The IPM Scouting Guide publications for vegetable crops are valuable resources for growers. This information can also be easily accessed through the Veggie Scout Website. Be sure to bookmark this website for easy access in the future. This website provides…
Monthly Archives: April 2023
Management of Fusarium Head Blight (Scab) of Wheat with Fungicides
Wheat fields will soon be at the anthesis stage (Feekes 10.51, “flowering”) in Kentucky. Anthesis is a critical time, as wheat becomes susceptible to infection by Fusarium graminearum, the causal agent of Fusarium head blight (FHB; also known as scab) (Figure…
Posted in Grains
Wheat as Cover Crop for Soil Conservation and Refugium of Beneficial Insects for Aphid Control
Winter Wheat as a Cover Crop Using cover crops is a common practice across North America; however, national policies propose different management strategies to achieve optimal balance between conservation benefits of soil and water (Figure 1). As part of such…
Posted in Grains
Powdery Mildew of Hemp
Powdery mildew can affect numerous plants, including fruit, vegetable, and agronomic crops, as well as woody and herbaceous ornamentals. Kentucky hemp, particularly hemp grown indoors and in greenhouses, is susceptible to powdery mildew. Plants infected early in the season can…
Posted in Hemp
Cedar-Apple Rust
Cedar-apple rust is the most common and economically important rust disease of apple in Kentucky. The pathogen overwinters as galls on cedar and juniper. Removal of these pathogen sources on cedar can later reduce disease incidence on apple. Once apple…
Posted in Fruit
Eastern Tent Caterpillar May Be Arising in Western KY in 2023
Current Situation People are noticing that many deciduous trees (trees that lose their leaves at the end of their growing season) have whitish spots in their branches. When observed closely, these spots are tents built in the forks of tree…
Posted in Forest Trees, Landscape Trees & Shrubs
Warm Februarys Bring May Beetles in April
May beetles, also known as May-June beetles or June bugs, are a very literally named group of beetles. Like clockwork, many species in this group start to emerge as adults as spring truly settles in, usually in mid- to late…
Posted in Landscapes
Please Don’t Mail Us Live Ticks
If you are active on social media, you might find some people posting about a project to collect ticks and send them to the University of Kentucky called the UK Tick Surveillance Program. Unfortunately, as with many things on Facebook,…
Posted in Human Pests
Common Problems of Common Trees (PPFS-OR-W-30) & Common Problems of Common Shrubs (PPFS-OR-W-31)
Trees and shrubs are important aspects of landscapes and woodlands. However, these woody ornamentals may experience a wide range of issues, including diseases, insects, and abiotic disorders. The most frequently observed problems of trees and shrubs commonly growing in Kentucky…
Posted in Featured Pubs & Videos
2023 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
Pythium Diseases of Vegetable Crops
Pythium diseases can affect a large number of vegetable crops. Vegetables produced in structures, such as greenhouses or high tunnels, may be at an increased risk for disease losses once the pathogen is introduced. Infections may impact above and below…
Posted in Vegetables
Brown Rot of Peach
Brown rot of peach is known for soft, rotted fruit covered with masses of fungal spores. However, management of this disease begins at petal fall. Early season management can reduce initial sources of the fungus as it emerges from dormancy,…
Posted in Fruit
Backyard Fruit Disease, Pest Management, and Cultural Practices Calendars
Backyard fruit production requires a proactive approach to disease, insect, and weed management. Preventative management practices can help minimize pesticide use in residential settings. These publications present recommended cultural practices, along with chemical management strategies, for each fruit growth stage,…
Posted in Featured Pubs & Videos
Diagnosis of “No Disease”
Extension agents and growers may occasionally receive diagnostic reports from the University of Kentucky Plant Disease Diagnostic Laboratory that indicate “no disease was found.” One possible cause for “no disease” diagnoses is insufficient sample size. This occurs when the sample…
Posted in Plant Disease Diagnostic Lab
Plant Disease Diagnostic Lab Highlights
The following plant disease highlights have been compiled from samples submitted to the University of Kentucky Plant Disease Diagnostic Laboratory from April 1 to April 18, 2023. Diagnoses on agronomic crop samples have included nutritional problems, rodent feeding injury, and…
Posted in Plant Disease Diagnostic Lab
Kentucky Pest News 