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In This IssueCrop ConditionsIndiana Climate Weather ReportPhytophthoraIndiana Horticultural Society SummerMeetingEvents

Crop Conditions(Lori K Jolly-Brown, ljollybr@purdue.edu)

Despite the large amounts of rain, crops areflourishing at Purdue Meigs Farm!

Grape – fruit set

Blackberry – early bloom

Apples past 15mm – fruit drop complete

Raspberry- fruit developing and approachingharvest

Strawberry- harvest underway

Indiana Climate WeatherReport(Austin Pearson, pearsona@purdue.edu)

06/03/2019

Issue: 19-06June 5, 2019

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As we close the doors on May for the year, one ofthe biggest stories throughout the month was theprecipitation. The entire state was above normal.Northwestern Indiana was 3.41” above normaland southeastern Indiana was 0.18” abovenormal for the month (Figure 1). Temperatureswere near normal in the northern and abovenormal in the central and southern tiers of thestate. Some stations in Central Indiana recordedrainfall on 24 out of 31 days.

Figure 1: Indiana Precipitation – Departure from MeanMay 2019

The good news is that many areas saw dryconditions set in the last week of May andbeginning of June and helped alleviate some ofthe saturated soils. This actually provided a verylimited window of opportunity for the agricultureindustry. Unfortunately, the weather looks to turnoff wet again with 1 to 4 inches of rainfallprojected through June 10th. The wet patternlooks to continue through the first three weeks ofJune with higher confidence in below normaltemperatures and above normal precipitation(Figure 2 & 3).

Figure 2: 8-14 Day Temperature Outlook

Figure 3: 8-14 Day Precipitation Outlook

Taking this forecast into consideration, it isextremely important to keep an eye onvegetation as conditions may be favorable fordisease development. Purdue Extension hasvarious publications about disease managementthat may be utilized to assist with variousdiseases. For the row crop industry, producersshould already be contacting insurance agentsand agronomists to decide on their plan of actionfor the 2019 growing season. Hybrid maturitieswill definitely need to be reduced in the centraland northern sections of the state. Dr. BobNielsen, Purdue Extension Corn Specialist, has agreat article about decisions for late planted cornand can be found here:https://www.agry.purdue.edu/ext/corn/news/articles_19/LatePlantedCorn.htmlBy: Austin Pearson, CED/ANR EducatorPurdue Extension – Tipton County

Phytophthora(Janna L Beckerman, jbeckerm@purdue.edu, (765)494-4628)

Current wet weather is increasing the risk ofPhytophthora diseases in the orchard.

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Phytophthora is a major problem on apples andpear; stone fruit are also susceptible, with plumsbeing the most resistant to this disease. Inaddition to excessive soil moisture and flooding,moderate temperatures, wounds (mechanical orthrough herbicide damage), and rootstocksusceptibility all factor into Phytophthorainfection.Early spring symptoms of this disease includedelayed bud break, smaller than normal and/ordiscolored leaves, along with twig or smallbranch dieback. Trees often look ‘unthrifty’ andsparse (Fig. 1). Unfortunately, these symptomscan be mistaken for nutrient deficiency, winterinjury, or even herbicide (Fig. 2) or flood damage.It can also resemble fire blight infection of therootstock. Examination of the crown is anessential aspect of diagnosing this problem.Peeling away the bark may reveal discoloration,cankering or rotting at or below the graft union,with healthy green tissue distinct from diseasedtissue that is orange to brown in color (Fig. 3).Cankers may be weeping or gumming. Later inthe season, if weather turns dry, trees will‘collapse’ and suddenly fail if the stem iscompletely girdled and can no longer supply theleaves with sufficient water or the roots withsufficient nutrients.

Fig. 1. The sparse, unthrifty appearance ofPhytophthora infected trees. Photo by Janna

Beckerman.

Fig. 2. Herbicide injury creates infection courtsfor opportunistic pathogens like Phytophthora, orSchizophyllum commune, shown here. Photo by

Janna Beckerman

Fig. 3. Orange to brown discoloration of the dyingrootstock. Photo by Mike Ellis.

Root rot is the most difficult aspect to diagnoseof this disease. Root examination is often tricky.Look for soft, brown, punky roots, if the infectionis widespread (or you are extremely lucky inselecting your sampling site!). Trees that haveroot rot but not crown infections often presentwith unthrifty growth, small leaves and even aheavy fruit set. Just like a girdling canker, root rotinfections can result in tree ‘collapse’ whencompromised roots can no longer supply the treewith sufficient water should weather turn dry.Unfortunately, unhealthy stems lead to unhealthyroots, and vice a versa, so a conclusivelaboratory assessment is essential in thediagnosis of Phytophthora crown and root rot,and to rule out fire blight. Keep in mind that mostrootstock infections of fire blight occur inorchards with a history of fire blight.Disease Cycle:The disease is caused by members of the genusPhytophthora, including but not limited to P.

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cactorum, P. cambivora, P. citricola, and P.plurivora, all of which are found in Indiana.Although not a true fungus (and more correctlycalled a chromista, oomycete, or stramenopila),and commonly called a ‘water mold’, it thrives inexcess moisture and cool temperatures forinfection and reproduction. Infection occurs mostcommonly in spring and fall, but can happenwhenever excess soil moisture and favorabletemperatures coexist. Phytophthora species canproduce three different types of spores (mobilezoospores that swim; oospores, andchlamydospores) all of which can infect the roots,the crown and the collar of the tree. Infection caneven splash or spread to the scion, if the scion issusceptible.Management:Rootstocks are the best way to manage thisdisease, and avoiding those rootstocks that arehighly susceptible. Different species ofPhytophthora vary in their pathogenicity (abilityto infect) and all Phytophthora vary in thevirulence (how aggressive they are afterinfection), making the evaluation of rootstocksand the management of this disease challenging.Rootstock SusceptibilityG.16 tolerant2

G.41 tolerant2

G.935 tolerant2

G.202 tolerant2

B.9 MRG.11 tolerant2

M7 MS1

M9 LS-MS1

M 26 MS1

MM 104 MS1

MM 106 HS1

MM 111 MS1

Tolerant; MR = Moderate Resistance, LS = LowSusceptibility, MS = Moderate Susceptibility, HS= High Susceptibility.Avoid planting in low spots and minimize ruts toreduce puddling, when possible, or fill in

promptly. The disease is most common in low-lying areas, particularly when the soils are heavyclay, and poorly drained. Excessive rain, andeven ruts, can serve as focal points forPhytophthora to collect (Fig. 4).

Fig. 4. A river runs through it. Photo by Janna Beckerman.

Fungicides Drenches:Mefenoxam (RidomilGoldSL) at 2quarts/acre in sufficient water to move itinto the root zone. Will slow cankering withcontinued treatment but will not rescuetrees with more than 50% of the stemgirdled. FRAC CODE 4 fungicide. 48-hrreentry.Metalaxyl (MetaStar2E) at 2 gal/acre or 6 floz/1000 sq ft. Treat the entire root zone asa banded application FRAC CODE 4fungicide. 48-hr reentry.Foliar sprays:Unlike most fungicides, the mono-and di-potassium salt fungicides are amphimobile,meaning application to leaves willredistribute to the roots.Phosphorus acid, Mono-and di-potassiumsalts (Agri-Fos, Alude, etc.). Do not apply ifcopper fungicides have been used for themanagement of other diseases. FRAC Code33 fungicide.Fosetyl AL (Aliette WDG) for bearing andnon-bearing apples. For cherry non-bearingtrees only. Do not use with copper. FRACCode 33 fungicide.1. Carisse, O., and S.

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Khanizadeh. 2005. “Relative resistance ofnewly released apple rootstocks toPhytophthora cactorum.” Canadian Journalof Plant Science no. 86:199-204.2. GENEVAAPPLE 2. ROOTSTOCKS COMPARISONCHART v.2 online at:https://www.canr.msu.edu/uploads/236/100348/GENEVA-Apple-Rootstocks-Comparison-Chart.pdf

Indiana Horticultural SocietySummer Meeting(Peter M Hirst, hirst@purdue.edu, (765) 494-1323)

Indiana Horticultural Society SummerMeetingCo-sponsored by Indiana VegetableGrowers’ AssociationJune 25, 2019 Huber Orchard and Winery,Starlight, INYou are warmly welcomed to join us for thesummer meeting of the Indiana HorticulturalSociety, held in conjunction with the IndianaVegetable Growers’ Association. It will be heldTuesday June 25 at Huber Orchard and Winery, inStarlight, IN. Huber’s is one of the largest andbest agri-tourism destinations in the Midwest.The meeting will focus on commercial productionof fruits and vegetables, and farm marketing. Allthose interested are welcome to attend.HUBER ORCHARD AND WINERYThe history of Huber Orchard and Winery beganwhen Simon Huber emigrated from Germany in1843 and settled in Starlight, Indiana. Onebranch of the family now operates Huber Orchardand Winery. While farming operations started in1932, it wasn;t until the 1960s that the transitionto direct farm marketing took place. Hubers isnow one of the premier farm market destinationsin the Midwest.The owners, cousins Greg and Ted Huber, are the

6th generation of Hubers to run the farm and the8th generation are currently being raised on thefarm. For many years Greg has run the fieldoperations, but his son AJ is now assuming thisresponsibility. Greg’s wife Jan and daughterMarcie take care of book keeping andadministration, and daughter Allie runs PlantationHall events. Ted is the wine maker and runs allwinery operations including distilling, and his sonChristian has recently returned to the operationfull time and is involved in wine making anddistilling. while Ted’s wife Dana coordinatesdistribution and public relations. This is indeed afamily owned and operated business.Huber Orchard and Winery comprises about 700acres, with about 80 acres of grapes (mostly winegrapes but also a few seedless), 50 acres ofapples, 30 acres of peaches, 8 acres ofblackberries, 25 acres strawberries, 100 acres ofvegetables such as sweetcorn, green beans andtomatoes, with a further 80 acres of pumpkinsand gourds. Christmas trees take up another 30acres or so. Most crops are sold U-pick and all issold on the farm. Excess fruit is used in thewinery for the production of fruit wines, infusionsand other winery products. At the peak of the fallseason, over 300 employees are needed to helpwith the various operations on the farm. Whilethe fall is their busiest time, they are also lookingat expanding their season with blueberries,strawberries, music, weddings and corporateevents.Prior to our last Hort Society summer visit toHuber’s in 2012, they have purchased someadditional land to provide for expansion andmore flexibility with plantings and operations.The other major development is their distillery,that was opened in 2014. They now grow anumber of grain crops that are used for thedistilling operation. The Hubers have focused ondiversification and value-added products. Forexample, not only do they grow apples and sell

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them fresh, but they make apple cider, applebutter, apple wine, and apple brandy. Speakingof apples, the Hubers mostly grow GoldenDelicious, Gala, Winesap and Fuji, althoughGoldRush is also becoming quite popular. Theyrecently planted some Evercrispâ so areinterested to see how they perform.Banquets of up to 1000 people can be held on-site for weddings, corporate picnics, and specialevents. All catering is done in-house. They alsooffer school tours and have a 30 acre children’sfarm park. The farm market is open year-roundwith bakery items and wine available over thewinter. The have reconfigured their children’s zooand it is now a Children’s Farm Park, withminiature tractors and various activities for thelittle ones.While Huber Orchard and Winery is on a muchlarger scale than many of the orchards and farmmarkets in the state, all growers are likely tolearn useful information during our tour. Theirfocus on the customer and providing exceptionalcustomer service is applicable, not matter whatthe size of the operation. For more information,visit their webpage:http://www.huberwinery.com/Schedule (subject to change)(all Eastern Daylight Time):Tuesday, June 259:30 am Convene and registration at HuberOrchard and Winery.10:00 am Introductions, brief walking tour offacilities – winery, market, ice cream store,banquet hall10:30 am Field tour – apples11:45 pm Lunch – $10 – RSVP requested (seebelow)1:00 pm Field tours – peaches, vegetables,small fruit4:00 pm Wrap up and conclude

Optional winery and distillery tour for thoseinterestedRegistrationA registration fee of $5.00 per family or farm ispayable at registration.LunchA catered lunch will be served onsite. This willmost likely be fried chicken with vegetables anddrinks. There is a $10/person charge for lunch,collected onsite. Please go to the followingwebsite to RSVP so we can plan for the rightamount of food:https://purdue.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6oqUlioijOUNb0xDirections:Hubers is much easier to get to with a new roadto the farm. Rather than print maps anddirections, here’s the address so enter this intoyour phone or maps:Huber Orchard and Winery,19816 Huber Road,Starlight, IN 47106Alternatively, directions are available on Huber’swebsite:https://www.huberwinery.com/hours-directions/

Events(Lori K Jolly-Brown, ljollybr@purdue.edu)

June 25, 2019 Indiana Horticultural SocietySummer MeetingCo-sponsored by Indiana Vegetable Growers’AssociationHuber Orchard and Winery, Starlight, INhttp://www.huberwinery.com/You are warmly welcomed to join us for thesummer meeting of the Indiana Horticultural

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Society, held in conjunction with the IndianaVegetable Growers’ Association. It will be heldTuesday June 25 at Huber Orchard and Winery, inStarlight, IN. Huber’s is one of the largest andbest agri-tourism destinations in the Midwest.The meeting will focus on commercial productionof fruits and vegetables, and farm marketing. Allthose interested are welcome to attend.June 27, 2019 Southwest Purdue Ag CenterField DaySouthwest Purdue Ag CenterContact Barb Joyner, joynerb@purdue.eduHorticultural related topics include: OrganicTomato Production, High Tunnel GraftedCucumber & Specialty Melon Production,Applying IPM Principles across Cropping Systemsto Increase Insect Pollination and Profitability,Annual Strawberry Production. A meal will beincluded, and PARP classes also will be availableafter lunch. To register, emailjoynerb@purdue.edu, call 812-886-0198, or goonline athttps://purdue.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8pnF8z1CwyglrGl by Monday, June 17.July 9, 2019 Turf & Landscape Field DayDaniel Turf Center, West Lafayette, INhttps://turf.purdue.edu/field-day.htmlThe Purdue Turf and Landscape Field Day is anannual one-day event with the objective ofproviding professional turf and landscapemanagers exposure and educationalopportunities with the latest research andtechnical resources. The Field Day featuresresearch tours, afternoon workshops on currenttopics, and a tradeshow with over 40 exhibitorsdisplaying equipment and turf and landscapeproducts.July 18, 2019 Meigs High Tunnel Field DayPurdue Meigs Farmhttps://purdue.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0HXQwDluRiOnwAB

Contact Lori Jolly-Brown,mailto:ljollybr@purdue.eduThe field day at Meigs Horticulture Farm,presented by the Horticulture Department andthe Department of Entomology, will focus on hightunnel production of cucurbit crops. It will featuretours of conventional and hydroponic high tunnelcucumber and melon production. The use ofinsect-exclusion screens to control cucumberbeetles and bacterial wilt will be on display in theconventional high tunnel systems. Vegetablegrafting and future research in tomato systemswill be presented. Attendees will also have anopportunity to discuss current challenges andfuture directions of research areas for high tunnelproduction systems.August 1, 2019 Small Farm Ed Field DayDaniel Turf Center, Purdue Student Farmhttps://purdue.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3qQfl05iryF3COpLori Jolly-Brown, ljollybr@purdue.eduThe Small Farm Education Field Day presentedby Horticulture & Landscape Architecture willhave classroom educational sessions at theDaniel Turf Center followed with lunch catered byJuniper Spoon at the Purdue Student Farm. Tours,workshops and vendors!Rototiller vs. power harrow demonstrationHigh tunnel tomato and pepper productSolar dryers for post-harvest processing of fruits,vegetablesWash pack demonstrationFood safety plans and certification process forgardenersDynamic enterprise budgetsScheduling crops in high tunnelsCover crop choicesSoil restoration in urban farmsSeptember 5, 2019 Hydroponics & GreenhouseworkshopPurdue University, Deans auditorium, HLA

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greenhousehttps://tinyurl.com/yxm5ttb9Contact Lori Jolly-Brown, ljollybr@purdue.eduParticipants will learn about optimal conditionsfor growing hydroponic lettuce, including nutrientrecipes, production systems, artificial lightingpractices and optimal temperatures for lettuce.Workshop attendees will also have theopportunity to tour the department’s greenhouseand hydroponic facilities where several hands-onactivities will take place. Krishna Nemali,professor of controlled environment agriculture,will lead the workshop. Nemali’s research centerson enhancing sustainable growing practices incontrolled environments, like greenhouse andindoor vertical farms.October 17, 2019 Indiana Flower Growersassociation conferencePurdue University, Daniel Turf CenterContact Lori Jolly-Brown, ljollybr@purdue.eduHorticulturists and greenhouse operators willhave an opportunity to network with industryexperts and Purdue Extension specialists.Educational sessions to include technology andautomation, electrical conductivity sensors,

marketplace opportunities, greenhouseproduction, worker production standards, as wellas networking with other flower growers acrossthe state.February 11-13, 2020 Indiana HorticulturalCongressIndianapolis Marriott East Hotel:Contact Lori Jolly-Brown, ljollybr@purdue.eduhttps://www.inhortcongress.org/The Indiana Horticultural Congress, presented byPurdue University, is an educational meetingdesigned to meet the needs of fruit, vegetable,wine, organics, greenhouse, high tunnel,specialty crop growers and marketers in Indianaand surrounding states. Over 500 registrants andmore than 70 vendors attend each year.February 11-13, 2020 Indiana Green ExpoContact Brooke Ponder, bponder@purdue.eduIndiana Convention Center, Indianapolis, INIndiana’s largest, most comprehensive greenindustry event of the year!Offering over 75 educational seminars plus aSpanish track, certification opportunities,in-depth workshops, numerous CEUs and CCHs tobe earned, and a two-day trade show!

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Facts for Fancy Fruit © Purdue University - fff.hort.purdue.eduEditor: Peter M Hirst | Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, 625 Agriculture Mall

Dr., West Lafayette, IN 47907 | (765) 494-1323