Identification, assessment and management of soil-borne plant pathogens in vegetable production systems in the Northeast

View the project final report

• 2010 annual report
• 2011 annual report
• 2012 annual report
• 2013 annual report

Commodities

• Fruits: melons
• Vegetables: artichokes, asparagus, beans, beets, broccoli, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, celery, cucurbits, eggplant, garlic, greens (leafy), leeks, lentils, onions, parsnips, peas (culinary), peppers, radishes (culinary), rutabagas, sweet corn, tomatoes, turnips, brussel sprouts

Practices

• Crop Production: conservation tillage
• Education and Training: extension, farmer to farmer, networking, workshop
• Farm Business Management: whole farm planning
• Pest Management: biological control, biorational pesticides, botanical pesticides, chemical control, cultural control, disease vectors, economic threshold, field monitoring/scouting, integrated pest management, mulches - killed, mulches - living, physical control, prevention, sanitation, soil solarization, mulching - vegetative
• Production Systems: holistic management, organic agriculture
• Soil Management: green manures, organic matter, soil microbiology, soil quality/health

Root diseases affect a wide array of vegetable crops grown throughout the Northeast region, significantly impacting the quality and quantity of marketable yield annually. Among the major root pathogens causing damage to vegetables in the Northeast are Phytophthora, Pythium, Rhizoctonia, Fusarium, Sclerotinia, Thielaviopsis, Verticillium, and Phoma. Not only can these pathogens incite disease individually, but they also can interact with other soilborne pathogen(s) and non-pathogen(s) and cause more severe and damaging disease complexes. They are also frequently associated with poor soil health. Diagnosis of the root disease and its causal pathogen(s) is critical in designing long-term effective integrated pest management strategies either prevent or reduce soilborne pathogen populations while improving soil health. Seven intensive hands-on training workshops will be held in the Northeast region over two years to increase knowledge of growers, county extension educators, crop consultants, NRCS, crop consultants, and other agriculture service providers on the biology of major root pathogens in the region, familiarize them with symptoms and signs of the diseases, learn how to assess their prevalence, and to discuss sustainable management practices. We will also provide them with hardcopy and electronic resource materials and promote networking for further collaboration. Through use of intensive discussions and hand-on trainings in NY, PA, CT/MA, VT/NH and ME, 200 growers, extension educators, NRCS, crop consultants, and other agriculture service providers will be trained in the diagnosis, assessment and management of soilborne fungal pathogens and their root diseases on vegetable crops. Of those, 100 will incorporate acquired knowledge in their programming and communications with growers and thus reach an additional 7,000 growers/stakeholders. In addition, 30 extension educators/ag service providers will actively work with growers to identify and address soilborne pathogen disease problems on their farms. An additional 20 grower participants will diagnosis a disease problem and implement a management solution. Several case studies will be developed to further document impact.

1. Target beneficiaries attend and participate in one of seven soilborne disease management trainings that will be held in NY, PA, CT/MA, VT/NH, ME and NJ/DE/MD. Training sessions are designed to educate 25 to 30 people per session with a new group of participants attending in each location over the course of 19 months.

2. At the end of each training session, evaluation of hands-on training, supplemental materials, perceived change in knowledge and intention to use acquired knowledge and skills. 19 months.

3. Extension educators and other ag service providers will incorporate acquired knowledge and skills into outreach programs and communications with growers. Growers will evaluate and diagnosis root disease problems on their farm and implement appropriate management strategies as needed. 24 months.

4. Target beneficiaries and other stakeholders in the vegetable production industry access additional information as needed from the developed web-based resources. 24 months.

5. Target beneficiaries complete an on-line (or hardcopy) evaluation one-year following attendance at a workshop to assess project behavioral impact among target beneficiaries and anticipated long-term impact of outreach to vegetable producers in NY, PA, CT/MA, VT/NH, and the Northeast region. 30 months.

Performance Target: Through use of intensive discussions and hand-on trainings in NY, PA, CT/MA, VT/NH and ME, 200 extension educators, interested growers, NRCS, crop consultants, and other agriculture service providers will be trained in the diagnosis, assessment and management of soilborne fungal pathogens and their root diseases on vegetable crops. Of those, 100 will incorporate acquired knowledge in their programming and communications with growers and thus reach an additional 7,000 growers/stakeholders. In addition, 30 extension educators/ag service providers will actively work with growers to identify and address soilborne pathogen disease problems on their farms. An additional 20 grower participants will diagnosis a disease problem and implement a management solution. Several case studies will be developed to further document impact.