Skip to main content
Vegetable Lab People

2018 CucCAP Extension and Outreach Team Annual Report

April 15, 2018

Progress Reports and Work Plans

Team members: Jonathan Schultheis (NC State University), Mary Hausbeck (Michigan St. Univ.), Angela Linares (Univ. Puerto Rico), Jim McCreight (USDA, ARS), Lina Quesada (N. Carolina St. Univ.),  Chris Smart (Cornell Univ.), Linda Wessel Beaver (Univ. Puerto Rico)  reported on their lab’s progress and plans.

3.2. Provide readily accessible information to facilitate disease control

As reported in the initial report, the extension component of this grant has not changed as the timeline has progressed. The extension component will be used to communicate the grant’s goals, progress, results and its applications. The extension component reaches beyond those directly involved in the grant, such as breeders, seed company personnel, allied industry partners, growers, and other interested persons. Leadership for extension by commodity is provided mainly by Mary Hausbeck (cucumber), Lina Quesada (watermelon), Chris Smart (squash), and Jim McCreight (melon). The focus is on aspects related to disease. Linda Wessel-Beaver and Angela Lineares are the lead persons that will provide translation of documents from English to Spanish. Jonathan Schultheis complements these lead plant pathology PIs with pertinent cultural management information. He is also providing leadership with respect to the development of Cucurbit CAP webpage in conjunction with Mary Lorscheider, who the web manager for this project.

Many extension activities actively incorporate both stakeholders and extension personnel via field days, extension workshops, and commodity meetings at the local, state, national, and international levels. Specifically, the information which follows provides updates for April 2017 through March 2018 regarding the objectives and their associated results or outputs. An pertinent extension or research activity inadvertently missed in previous reports has been included with this report.

3.2.1 Develop a centralized cucurbit disease website.

The CucCAP website was presented to the CucCAP team at the Annual meeting in March 2017. The team was able to view the website for 6 months and give feedback and suggestions for improvement. In June 2017, a monthly newsletter called the CucCAP Chronicle was initiated. The newsletter is designed to display news and events that are posted on the CucCAP website. The initial list of subscribers to the CucCAP Chronicle was the 21 members of the CucCAP team. Here is a link to previous installments of the CucCAP Chronicle: CucCAP Team Email Campaign Archive. In the future, we plan to post a link on the CucCAP website so visitors to our site can subscribe to the newsletter. Since June, we have posted news and events on the website. News posts include activities of the crop teams, announcements of recent publications, recent and upcoming presentations by CucCAP researchers at scientific meetings, news of disease outbreaks during the growing season, and upcoming events on the CucCAP calendar. In addition to sharing news and events, the CucCAP website has been following and sharing news from lab websites and social media including news from the Quesada Vegetable Pathology lab at NC State, the Hausbeck Plant Pathology Research Lab at MSU, the Smart Lab at Cornell, the Cucurbit Genomics Database website and the Boyce Thompson Institute. News posts on the CucCAP website and social media generate traffic to the site. One of our goals for the future is to post short informative YouTube videos of activities of the CucCAP teams. Google analytics was set up to scan the CucCAP website for user data in September 2017. Ongoing activities in the CucCAP website include adding new publications with links to the site, scanning the site for broken links and repairing them, adding news and events to the calendar, and developing posts for social media including news posts with images and videos.

Figure 1: Google analytics user data for September 1, 2017 to March 15, 2018.

Figure 2: Google analytics data, Country of website audience from September 1, 2017 to March 15, 2018.

Figure 3: Google Analytics data, operating systems used by CucCAP website visitors.

3.2.2. Develop and post diagnostic resources and disease control information

3.2.3. Provide disease alerts and forecasting tools

Weekly conference calls, NCSU Vegetable Team (Quesada):  These calls occurred from June 7 to September 27 in 2016, and from April 4 to October 31 in 2017 .

Weekly conference calls, Cucurbit ipmPIPE (Hausbeck, Quesada, Smart): These calls

begin in May and continue through August and include plant pathologists from the eastern US.

Smart has active facebook and twitter accounts, and is also active in the Cornell Vegetable alerts blog (which sends messages to vegetable extension educators). As soon as diseases of cucurbits are first reported in NY, she alerts growers through these avenues. Additionally, any new advances made through CucCAP are also shared through these methods.

3.2.4 Provide diagnostic and disease management assistance.

In 2017, Quesada provided diagnostics and disease management recommendations for 22 cucumber, 31 watermelon, 9 melon, 10 squash, and 6 pumpkin samples submitted to the NCSU Plant Disease and Insect Clinic. In 2016, Quesada provided diagnostics and disease management recommendations for 12 cucumber, 33 watermelon, 8 melon, 12 squash, and 9 pumpkin samples submitted to the NCSU Plant Disease and Insect Clinic. In 2015, Quesada provided diagnostics and disease management recommendations for 40 cucumber, 28 watermelon, 10 melon, 13 squash, and 11 pumpkin samples submitted to the NCSU Plant Disease and Insect Clinic.  Quesada has also been involved in providing disease management recommendations through oral presentations and generating disease management resources such as the NC Agricultural and Chemicals Manual and the Southeastern US Vegetable Crop Handbook. Smart diagnosed over 60 samples during the 2017 growing season, in addition to over 100 disease issues diagnosed via photo through email or text message. Of the cucurbits, 30 were pumpkin, 15 summer squash, 10 winter squash, and 5 cucumber. She also provides management recommendations through oral presentations and updates to regional extension educators (both conventional and organic).

Publications

  1. Smart, C.D. and Lange, H. 2018. Fungus, water mold or bacteria:which is which in my vine crops? Proceeding of the 2017 Empire State Producers Expo, Syracuse, NY

Production guides

  1. Southeastern Vegetable Extension Workers. Kemble J., Lewis Ivey M., Jennings K. M., and Walgenbach J. F., Eds. (2018) Southeastern US 2018 Vegetable Crop Handbook. Basil, cucurbits, hop, sweetpotato, and fungicide resistance tables (Quesada-Ocampo M. 10 total; Schultheis).
  2. Quesada-Ocampo M., Meadows I., and Louws F. (2018) Disease control for commercial vegetables. North Carolina Agricultural and Chemicals Manual. Basil, cucurbits, hop, sweetpotato, and fungicide resistance tables (Quesada-Ocampo L. M. 10 total).

Web Content

  1. Hausbeck, M.K., and Linderman, S.D. 2016.  Managing Phytophthora on cantaloupe, muskmelon and watermelon.
  1. Hausbeck, M., Krasnow, C., and Linderman, S. 2017.  Phytophthora disease reported on winter squash and pumpkin, scout and treat now to preserve your crop.  Michigan State University Extension News for Agriculture: Vegetables, 14 Jul.

Spanish Factsheets – Accessible on Website

  1. Hausbeck, M.K. and S.D. Linderman. 2017. Monitoring and managing cucurbit downy mildew. Spanish translation by Linares Ramírez, A.M. and M. Miranda. Monitoreo y manejo del añublo lanoso en las cucurbitáceas. [Factsheet]
  2. Hausbeck, M.K., J. Morrice, and S.D. Linderman. 2016. Management of cucurbit downy mildew for home gardeners. Spanish translation by Linares Ramírez, A.M. and M. Miranda. 2018. Manejo del añublo lanoso de las cucurbitáceas para los agricultores. [Factsheet]
  3. Hausbeck, M.K. and S.D. Linderman. 2016. Managing Phytophthora on cantaloupe, muskmelon and watermelon. Spanish translation by Linares Ramírez, A.M. and W. Seda. 2017. Manejo de Phytophthora cantalupo, melón y sandía. [Factsheet] https://cuccap.org/espanol/manejo-de-phytophthora-en cantalupe-melon-y-sandia/
  4. Hausbeck, M.K. and S.D. Linderman. 2016. Managing Phytophtora on cucumber. Spanish translation by Linares Ramírez, A.M. and W. Seda. Manejo de Phytophthora en pepino. [Factsheet]
  5. Hausbeck, M.K. and S.D. Linderman. 2016. Managing Phytophthora on summer squash and zucchini. Spanish translation Linares Ramírez, A.M. and W. Seda. 2017. Manejo de Phytophthora en calabaza de verano y calabacín.
  6. Hausbeck, M.K., C. Krasnow, and S.D. Linderman. 2016. Managing Phytophthora on Winter Squash and Pumpkin. Spanish translation by Linares Ramírez, A.M. and M. Miranda. Manejo de Phytophthora en calabaza de invierno y en calabaza. [Factsheet]
  7. Smart, C. 2017. The facts about Phytophthora Spanish translation by Linares Ramírez, A.M. and R. McPhail. 2017. Infección de Phytophthora. [Factsheet].
  8. Quesada-Ocampo, L, 2013. Gummy Stem Blight of Cucurbits. Spanish translation by Linares Ramírez, A.M. and R. McPhail. 2017. Pudrición gomosa en las cucurbitáceas. [Factsheet]
  9. Quesada-Ocampo, L. 2015. Cucurbit Powdery Mildew. Spanish translation by Linares Ramírez, A.M. 2017. Añublo polvoriento en las cucurbitáceas. [Factsheet]
  10. Quesada-Ocampo, L. 2013. Anthracnose of Cucurbits. Spanish translation by Miranda, M. and A. M. Linares Ramírez. La actracnosis de las cucurbitáceas. [Factsheet]
  11. Quesada-Ocampo, L. 2013. Cucurbit Downy Mildew. Spanish translation by Linares Ramírez, A.M. 2017. Añublo lanoso en las cucurbitáceas. [Factsheet]
  12. Quesada-Ocampo, L. and N. Miller. Fusarium Wilt of Watermelon. Spanish translation by Linares Ramírez, A.M. 2017. Marchitez de Fusarium en Sandia. [Factsheet]

3.2.5. Field days and demonstration plots.

  1. Quesada is evaluating commercial watermelon varieties for anthracnose resistance and supported demonstration plots to evaluate fungicides for disease control and combinations of tolerant varieties and fungicide applications.
  2. Smart has yearly demonstration plots at the Phytophthora blight farm with variety trials for squash (winter squash and summer squash) and other vegetables.
  3. Schultheis was involved in several cucurbit variety studies in 2017; 2 zucchini squash, 2 yellow summer squash, 2 watermelon (standard and mini size, 1 orange flesh melon, 4 specialty melons (piel de sapo, honeydew, canary, and galia), 2 parthenocarpic pickling cucumber and 1 pumpkin. These trials were open to the industry and extension agents to evaluate for yield, quality and potential diseases. Representatives from multiple seed companies visited the studies and interacted.
  4. A field day (“Hort Expo”) was held in Lajas, Puerto Rico on April 4, 2017 by Lineares Ramirez. Participants saw a field experiment that documented the effects of the two potyviruses (PRSV and ZYMV) that have the greatest impact on tropical pumpkin production in Puerto Rico. The field demonstration included both uninfected plants (controls) and virus-inoculated plants. Participants also learned about how plant breeders incorporate genetic resistance into new varieties that combine resistance and good horticultural traits. The field demonstration was also part of an experiment to determine whether evaluations for resistance made in the greenhouse correlate with evaluations made in the field. Assessments made in the greenhouse require much less space and are more economical. One hundred eighteen people attended (72 males, 46 females). Of these; 12 were students, 12 farmers, 15 researchers, 12 technicians, 38 agronomists, 10 agricultural agents and 19 others.

Publications from demonstration plots

  1. Adams M. L. and Quesada-Ocampo M. (2016) Evaluation of fungicides for control of powdery mildew of winter squash, Cleveland 2015. Plant Disease Management Reports 10: V076.
  2. Adams M. L., Noel N. A., and Quesada-Ocampo M. (2017) Evaluation of fungicides for control of anthracnose on cucumber, Cleveland 2016. Plant Disease Management Reports 11: V099.
  3. Adams M. L., Parada C. H., and Quesada-Ocampo M. (2017) Evaluation of fungicides for control of Phytophthora fruit rot of watermelon, Kinston 2016. Plant Disease Management Reports 11: V111.
  4. Adams M. L. and Quesada-Ocampo M. (2017) Evaluation of fungicides for control of powdery mildew of winter squash, Cleveland 2016. Plant Disease Management Reports 11: V112.
  5. Adams M. L., Noël N. A, and Quesada-Ocampo M. (2018) Evaluation of fungicides for control of anthracnose on cucumber, Clinton 2017. Plant Disease Management Reports: submitted.
  6. Adams M. L. and Quesada-Ocampo M. (2018) Evaluations of fungicides for control of powdery mildew on winter squash, Kinston 2017. Plant Disease Management Reports: submitted.
  7. Lange, H.W., Smart, C.D. and Seaman, A.J. 2018. Evaluation of materials allowed for organic production on downy mildew of cucumber, 2017. Plant Disease Management Report. Volume 12.
  8. Krasnow, C.S., and Hausbeck, M.K.   Evaluation of winter squash cultivars forresistance to Phytophthora root rot, 2015.  Plant Disease Management Reports 11:V028.   Online.
  9. Miller N., Adams M. L., and Quesada-Ocampo M. (2017) Evaluation of fungicides forFusarium wilt of watermelon, 2016. Plant Disease Management Reports 11: V135.
  10. Miller N., Adams M. L., and Quesada-Ocampo M. (2017) Evaluation of fungicides forcontrol of Fusarium wilt of watermelon, Salisbury, NC, 2015. Plant Disease Management Reports 11: V134.
  11. Noël N.A. and Quesada-Ocampo M. (2017) Tolerance of watermelon lines to cucurbitanthracnose, 2016. Plant Disease Management Reports 11: V062.
  12. Noël N. A. and Quesada-Ocampo L. M. (2018) Tolerance of watermelon cultivars to cucurbit anthracnose, 2017. Plant Disease Management Reports: submitted.
  13. Schultheis, J.R., K.D. Starke, and A.L. Wszelaki. 2018. 2016 North Carolina and Tennessee pumpkin cultivar evaluations. Horticulture Series No. 216. 38 pp.
  14. Schultheis, J.R. and K.D. Starke. 2018. 2017 North Carolina watermelon standard and mini- size cultivar evaluations. Horticulture Series No. 221. 59 pp.
  15. Schultheis, J.R. and K.D. Starke.2018. 2017 North Carolina orange flesh cultivarevaluations. Horticulture Series 220, 36 pp.
  16. Schultheis, J.R. K.D. Starke, and A.L. Wszelaki. 2018. 2017 North Carolina and Tennesse pumpkin cultivar evaluations. Hort Research Series 219. 41 pp.