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Although it is not a preferred host, snap beans can also be infested with corn earworm, especially if local corn is past the fresh silk stage, and therefore, not attractive for egg laying.  To prevent pod infestation and contamination at harvest, snap bean growers should treat to prevent corn earworm and European corn borers.  Consult bulletin E312:  2008 Insect, Disease, and Nematode Control for Commercial Vegetables (http://web4.msue.msu.edu/veginfo/E312/0 for insecticides registered on your crop. Aster yellows that infected carrots and celery are apparent in many fields.  In most areas, a much higher than normal percentage of aster leafhoppers have been infected with the disease during the growing season, and the prevalence of aster yellows in fields reflects this.  The latest results from Diagnostic Services show infectivity rates of three to 20 percent.  For carrot fields in Oceana and Mason County, we recommend a treatment threshold of two to three leafhoppers per 100 sweeps.  For celery fields in west Michigan, we recommend a treatment threshold of three to seven per 100 sweeps. Remember, it takes several weeks for plants to develop symptoms, so growers can stop insecticide applications for leafhoppers three weeks before harvest.  Foliar symptoms of aster yellows in carrots.

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Fall weed management tips: Preventing seed production and establishment of winter annuals Dan Brainard Horticulture Fall is an important time to evaluate holes in weed management programs and note the location of problematic weeds in order to help crop rotation and weed management planning for next year. This is also a good time to take steps to minimize the number of weed seeds added to the soil, and to prevent establishment of winter annuals.  Avoiding summer annual seed production As crops come out of the field, weeds that are left behind often sow seeds of future problems.  For summer annual weeds like pigweed and lambsquarters, the short days of late summer stimulate seed production. Even small plants can produce thousands of seeds at this time of year which can last for decades in the soil. Larger plants can produce from a few thousand seeds (e.g. velvetleaf, smartweed, crabgrass) to 300,000 or more (e.g pigweed, lambsquarters) per plant (photo 1). Seeds of many weed species can last for decades in the soil, creating weed management headaches for years to come. To minimize future weed problems it is therefore important to till or disk fields as soon as possible after harvest to prevent seed maturation. Mowing can also be affective in slowing and reducing seed production, but growth and seed production from lateral branches can be problematic. However, once weed seeds are shed on the soil surface, tillage may be counterproductive, since seed burial protects seeds from predation and decay. Weed seeds are a significant food source for many insects and bird species and can have rates of mortality of 75 percent or greater if left on the soil surface during the fall. Preventing winter annual establishment Winter annual weed seeds that have been dormant during the summer begin to germinate in the fall following vegetable crop harvest. These species overwinter and can quickly form a mat in the spring that can interfere with field preparation, slow soil warm-up, and compete with crop growth. Some winter annual weeds can also be important hosts of pests of vegetable crops. For example, recent studies suggest that shepherd’s-purse and field pennycress (photo 2) may host insects (e.g. swede-midge) and diseases (e.g. black rot) of mustard family vegetables.  In reduced tillage systems, winter annuals can be particularly problematic.  For example, spring chisel-plowing and glyphosate applications are ineffective at controlling fall-germinating corn chamomile (daisy), which can be a costly contaminant in crops such as peas the following spring (photo 3). To reduce problems with winter annual weeds, late fall herbicide applications or tillage are often more effective than spring operations. While it is too late this season, cover crops like oats or mustards established after early harvested vegetables are very effective at preventing winter annual weed establishment. For late-harvested vegetables thickly sown winter cover crops like rye, wheat, or hairy vetch can also help suppress winter annual weeds Photo 1. The pigweed shown at right produced over 200,000 seeds. Photo 2. Thale-cress (middle-left), shepherd’s purse (middle) and field pennycress (middle right) are winter annuals in the mustard family that may host insects and diseases of mustard family vegetables. Also shown are annual bluegrass and chickweed (lower right). Photo 3. Overwintering corn chamomile can be a contaminant in processing peas.

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Gearing up to increase production: An equipment day for vegetable farmers Mark your calendars, on September 18 there will be an equipment day for vegetable farmers featuring demonstrations that may help streamline many steps of small-scale vegetable production including: Soil management Irrigating Mulching Weeding Transplanting Cooling for transport Bed formation FSA and Credit Union representatives The event will take place September 18 from 9:00AM to 4:00PM at the Southwest Michigan Research Center (SWMREC), 1791 Hillandale Road, Benton Harbor, Michigan, 49022. Cost is $25 per person before September 12 and $30 per person after this date. A box lunch is included. Trade booths are available for $50 until September 12 and $75 after this date, including walk-ins. Price includes registrations for two people, a table and two chairs. Register online (www.MichiganOrganic.msu.edu) or by mail (303 Natural Resources, East Lansing, Michigan, 48824), make checks payable to Michigan State University. Questions contact: Vicki Morrone, (517) 353-3542. Program sponsored by the USDA Farm Service Agency and the CS Mott Group for Sustainable Food Systems at Michigan State University.

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Michigan growers invited to submit proposals The North Central Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (NCR-SARE) is announcing its 2008 Farmer Rancher Grant Call for Proposals. All needed documents are available online at http://www.sare.org/NCRSARE/prod.htm. The web site also offers state-by-state data for past recipients of the grants. Farmers and ranchers in the North Central Region can submit proposals for grants to support sustainable agriculture project ideas initiated by growers. Projects should emphasize research or education and demonstration. Grants can range from $6,000 for individual farmers and up to $18,000 for groups of three or more farmers. NCR-SARE expects to fund about 50 projects in the twelve-state North Central Region. Producers can submit proposals via email. NCR-SARE is now asking applicants to complete a brief budget narrative in their project proposal. Also, beginning farmers and/or youth may apply. The deadline for proposals is Monday, December 1, 2008 at 4:30 PM. Potential applicants with questions can contact Michigan’s NCR-SARE coordinator Dale Mutch at 1-800-521-2619, mutch@msu.edu. Or send questions to the regional coordinator, Joan Benjamin, NCR-SARE Farmer Rancher Grant Program Coordinator, at jbenjamin2@unl.edu  or 402-472-0809. The NCR has funded more than 650 farmer rancher grants worth more than $4,300,000 since the inception of this program.

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Regional reports 1 -- Southwest Ron Goldy Weather Temperatures have ranged widely during the period with lows from 50°F to 70°F and highs from 74°F to 93°F. There has been 0.43 inches of rain across the area for the period and only about 1.5 inches since July 21. Many nonirrigated fields are showing drought symptoms. Crop report Many tomatoes and other crops are finished. Stakes and plastic are being removed. Mites are present in some tomato and watermelon fields. Powdery mildew is causing die back in many pumpkin and fall squash fields. Fruit will now be susceptible to sunburn. Phytophthora is also present in squash and pumpkins and will only become worse if the weather turns rainy.

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2 -- Grand Rapids Area Bill Steenwyk Weather As with much of the state, West-Central Michigan remains extremely dry, and productivity of many crops is directly related to a particular farmer's capacity to maintain adequate irrigation.  Crop report Celery harvest continues with yields being at or somewhat below average.  The last of the crop that was transplanted before the early summer floods is being harvested.  Since growers could not maintain their transplanting schedule after that wet period, there may be a reduction in harvestable celery during the next week or two.  Aster yellows appears to be a significant problem throughout West Michigan. Onion harvest is well underway.  Overall crop yields appear to be near to slightly below normal.  In some fields, the crop suffered from the earlier floods or subsequent disease and insect pressure, but many report good yields.  The first crop of table beets was hurt by the floods, but the new crop appears to be doing well, as is the case with lettuce and radish. Vine crop harvest is progressing.  While the dry weather is hampering yields and hastening maturity, the fruits are not lying on wet soils, which helps maintain high quality.  Some squash growers have faced significant losses from sunscald, however.  Powdery mildew is common. Cabbage harvest continues, but dry soils have kept plants from sizing out as much as desired.  The few cauliflower, tomato and pepper fields that I've seen appear to be doing well. Sweet corn harvest continues.  Yields are good. Limited soil moisture in many fields is hastening maturity.  For larger producers, this makes keeping up with harvesting, processing and shipping a challenge.

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3 -- Oceana County Norm Myers Weather Oceana County received some rain last Thursday night (August 28). Amounts ranged from over an inch to just a couple of hundredths, with Hart receiving about three quarters of an inch. Some rain would be welcome in the asparagus crop to germinate the rye cover crop, but not enough to flush a lot of parasitic new growth. Asparagus crowns would not have enough growing season left to recover the energy they expend in growing new fern. According to the Tom-Cast system, this has been one of our lightest purple spot years in recent memory, but as often happens in those years, rust got away from some people and caused worse damage. Crop report In carrots, aster yellows is definitely the worst of the foliar diseases this year, although all of the major diseases are present and active. You can see major differences in aster yellows susceptibility between varieties. In pickles and cucumbers, drought was a much worse problem than downy mildew during this growing season. Zucchini harvest will largely wind down this week. Virus has been less of a problem than feared, even with its early start. Pumpkins are ripening quickly this year, perhaps because of the dry weather. I am urging growers to keep vines healthy into September to help hold the crop until October. Harvest of late snap beans is well along and we have started our late plantings of sweet corn. I am not catching any European corn borers, but I am still getting 10 to 20 corn earworms per trap.

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4 -- Mason-Newaygo counties Jim Breinling Weather The dry weather pattern that began in the middle of July continues in the area. At the Ludington Enviro-weather station only 0.59-inch of rain was reported in August and only 0.68- inch since the last significant rainfall on July 16. At the Fremont station 1.19 inches of rain was received during August and 1.34 inches since July 13. At Grant in southern Newaygo County, growers reported between one to one and a half inches of rain on August 23 compared to 0.35-inch recorded at the Fremont station. Temperatures have been generally favorable during the past three weeks with a warm spell and a 90°F-plus high on September 2. Crop report Carrot harvest in Newaygo County continues on schedule with growers reporting good quality and yields. The situation with the high incidence of aster yellows is not as severe in fields in Newaygo County for fresh market/cut and peel compared to fields of processing carrots in Mason County. Some limited acreage of processing carrots has been harvested. Onion harvest will get underway this week in Newaygo County. The tops remain in good condition and growers hope for some additional bulb sizing as harvest will continue throughout September and into October. Snap bean harvest has been the most effected by the extensive dry conditions with yields on nonirrigated acres being significantly reduced. Harvest of the fields where the European corn borer traps are located in Mason County occurred during the week of August 24. European corn borer trap counts on September 2 were 1 – 0 – 0. Sweet corn harvest continues in the last sequence of plantings. Corn earworm trap counts on September 2 were 138 in the large trap and 29 in the small trap. This is the widest variation of trap count observed in the two traps, normally the catch in large trap is about twice that of the small trap. Slicing cucumber and pickle harvest continues with no reports of downy mildew in these crops. Fields of pumpkins are showing effects of early maturity and smaller size due to the lack of rainfall.

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5 -- Macomb, St. Clair and Lapeer counties Hannah Stevens Weather and crop conditions The last two weeks have brought variable temperatures to the region, with maximum temperatures ranging from 67°F to 90°F and a minimum dipping to 42°F.  These cool overnight temperatures are resulting in heavy dews. Rainfall had averaged one-half inch in the three county area although some locations have received more in localized storms. Crop report European corn borer trap catches are higher than they have been all season with an average of 27 moths per trap. Corn earworm trap numbers are on the rise as well, but growers have been seeing occasional worms in ear tips throughout the season. Many growers are now into Bt sweet corn varieties, which should allow for borer free ears, but if corn earworm numbers are high, even these varieties need protection. Early fields now have cereal cover crops emerging. Common rust has been reported on supersweet corn in the western part of the region.  This disease is favored by cool temperatures and heavy dews with leaves wet for a minimum of three to six hours.  Some sweet corn varieties are particularly susceptible. Fungicide treaments are being applied by some growers. Fall vine crops such as pumpkins, gourds and hard squash are being shipped. Cucumber and summer squash harvest continues under fairly heavy pressure from powdery mildew and downy mildew.  Dry conditions have arrested Phytophthora development for several weeks now. Tomatoes, which certainly took their time this year, are now in full harvest, as are eggplant and pepper, which are being picked in both green and ripe stages. The fresh market potato crop is of good size and quality this year. Both sweet and storage onions experienced good growing conditions this season and we are hoping for good curing weather and a good market. Cole crops, including cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli and Brussels sprouts are at retail markets now.  Imported cabbage worm moth numbers are high in this area, meaning they seem to be flying everywhere, so I assume worm pressure is also high. Famous Macomb cauliflower.

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6 -- Monroe County Sudeep Mathew Weather Weather has been very dry for the past three weeks. Cool nights have returned as we are getting into some fall type weather. Soil temperatures ranged from 62°F to 83°F. Precipitation deficits and moisture stress is wide spread. The total precipitation received at the Enviro-weather station in Dundee for the entire month of August is just 0.76 inches this year while we received 8.39 inches at the same time in 2007. Crop report For all the crops grown here, harvest is progressing in full swing and some fields are now completed. Water stress is taking a toll on growers as well as crops. Any late sweet corn still in the field is being irrigated.  Late plantings that lack irrigation are being abandoned. No European corn borer moths were found in my traps this week. There was one corn earworm in my trap. Powdery mildew is wide spread in pumpkin, squashes and gourds. Pumpkins are maturing and making the sizes. Squash are in good quality irrespective of the dry conditions. Foliar applied fertilizers caused some phytotoxicity in musk melons because of dry weather and temperature conditions at the time of application (Photo 1). Phytophthora is continuing to be seen in pumpkin fields. Watermelons are in short supply because of delayed harvest. No squash vine borers have been found in my trap. Pepper harvest is steady. Aphids have been found in peppers. Cauliflower is having a disease-free growth. There was some carryover problem from Treflan herbicide (Photo 2 and 3) in cauliflower. Herbicide carryover problems were much more prevalent in sandier soils. Dry weather is favoring cabbage; under irrigation is allowing good growth without much disease pressure. Plants are healthy and forming good-sized heads. Both processing and market tomato harvest is in full swing. Growers are getting good yield in irrigated fields and I am seeing about 1.5 to three tons/acre yield reduction in nonirrigated fields due to the lack of rain. Potato harvest is progressing. There is good demand for processing potatoes. Although vines are senesced, tubers are still green in many fields. Leafhoppers were found in very small numbers. There were two variegated cutworms found in the trap.   Photo 1. Phytotoxicity in musk melon.   Photo 2. Treflan early symptoms. Photo 3. Treflan lingering symptoms.

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Weather news Jeff Andresen Agricultural Meteorology Geography A significant change in weather is in store for the Upper Midwest with the formation of a troughing feature across central North America and the passage of Hurricane Gustav=s remnants through Michigan during the next few days. In general, this change is expected to lead to a cooler and wetter weather pattern across Michigan for much of the next one to two weeks. In the short term, a cool front will pass west to east across the state Wednesday, September 3, bringing the chance for a few showers. The cool front will stall out over the Ohio Valley late Wednesday, will become associated with the remnant circulation of Hurricane Gustav (located over Arkansas Wednesday morning), and return northward as a warm front by Thursday morning.  The center of what is left of Hurricane Gustav is forecast to pass from southwest to northeast through Lower Michigan overnight Thursday into Friday morning, bringing steady moderate to heavy rainfall with some embedded thunderstorms. Widespread rainfall in the one-quarter to one-half inch category will be likely with this weather system across much of the state, with some heavy two-inch or greater totals possible over central and northern Lower Michigan (some six inch or greater rainfall totals will be possible with this system as it passes through Missouri and Illinois). High pressure will move back into the region on Saturday, with fair, dry conditions expected. A second cold front will move through the region late Sunday into Monday, bringing the threat of more rainfall and significantly cooler temperatures both days. Temperatures during the next few days will fall back to normal or slightly below normal levels with highs Wednesday from 70°F north to near 80°F south and lows generally in the 50s through the early weekend. By Sunday and Monday, look for temperatures to fall back to well below normal levels, with highs from the low 60s north to the low 70s south and lows from the low 40s north to the low 50s south.   In the medium range time frame, the forecast is based primarily on the upper air changes mentioned above. The National Weather Service 6 ‑ 10 day (covering September 8 - 12) and 8 ‑ 14 day (covering September 10 - 16) outlooks both call for below normal mean temperatures across Michigan and the Great Lakes region. Precipitation totals during both periods are forecast to range from near normal levels across southern sections of the state to above normal levels elsewhere.

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