Organic Vegetable IPM Guide Interest in nonchemical pest control has increased over the past several years.

In some circles, this method is synonomous with the term "organic farming," which implies nature's way. However, for the purposes of this publication, the authors followed the intent of the title, which is pest control without the use of chemicals, or to reduce the numbers of and types of sprays. The principles of nonchemical control do apply to vegetables in this publication. However, this approach has certain limitations that should be recognized, including these: 1. The area of concern will need more personal attention. 2. This form of control is labor intensive and may work better in small areas. However, this depends on the available labor supply. 3. In some years, you may suffer damage to a greater degree than expected, including more loss of produce or plants. 4. There are some pests (insects, weeds, or pathogens) for which there is not an effective nonchemical control method available. When planning a nonchemical control program, keep in mind that the very factor than enables producers/farmers to grow a wide range of plants over an extended period of time is also beneficial to insects, weeds, and pathogens. This factor is climate. Mississippi's climate ranges from semitropical on the Gulf Coast to temperate for the rest of the state. This gives the state a range of 200 to 250 growing days per year. These conditions, coupled with high humidity, are ideal for the development of a wide range of insects, weeds, and pathogens. For these reasons, you should be hesitant about using information developed in northern states or in the hot, dry climate of the Southwest. During the planning stages, you should also be careful about information on nonchemical control in popular magazines and newspapers. Contributors often report on an extremely limited number of observations. For example, if a grower reports having one tomato plant on which wood ashes have been used successfully to control aphids, question whether aphids would have been a problem without the use of ashes. Personal experiences are good, but respected tests within the local farming area are more meaningful. Fertilizer For Organic Vegetable Production Organic matter is important to soil structure, and, therefore, to the health of a vegetable crop. Some of the advantages of organic matter in the soil include the following: Improved physical condition of the soil; Source of food for microorganisms, which help to release nutrients; Organic matter helps the soil hold minerals, so reduces the effects of leaching; Bacteria growing on organic matter release complex carbohydrates, which help cement soil particles into aggregates; Acids released in the decomposition process help to release nutrients used in plant growth; Water can enter and percolate through the soil better with organic matter present, thereby reducing erosion; Root penetration is enhanced; The water-holding capacity of sandy soils is improved; and Aggregation in heavy soils improves drainage.

 The organic matter content of soil varies over time, depending upon the amounts added and environmental conditions. In southern latitudes, organic matter breaks down fairly quickly and needs to be added each year to replenish it. One of the benefits of organic matter is the fertilizer value. While generally low grade compared to chemical fertilizers, in adequate supply, organic fertilizers can provide enough nutrients for vegetable crops. A main advantage of organic fertilizers is that nitrogen becomes available to plants gradually over the course of the growing season. This "slow-release" effect is important, because nutrients become available on a continual basis, and the likelihood of fertilizer burn is reduced or eliminated. Table 1 shows the typical composition of some organic fertilizers. There is much variation between samples of these materials, so regard the numbers as guidelines. This is especially true of animal manures. Manure nutrient content will vary according to factors such as the feed used, percentage and type of litter or bedding, moisture content, age, and degree of decomposition. With the commercially prepared, bagged manure, some nitrogen content is lost in the drying process. The main disadvantages of organic fertilizers are supply and cost. Some of the materials may be difficult to locate commercially. This limited supply often leads to high prices. One other disadvantage is bulk. Since most organic fertilizers are relatively low in nutrient values (e.g., manures tend to be 1 to 4 percent nitrogen), large amounts are needed to obtain enough fertilizer for the crop. While this works well for growers who maintain their own animals or live near farms, it can be challenging for others to find enough manure for their farms. Table 1. Nutrient value of some organic fertilizer materials Organic material Bat guano Blood, dried Bone meal, raw Bone meal, steamed Castor bean meal (pomace) Cocoa shell meal Compost Cottonseed meal Fish meal (dry) Fish scrap (dry) Garbage tankage (dry) Granite meal* Greensand* Kainite* Kelp Manure, dairy Manure, duck Manure, feedlot Manure, horse Manure, poultry Manure, rabbit Manure, sheep Manure, swine N 10.0 13.0 3.0 1.0 5.5 2.5 1.5 - 3.5 6.0 10.0 3.5 - 12.0 2.5 0 0 0 0.9 0.6 - 2.1 0.6 1.0 - 2.5 1.7 - 3.0 2.0 - 4.5 2.4 3.0 - 4.0 3.0 - 4.0 P2O5 4.0 2.0 22.0 15.0 2.0 1.0 0.5 - 1.0 3.0 6.0 1.0 - 12.0 2.0 0 1.35 0 0.5 0.7 - 1.1 1.4 0.9 - 1.6 0.7 - 1.2 4.5 - 6.0 1.4 1.2 - 1.6 0.4 - 0.6 K2O 2.0 1.0 --1.0 2.5 1.0 - 2.0 1.5 -0.08 - 1.6 1.0 3.0 - 5.0 4.0 - 9.5 12.0 4.0 - 13.0 2.4 - 3.6 0.5 2.4 - 3.6 1.2 - 2.2 2.1 - 2.4 0.6 3.0 - 4.0 0.5 - 1.0

Peanut meal Rock phosphate* Sewage sludge Sewage sludge, activated Soybean meal Tankage

7.0 0 1.5 6.0 7.0 7.0

1.5 20.0 - 32.0 1.3 3.0 1.2 10.0

1.2 0 0.4 0.2 1.5 1.5

These materials are natural mineral deposits and not organic materials, but are commonly used as organic fertilizers. Organic Control Practices For Vegetable Diseases Organic disease management provides satisfactory protection from many vegetable diseases that commonly occur in Mississippi each season. Organic disease management practices are based on no nchemical sanitation, cultural, physical, and biological means, as well as application of organically approved chemicals. Used in an integrated program, these practices reduce populations of fungi, bacteria, nematodes, viruses, and other pathogenic microorganisms that cause vegetable diseases. A combination of practices is necessary, since no single practice is effective for all diseases that threaten production of a given crop. Some organic disease management practices should be carried out before the crop is planted and others later in the season. Before-You-Plant Practices Sanitation Destruction and burial of crop debris -- Many disease microorganisms live through the winter in old plants, cull piles or plant stubble left in the field. Therefore, destroying crop debris is an important sanitary step to reduce the amount of disease inoculum present in the production site at the beginning of the season. Practices that will eliminate overwintering sites of fungi, bacteria, viruses, and nematodes will reduce the occurrence of disease problems the following season. As part of an early season sanitation program, remove and destroy stalks (with root systems, when possible), stems, vines, and other debris as soon as possible following last harvest. When root-knot nematodes are a problem, destruction of old root systems will remove thousands of nematodes and eggs from the field site. Debris from diseased plants should not be added to compost piles, since temperatures reached are not always sufficient to kill nematode eggs and other plant-disease microbes. Remaining stubble and surface litter should be plowed under at least 6 inches before planting. This is effective because as debris decays, the disease microorganisms eventually deteriorate and reduce the amount of fungus and bacterial inoculum that could cause problems in future crops. Plowing to bury debris is an effective way to reduce the amount of southern blight on tomatoes, peppers, and other susceptible vegetables. Southern blight sclerotia (dark-brown to tan colored reproductive structures about the size of mustard seed) are formed on diseased stalks. Unless these are turned under through deep plowing, they will remain near the soil surface to attack susceptible crops the next season. Sclerotia survive in soil for 7 years or longer; therefore, burial through plowing is an important means of managing this disease. Disinfection of plant-support structures -- Some disease-causing microorganisms are able to survive the off-season on stakes, poles, cages, and other plant-support structures. To eliminate fungus spores, mycelium bacterial cells, and other forms of inoculum, you can disinfect tomato stakes and cages by washing to remove soil, followed by dipping or spraying with a copper sulfate solution before reuse. Disease-free seeds and transplants-- Clean seeds and transplants are a must in vegetable production. To avoid problems the following season, do not save seeds from fields or areas where

diseases are prevalent. Examples of seed-borne diseases are anthracnose of lima beans, mosaic virus of southern peas, bacterial blight of snap beans, black rot of cabbage, and leaf spots of turnip and mustard greens. Purchase certified seeds originating from dry regions, such as the western United States, where diseases are common. Growers who produce their own transplants should follow strict guidelines to insure quality planting material. Sow disease-free seed in a sterile growth medium. Growth flats previously used in transplant production should be disinfected with copper sulfate or by exposure for 15-20 minutes in hot water (minimum of 180 F). Purchase a steam-sterilized growth medium or sterilize by baking at 160 F for one hour. Baking destroys most disease-causing microorganisms. Weed control -- Certain insects are known to transmit viruses from infected to healthy plants. Perennial weeds (including milkweed, horse nettle, and pokeweed) in and around the field should be destroyed before planting, since these often act as overwintering hosts for harmful viruses. In spring, aphids, thrips, and other insects feed on virus-contaminated weeds, pick up virus particles, and carry them to healthy plants that are then spread in secondary cycles within the planting. Cultural Site selection -- To reduce chances of damping-off, root rot, and other problems associated with wet soils, choose a well-drained site. If drainage is a problem, plant on raised beds to promote drainage and faster warming of soil. These conditions encourage faster seed germination, seedling emergence, and young plants more resistant to seedling disease infection. Similarly, transplants are less susceptible to root disease problems when grown in raised beds. Soil test to determine fertility needs -- Plants fertilized according to recommendations based on a soil test are not as likely to have disease problems as are those plants that are low in nutrition or receive an imbalance of nutrients. Excess levels of nitrogen have been associated with some foliage diseases as well as increased Rhizoctonia seedling disease of peas, beans, and other vegetables. Although the exact role of individual nutrients in disease development is not clearly understood, it does appear that fertilizers play a role in an overall organic disease management program. Fertilizers may not prevent diseases, but a healthy, well-fertilized plant is less susceptible to disease than one growing in soil lacking required nutrients. Soil test to determine presence of parasitic nematodes -- Collecting soil samples for nematode analysis should be a routine part of a vegetable production program. Collect at least 20 cores from 6 to 8 inches deep per 5,000 square feet of production area in fall or winter. Mix this soil thoroughly, and place about 1 pint in a nematode soil sample bag or in a plastic freezer bag, and seal. Mark the sample number on the collection container, and complete the form that will need to accompany the samples to the processing laboratory. Samples must be cared for properly until you send them for analysis. Keep the samples in a cool place; exposure to temperatures over 100 F, even for a short time, kills some species of nematodes. Take the samples to your county Extension office for mailing to the Nematode Laboratory, Box 9655, Mississippi State University. There is no charge for analysis of the sample for nematodes. Expect to receive sample results in approximately 2 weeks. Crop rotation -- Since some pathogens affect one vegetable crop or group of vegetables but may not affect another, rotating fields to different crops is a good control method for a number of plant pathogens. It provides a host-free period, which, if long enough, reduces populations of fungi, bacteria, and nematodes to non-damaging levels so the host crop may again be planted in the field. Several vegetables of the same family (such as squash, cucumber, and cantaloupes) may be affected by the same disease. Therefore it is not a good practice to grow plants of the same family in rotation. At least 3-year rotation is suggested for vegetable crops. Table 2 lists vegetables susceptible to similar diseases and can be used as a basis for setting up a rotation program. For example, if tomatoes or peppers were grown this season, switch the site to production of vegetables in other groupings for 3 more years before returning to tomatoes or

peppers. Remember, rotation is not effective for all pathogenic microorganisms. Certain pathogens (Pythium, Fusarium, and Rhizoctonia, for example) have specialized structures, such as thickwalled resting spores, or can subsist as saprophytes for extended periods in the absence of host plants. Plant at recommended seeding rates -- Dense plantings stay wet longer because of reduced air circulation and poor sunlight penetration. Also, it is more difficult to achieve good spray coverage of plant surfaces in dense plantings. Table 2. Grouping of vegetables, based on susceptibility to similar diseases Group A Watermelon Cucumber Squash Cantaloupe Pumpkin Gourds Group B Cabbage Cauliflower Broccoli Brussels sprouts Mustard Turnips Collards Group C Pepper (all types) Tomato Eggplant Irish potato Group D Beets Swiss chard Spinach Group E Beans Group FGroup G Sweet Onions corn Garlic Leek

English peas Shallots Snow peas Southern peas

Physical Plastic and organic mulch layers -- Plastic mulch is a widely used ground cover in vegetable production. The mulch provides a physical barrier between soil and plant surfaces and reduces the amount of disease inoculum splashed onto foliage, stems, and fruits during rainy periods. The amount of cucumber belly rot and buckeye rot of tomato may be reduced in this manner. Organic mulches, such as pine needles, oat straw, bark, composted sawdust, and similar materials, can also be used as physical barriers. Several important virus diseases of vegetable crops can be controlled through the use of lightreflective mulch materials. Watermelon mosaic virus causes a serious disease in squash. The virus causes yellow squash to turn green or develop green streaks and also causes a reduction in yield. Some success in control of this disease has been obtained through use of 30-inch-wide silvercolored mulch (aluminum foil may also be used). Light reflected from the mulch surface repels aphids that transmit the causal virus, thus reducing the number of virus-infected squash plants. This same control strategy is effective for reducing the amount of tomato spotted wilt virus-infected tomato and pepper plants. Thrips, which transmit the spotted wilt virus, are also repelled by reflective mulches. Staking, caging, and trellising -- One of the primary reasons for supporting tomatoes and other vegetables by staking, caging, or trellising is to keep plants and fruit off the ground. These practices reduce losses from fruit rots when fruit touch the ground and from sunburn when fruit are not shaded by foliage. Stem wraps for southern blight control -- Aluminum foil can be wrapped around the base of the stem of tomato and pepper plants to control southern blight. The stem should be wrapped 2 inches above the soil line and 2 inches below the soil surface. The aluminum foil provides a physical barrier to the southern blight fungus. Solarization -- This practice is an excellent nonchemical means for reducing damaging populations of root-knot nematodes. Additionally, solarization also controls many soil-borne fungus pathogens, as well as many damaging insects and weeds. However, the process is most effective for reducing nematode populations in the top 8 to 10 inches of soil. Solarization involves trapping solar energy in the soil by covering the soil surface with polyethylene tarps. Several procedures must be followed closely to insure the soil temperature is raised to the critical point of nematode control. First, the soil should be moist and well tilled before tarp installation. Also, solarization should be practiced during late spring months or ideally at the hottest time of the year when the incidence of sunlight is greatest. Normally, 4 to 6 weeks is an adequate period of solarization. Six weeks is the preferred period if the technique is used in the late spring. Selection of a plastic or polyethylene cover is probably the most important step in the process. The cover must be clear and more more than 2 millimeters thick and strong and durable enough to allow for stretching. Placement of the cover is also important. It should be stretched tight and in direct contact with the soil surface. Take care to bury the edges of the tarp in the soil to a depth of at least 6 inches so as not to allow the wind to lift the tarp during the solarization period. The tarp should remain in place for a 4- to 6-week period. When removing the tarp, avoid contamination of the treated area with untreated soil. This is also true at planting, and you get best results when you prepare beds for planting before solarization and plant immediately after removing the tarp. Biological

Vegetable Variety Beans, bush snap Atlantic Derby Gator Green Topcrop Beans, pole snap Alabama No. 1 Beans, bush lima Nemagreen Corn, sweet Guardian Merit Cucumber, Calypso pickling type Carolina Green Spear 14 Cucumber, slicing Poinsett 76 type Sweet Slice Pea, Southern

Magnolia (blackeye) Mississippi Same as Magnolia Pinkeye (pinkeye) Mississippi Purple Same as Magnolia (brown crowder) Mississippi Silver Same as Magnolia (brown crowder) Pinkeye Purple Tolerant to blackeye cowpea mosaic virus and related Hull - BVR viruses (pinkeye) Pepper, sweet Emerald Giant Tolerant to tobacco mosaic virus Jupiter Tolerant to tobacco mosaic virus Keystone Resistant to tobacco mosaic virus Resistant Giant Squash, summer Tolerant to watermelon mosaic virus - strain 2 and zucchini yellow mosaic virus Sweetpotato Beauregard Tolerant to soil rot; susceptible to root-knot nematodes Tomato, Better Boy VFN Resistance to Verticillium and Fusarium wilts and root-knot indeterminate hybrid nematode Park's Whopper Same as Better Boy with additional resistance to tobacco VFNT hybrid mosaic virus Super Fantastic Resistance to Verticillium and Fusarium wilts VF hybrid Tomato, Celebrity VFNT Same as Park's Whopper determinate hybrid Cherry Grande VF Same as Super Fantastic hybrid Floramerica VF Same as Cherry Grande hybrid Mountain Pride Same as Cherry Grande

Disease/nematode Common bean mosaic virus Common bean mosaic virus Common bean mosaic virus Common bean mosaic virus Root-knot nematode Root-knot nematodes Common smut Common smut Tolerant to angular leaf spot, one or more races of cucumber mosaic virus, downy mildew, powdery mildew, and anthracnose; resistant to scab Same as Calypso Same as Calypso Tolerant to one or more races of downy mildew, powdery mildew, angular leaf spot, and anthracnose; resistant to scab Tolerant to powdery mildew, cucumber mosaic virus, watermelon mosaic virus - strain 2, and zucchini yellow mosaic virus Tolerant to blackeye cowpea mosaic virus and related viruses; resistant to root-knot nematodes and Fusarium wilt

VF hybrid Mountain Spring VF hybrid Sunny VF hybrid Super Fantastic VF hybrid President VFNT

Same as Cherry Grande Same as Cherry Grande Same as Cherry Grande Same as Park's Whopper

After-Planting Practices Sanitation Removal of diseased plants or plant parts--Examine plants at least twice a week for symptoms of disease. Look for leaf spots, wilts, stunting, fruit rots, misshaped leaves, cankers, and stem blights. If you detect only a small amount of disease, removal of infected foliage or fruit will help reduce the amount of inoculum that may be spread to disease-free foliage and fruit on the same or nearby plants. Remove and destroy badly diseased plants, including the roots, since remedial treatment of such plants is not effective. In some cases, removal of surrounding soil is necessary. For example, you should remove 3 or 4 inches of soil with plants affected by southern blight to insure removal of the seed-like sclerotia associated with this disease. Do not place diseased plants and plant parts in cull piles. Whenever possible, place this material in landfills or bury it in an area away from production sites. Avoid the use of tobacco--Since tobacco mosaic virus is carried in tobacco products and is easily transmitted to susceptible tomato and pepper varieties, avoid using tobacco while working with these crops. Workers should wash their hands thoroughly in soap and water after handling tobacco and before working with tobacco mosaic-susceptible plants. Workers may also disinfect hands by dipping them in a dilute solution of skim milk. Equipment clean-up--Washing the soil off farm equipment before moving it from one field to another may help to prevent the movement of pathogens present in the soil. Crop cultivation and spraying practices--Delay cultivation and movement of spray equipment through the crop until rain or dew has dried on plant surfaces. This will reduce chances for movement of pathogenic bacteria and fungi from diseased to healthy plants. Avoid "dirting" plants during cultivation. Piling soil around the base of plants creates an environment favorable for stem rots and ready source of fungus, and bacterial inoculum may be splashed onto plant parts by rainfall. Organically Approved Chemicals Alternatives to synthetic products for control of vegetable diseases include such materials as sulfur and copper containing fungicides. Spraying or dusting with sulfur is an old remedy that still works on rusts, powdery mildews, and leaf spots on tomato and other vegetable crops. Mix finely ground sulfur with water at the rate of 3 ounces per 3 gallons of water, or dust on an even coat over plant surfaces. Sulfur is easily removed from plants during rain, and frequent applications may be needed to provide an adequate level of disease protection. To avoid plant injury, do not use when temperature is 90 F or above. Bordeaux mixture--This fungicide can be "homemade" and is effective for a number of common fungus and bacterial blights and leaf spots on vegetable crops. The mixture can be prepared by combining hydrated lime or any type of finely ground lime with powdered copper sulfate (sometimes referred to as "bluestone"). Both materials should be available at farm and garden supply stores, but some checking around may be necessary. While Bordeaux mixture can be prepared in several strengths, the most popular and effective for general field and orchard use is the 4-4-50 formulation. The numbers refer to the ratio of copper sulfate and lime in 50 gallons of water. For example, 4 pounds each of these materials would be combined in 50 gallons of water. Since this amount of spray material is considerably more than would be needed by most growers, the ratio can be whittled down to a more useable amount. To prepare a gallon of a 4-4-50 Bordeaux mixture spray, measure out 2 tablespoons of copper sulfate and 3 tablespoons of hydrated lime. Mix the lime with a pint of water to make a "milk of lime" suspension. Dissolve the copper sulfate in a pint of water. The latter process may take several minutes. Before mixing the lime and copper components of the mixture, you must do one additional step (but an important one!). Strain each container of these materials through a cheesecloth filter. If

Vegetable Broccoli Cabbage Cabbage (Chinese) Collard Cucumbers Kale Mustard Radish Rutabaga Squash

Sweetpotato Turnip Watermelons

Variety Insect tolerance De Cicco Striped flea beetle Early Globe Cabbage looper, imported cabbageworm Red Acre Same Round Dutch Same Michihli Diamondback moth Georgia Striped flea beetle, Harlequin bug Merit Good shuck extension provides earworm protection Golden Security Corn earworm Poinsett Spotted cucumber beetle Ashley Pickleworm, spotted cucumber beetle Yates Diamondback moth Florida broadleaf Diamondback moth, striped flea beetle Cherry Belle Diamondback moth, Harlequin bug White Icicle Harlequin bug American Purple Top Diamondback moth, striped flea beetle Early Prolific (SN) Pickleworm, striped cucumber beetle Straight Neck Same White Bush Scallop Same Zucchini Striped cucumber beetle Centennial Sweetpotato flea beetle, southern potato wireworm Jewel Same Seven Diamondback moth, striped flea beetle Crimson Sweet Pickleworm, spotted cucumber beetle

During The Growing Season Good Cultural Practices There are several things you can do to maintain healthy plants during the growing season. 1. Maintain adequate levels of plant nutrients without overfertilizing; 2. Water at critical times so plants do not become stressed due to a lack of water; 3. Maintain an adequate mulch cover to conserve moisture and to prevent the growth of weeds and grasses; 4. Harvest produce at timely intervals (overripe vegetables will attract insects and other pests); and 5. Remove the old plants from the field as soon as you have completed harvest of a particular vegetable Monitor Insect Populations Monitor plants on a routine basis for the presence of insects. Scout vegetables at least twice a week. The early discovery of pests allows you to make some control choices before damage reaches destructive levels. At this point, you may be able to remove the pests physically from the plants by using a water hose to wash them from the plants, or spray with an insecticidal soap. To scout your field, be sure to include all plant groups represented in the planting, and inspect several of the plants within each group. Choose the plants at random, and inspect the tops and undersides of a representative number of leaves or leaflets per plant. This will give a good representation of the entire field, and your observations will not be based on a single plant. Since there are no well-defined pest populations figures for vegetables, your control decisions will have to be made on whether the damage level is acceptable. For example, if a low level of bean leaf beetles is noted on snapbeans (with only one to two small holes on 50 percent of the leaves checked), it is doubtful a treatment is needed. To be sure, check again in 3 to 4 days. During the scouting process, observe the pest populations for signs of diseases and parasitic or predatory insect activity. Examples of predatory insects that may be encountered are adult and immature lady beetles (various species), green lacewings, big-eyed bugs, praying mantis, syrphid fly larva, or assassin bugs. These predatory insects tend to be more effective on soft-bodied pests such aphids or spider mites. One lady beetle can eat several hundred aphids. It is harder to determine the presence of parasitic insects because the adult wasps are small and the immatures develop within the body of the host. However, caterpillar larva, such as the tomato hornworm, may have a number of braconid wasp pupa cases attached to the body, and this indicates parasite activity. Aphids may also show signs of parasitism. Look for aphids that show little, if any, movement and which may be swollen, as well as swollen aphid bodies that have small circular holes cut in the back. This latter condition indicates the parasite has completed its development and has emerged. Growers may purchase beneficial insects as adults, egg cases, or pupa for release or placement in the field to control pests. In theory, this is a good concept; however, there are some problems with a purchase and release program. These problems include dispersal, cannabalism, and pests not controlled by a beneficial. Dispersal may occur as soon as adults are released from their shipping containers, and this can be disappointing to the grower who envisioned a swift end to a pest problem. The sudden dispersal is not a case of the grower's doing anything wrong. It is the insect's initial response to suddenly being released from a crowded container. To keep this dispersal to a minimum, set the container in an upright position (insects have a tendency to crawl up) with some vegetation placed loosely in the opening. The insects will slowly work their way out of the container and may remain in the area longer. Insects released at night may also tend to remain in the release area longer. One other factor that will cause the insects to disperse