidge/index.html

Scout, learn symptoms,

contact Extension if you
see it.

Source: Christy Heopting, Cornell U

Swede midge: larvae

Source: Christy Heopting, Cornell U

0.3 to 3-4 mm

Many types of damage

Source: Christy Heopting, Cornell U

Cabbage Looper

Migratory late summer

Scout as for other
caterpillars
Larger, ragged feeding
holes
If you see it in Brassicas,
also scout spinach, chard,
lettuce