News Production Vegetables
Ontario vegetable updates 7/21

Here’s the key highlights on vegetable crops from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness (OMAFA).

• With the poor air quality and hot conditions, bean leaves may have bronze speckles on the upper canopy and the plants usually outgrow this damage.
• Be on the lookout for alternaria and sclerotinia black rot in brassica crops due to conducive conditions. Keep chewing insects in check to prevent sclerotinia spread.
• Monitor, and manage, for aster leafhoppers in carrots to prevent infection by aster yellows.
• Downy mildew has been detected across the main pickling cucumber growing areas. Preventatively manage with fungicide application.
• Garlic harvest is in full swing across Ontario. See the report for post-harvest tips to preserve quality.
• Onion fields across the province are showing stemphylium lesions, thrip levels are on the rise in some areas, and the next generation of onion maggot and seedcorn maggot are active.
• Late blight has been detected on potatoes in Dufferin County, OMAFA vegetable crop specialist Dennis Van Dyk reports. Strain ID and results from samples will be shared once available. Late blight risk remains high and insects are active due to hot temperatures and high humidity.
• In sweet corn, keep earworm in check with targeted fungicide application towards the ears. And if you see yellowing between leaf veins, it could be a sign of manganese deficiency – which can be remedied by a foliar application of manganese sulfate.

Read the July 18 report for full details.