Grower’s IPM Guide for Florida Tomato and PepperProduction

This comprehensive, interdisciplinary resource guides the user through the process ofplanning a crop with up front decisions about pest and disease prevention and

management. It presents optional production methods and IPM tactics that can reducethe risks of insect outbreaks, disease epidemics, resistance to pesticides and associated

costs. The overall purpose of the guide is to increase the profitability of growingtomatoes and peppers while protecting human health and the environment.

Edited by

Dr. Jennifer L. GillettUniversity of Florida

Institute of Food and Agricultural SciencesDepartment of Entomology and Nematology

Gainesville, FL 32611

Heidi N. HansPetersenUniversity of Florida

Institute of Food and Agricultural SciencesDepartment of Entomology and Nematology

Gainesville, FL 32611

Dr. Norman C. LepplaUniversity of Florida

Institute of Food and Agricultural SciencesDepartment of Entomology and Nematology

Gainesville, FL 32611

Denise D. ThomasUniversity of Florida

Institute of Food and Agricultural SciencesDepartment of Entomology and Nematology

Gainesville, FL 32611

Published 2006

Acknowledgements

The project to produce a Grower’s IPM Guide for Florida Tomato and Pepper Production

succeeded due to the partnership that was created to assemble a complete set of IPM

resources for planning pest management at the beginning of each crop. This partnership

included county extension faculty, extension specialists, crop consultants, tomato and

pepper growers, and other pest management experts. Norm Leppla and Barbra Larson

prepared the grant proposal that was funded by the USDA, CSREES, Pest Management

Alternatives Program (grant # 2003-34381-13593), Monte Johnson, Program Director,

PMAP. Charles Mellinger, Glades Crop Care, Inc. was a formal cooperator because of

his expertise in managing pests of tomato and pepper. The Florida Fruit and Vegetable

Association advocated the project and encouraged its completion. Barbra Larson led

the initial phase of the project before becoming Coordinator, UF, IFAS Florida Yards

and Neighborhoods. We thank especially the section editors, authors of individual topics,

and those who reviewed the entire guide: Dan Botts and Mike Aerts, Florida Fruit and

Vegetable Association; Charles Mellinger and Steve Hoak, Glades Crop Care, Inc.; Kevin

Seitzinger, Gargiulo Farms; Wes Roan, Six L’s; and Steve Olson and Gene McAvoy, UF,

IFAS. Jane Medley designed the cover, Joyce Merritt helped with final production and

organization of the appendix material, and Esther Dunn conducted grower interviews.

During the more than 3-year effort to produce this guide, assistance was provided by

Rebecca Baldwin, Angela Vincent and several other staff members and students. The

UF, IFAS statewide IPM program is funded by USDA, CSREES, IPM, Mike Fitzner,

Director, Plant and Animal Systems, and administered by Larry Arrington, Dean for

Extension and Director, Florida Cooperative Extension Service and Joan Dusky,

Associate Dean. John Capinera, Chairman, UF, IFAS, Entomology and Nematology

Department provided considerable encouragement and guidance.

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Acknowledgements iiTable of Contents iii

chapter one~ Introduction

IPM Principles 1IPM Past, Present & Future 2Developing an IPM Plan 3Project Objectives 4

chapter two~ Tomato & Pepper Production

Unique Challenges to Growing Vegetables in FloridaWeather Events 5Poor Soils 6Pest and Disease Pressure 6Labor 7Development and Urban Sprawl 7Regulatory Issues 7

Cultivar Selection 8Tomato Cultivars for Florida 10

Round Tomatoes 10Roma Tomatoes 11Cherry Tomatoes 11Grape Tomatoes 12

Pepper Cultivars for Florida 13Resistant Cultivars 14Don’t Rely on Resistance Alone 14Types of Resistance 14

chapter three~ Soil & Nutrient Management

Best Management Practices (BMPs) 15Soil Types and Production Systems 17Irrigation 18

Methods of Irrigation 18Irrigation Schedule 20Improving Efficiency 20Flooding 22

Fertilization 23Nutrient needs for Tomato & Pepper 23Supplemental Fertilizer Applications 23Micronutrients 23Table of Fertilizer Recommendations - Tomato 24

Grower’s IPM Guide for Florida Tomato & Pepper Production

Contents

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Table of Fertilizer Recommendations - Pepper 25N Rate Recommendation for Grape Tomato 26Nutrient Deficiencies 26

Sampling and Diagnostic Tools 27What is a “Credible” Research Institution? 27How to Choose a Soil Testing Lab 27Water Sampling for Drip Irrigation 27Petiole Sap Testing 28Whole Leaf Analysis 28Record Keeping 29References 30

Cover Crops 33Steps to Success 33Benefits of Cover Crops 33Selecting a Cover Crop 33Cover Crop Selection Checklist 34Matching Production System and Cropping Cycle 34Avoiding Problems 35Description of Different Cover Crops 36

Compost and Manure 37Steps to Success Using Compost 37Benefits of Compost and Manure 37Nutrient Release 39How and When to Incorporate? 39How to Calibrate a Compost Spreader 39Avoiding Problems 40Sources of Compost and Manure 40

chapter four~ Pest Management

MonitoringAction Thresholds 41

Pest Outbreaks 41Why All Growers Should Scout 42How to Scout 42Sampling for Pepper 42Sampling for Tomato 42

Featured PestsGreen Peach Aphid 43Beet Armyworm 45Broad Mite 47Tomato & Tobacco Hornworm 49Vegetable Leafminer 51Cabbage & Soybean Looper 53Mole Crickets (Tawny & Short Winged) 55Pepper Weevil 57Tomato Russet Mite 59

Contents, cont.

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Southern Armyworm 61Two Spotted Spider Mite 63Stinkbugs & Leaffooted Bugs 65Florida Flower Thrips 67Melon Thrips 69Tobacco Thrips 71Western Flower Thrips 73Tomato Fruitworm (Corn Earworm) 75Tomato Pinworm 77Yellowstriped Armyworm 79Sweet potato/ Silverleaf Whitefly 81Whitefly, Biotypes Q 83Whiteflies, TYLCV & Insecticides 84Whiteflies, Begomovirus & Insecticides 85

Southern Plant Diagnostic Network 87Pest Seasonality Charts 88

North Florida 88Southwest Florida 88West Central Florida 89

chapter 5~ Disease Management

Integrated ControlCorrectly Identify Pathogen 91Sanitation 91Nutrient and Water Management 92Chemical Control 92

Disease Seasonality Charts 93Featured Diseases

Anthracnose of Pepper 95Bacterial Spot 97Bacterial Wilt 99Early Blight of Tomato 101Fusarium Crown and Root Rot of Tomato 103Gray Mold and Ghost Spot 105Late Blight 107Tomato Little Leaf 109Nematode Management 111Phytophthora Blight of Pepper 113Pythium Damping-off, Root and Stem Rot 115Southern Blight 117Target Spot 119Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus 121Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus 123Verticillium Wilt 125Wet Rot 127

White Mold 129

Contents, cont.

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Disorders of PepperBlossom End Rot 131Sunscald 132Misshapen Fruit 133

Disorders of TomatoBlossom End Rot 135Catfacing 136Cracking & Graywall 137Internal White Tissue & Irregular Ripening 138Pox and Fleck & Puffiness 139Rain Check & Sunscald 140Thrips Damage & Zebra Stripe & Zippering 141

Postharvest Diseases of Tomato 142Bacterial Soft Rot 145Sour Rot 147Rhizopus Rot (Fungal Nests) 149Black Mold and Rots 151Buckeye Rot and Late Blight 153Gray Mold (Botrytis Fruit Rot) 155

chapter 6~ Weed Management

Weed ManagementWhen to Manage Weeds 157Critical Weed-Free Periods 157

Classification of Weeds 158Featured Weeds

Alligator Weed 160Palmer Amaranth 160Spiny Amaranth 161Bermudagrass 161Smooth Crabgrass 162Large Crabgrass 162Dodder 163Eclipta 163Florida Pusley 164Goosegrass 164American Black Nightshade 165Purple Nutsedge 165Yellow Nutsedge 166Livid Amaranth 166Common Purslane 167Common Ragweed 167Spreading Dayflower 168Smooth Pigweed 168

Non-chemical Controls 169Chemical Controls / Herbicides 171

Implementing Control 172

Contents, cont.

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chapter 7~ Cultural Controls & Physical Controls

Introduction 173Featured Controls

Mulches 174Planting Dates & Times 176Field Sanitation 178Off-Season Management and Cover Crops 180Off-Season Management and Double Cropping 182Windbreaks 184

chapter 8~ Biological Control

IntroductionBiological Control 187Habitat Management 187Three Forms of Biological Control 188Attracting Beneficial’s Into Fields 189Micro-sized Good Guys 189

Featured Biological ControlBig-eyed Bug 191Brown & Green Lacewings 192Minute Pirate Bug 193Predatory Stinkbugs & Ladybird beetle 194Larra Bicolor 195Wasp Parasitoid & Predatory Mite 196

Beneficial Agents Interaction with Pesticides 197

chapter 9~ Chemical Control

Biorational InsecticidesIntroduction 199Oil, Soap and Neem 199Bt~Bacillus thuringiensis 200Nicotinoids 201Insect Growth Regulators 202

Pest ResistanceWhat is Resistance 203Managing Resistance 204MOA~ Mode-of-Action 204

Worker Protection StandardsIntroduction 205Establishment Operators 205Notification 206Warning Signs 208

Restricted Use Pesticides 209

Contents, cont.

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Appendix 1: Vegetable Pest & Disease Hotline

Appendix 2: How to Sample Insects, Nematodes, Diseases and Soil

Appendix 3: Calibration of Chemical Applicators Used in Vegetables

Appendix 4: Weed-Herbicide Interaction Table

Appendix 5: IRAC- Mode of Action List -Insecticides

Appendix 6: FRAC- Mode of Action List -Fungicides

Appendix 7: HRAC- Mode of Action List -Herbicides

Appendix 8: National Pest Alert -Tospoviruses

Contents, cont.

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