Wet summer conditions have resulted in a rise in cases of Plectosporium blight in Kentucky pumpkin plantings. Plectosporium blight, formerly Microdochium blight, can be a major concern for pumpkin growers across the eastern U.S. While the disease primarily affects pumpkins,…
University of Kentucky Plant Pathology Extension Publications for Organic Vegetable Producers
The University of Kentucky Plant Pathology Extension Team for Specialty Crops has put together numerous resources for commercial organic producers. The following details resources available for plant disease management in organic vegetable production. Cultural Calendars for Commercial Vegetable Production Organic…
Posted in Vegetables
Kentucky Strawberry Growers at Risk for Neopestalotiopsis Disease
Neopestalotiopsis disease (also referred to as Neopest or Neo-P) is caused by a fungus that can infect both cuttings and mature plants. Symptoms can range from leaf spots (Figure 1) to crown and root rots to fruit infections (Figure 2).…
Posted in Fruit
2026 Insect Trap Counts
Trap counts for major insect pests are provided by the Kentucky IPM Program. Traps are located at the UK Research and Education Center in western Kentucky and the UK Spindletop Farm in Lexington. Below are trap counts for the current…
Posted in Insect Trap Counts
Plant Disease Diagnostic Lab Highlights
The following plant disease/disorder highlights have been compiled from samples diagnosed in the University of Kentucky Plant Disease Diagnostic Laboratory from August 18 to 24, 2026. Agronomic crops Orchardgrass – Anthracnose, brown stripeSoybean –Red crown rot, slime mold Fruit &…
Posted in Plant Disease Diagnostic Lab
2026 Insect Trap Counts
Trap counts for major insect pests are provided by the Kentucky IPM Program. Traps are located at the UK Research and Education Center in western Kentucky and the UK Spindletop Farm in Lexington. Below are trap counts for the current…
Posted in Insect Trap Counts
Monitoring for Cucurbit Downy Mildew Using IPM PIPE
Cucurbit downy mildew is one of the most economically important diseases of cucurbits in Kentucky. The movement of cucurbit downy mildew is monitored on the Cucurbit Downy Mildew Forecasting page of the IPM pipe website. Cucurbit growers can sign up…
Posted in Vegetables
The Rotten Truth about Bitter Rot
While fruit rots have a variety of causes, the most common fungal fruit rot of apple in Kentucky is bitter rot. The disease results in rotten, inedible fruit. Fungicides are available for management; however, sanitation is critical for disease prevention.…
Posted in Fruit
Organic and Conventional Commercial Berry Spray Schedules for Field and High Tunnel Production Now Available
Numerous plant pathogens can cause disease in commercial berry production, resulting in plant damage and yield loss. Applications of fungicides and bactericides are often necessary to limit the impact of plant diseases. Crop specific spray schedules are now available to…
Posted in Featured Pubs & Videos
Plant Disease Diagnostic Lab Highlights
The following plant disease/disorder highlights have been compiled from samples diagnosed in the University of Kentucky Plant Disease Diagnostic Laboratory from August 11 to 17, 2026. Agronomic crops Corn –Tar spot, southern corn rust, maize dwarf mosaicHemp – Rhizoctonia stem/root…
Posted in Plant Disease Diagnostic Lab
2026 Insect Trap Counts
Trap counts for major insect pests are provided by the Kentucky IPM Program. Traps are located at the UK Research and Education Center in western Kentucky and the UK Spindletop Farm in Lexington. Below are trap counts for the current…
Posted in Insect Trap Counts
Residual Herbicides are also Beneficial in Wheat
Weed control in any crop starts as soon as the crop is planted if not before. This is especially true for control of Italian ryegrass in wheat as the use of a residual herbicide is critical for successful control. Those…
Posted in Grains
Fall Crop Protection Webinar Series begins Oct. 22
Save the dates for a series of webinars focusing on agronomic crops and Integrated Pest Management. The University of Kentucky Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment and UK Grain Crops Pest Management will present the 2026 Fall Crop Protection…
Posted in Announcements
Corn Earworm Trap Catches Rise Above Average: Be on the Lookout
Current Corn Earworm Trapping Numbers Pheromone trap catches for corn earworm (CEW) moths have increased recently in both central and western Kentucky and are now well above the 5-year average (Figure 1). The last time catches reached similar levels at…
Posted in General Pests
Side Effects of Unnecessary Insecticide Applications
In many production systems, insecticide applications are sometimes made without considering whether pest populations justify treatment. In other cases, insecticides are simply added to planned fungicide or herbicide applications because they are cheap or convenient. Although these approaches may appear…
Posted in Pesticide Topics
Kentucky Pest News 