Orleans Produce Auction Growers Meeting

July 23, 2018


This course will demonstrate pest management in fresh market vegetables in both field and greenhouse (high tunnel) vegetables; primarily for those growing for wholesale auction. A hands-on demonstration of weed, insect and disease identification in vegetables including management options such as inter-row cover crops, grafting and where appropriate, spray options will be used to educate growers. Judson Reid, Senior Extension Associate with the Cornell Vegetable Program along with CCE staff will instruct participants and facilitate peer-based learning. Details on each topic will focus on field observations at the farm.

TOPICS:
Weed control in row crop vegetables

• Why? -- moisture competition, insect and disease management, and labor efficiency
• How? -- cultivation, herbicides, and inter-row cover crops: spring seeding or winter rye; pros- and cons

Tomato and potato disease updates

• Late blight and early blight updates
• Grafting for improved root-zone disease resistance in greenhouse and high tunnels

Cucurbits

• Greenhouse cucumber grafting for vigor and yield
• Downy mildew management: cucumbers, cantaloupes and watermelon -- tunnels/greenhouses and effective fungicide programs
• Cucumber beetle, squash bug, stink bug
• Powdery mildew -- resistance and effective fungicide programs

Questions and answer/other farm specific crop observations/food safety news

Attendees will present an ID and record their certification ID number, print name and sign the Recertification Training Roster. The roster will be secured by a Cornell Vegetable Program representative and only the attendees who sit for the entire course will be awarded a certificate.