SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Onion SLB Fungicide Resistance Workshop – Improved Plan for Sustainable SLB Management (Session I) Resistance of Quadris-type fungicides to Stemphylium leaf blight (SLB) now occurs in onion statewide. Although effective fungicides for managing this disease have been identified, fungicide resistance is always looming. First, Christy Hoepting, Cornell Cooperative Extension Onion Specialist will set the stage with the relative performance of several fungicides and what the optimal application timing may be featuring her 2017 on-farm trial results. Then, NYSAES Plant Pathologist, Frank Hay will share his laboratory findings regarding the relative sensitivity of SLB isolates to different fungicide active ingredients. Will his field and her lab findings concur? Next, Kerik Cox, another NYSAES Plant Pathologist with tremendous experience in managing fungicide resistance in tree fruit, will review fungicide resistance theory and draw from his experience to answer some tricky questions: If SLB is resistant to an active ingredient in FRAC 7, will it also be resistant to other active ingredients in this FRAC group? Is it better to rotate after 1 or 2 applications? Will resistant SLB spores from my neighbor’s field spread to my field? Are some FRAC groups/active ingredients at higher risk to develop fungicide resistance than others? The session will conclude with a roll out of a new and improved sustainable SLB fungicide program.
Onion Pest Management – Weeds, Thrips, and Pest Interactions with Nitrogen and Variety (Session II): Featured in this session will be the interactions among variety, fertility, yield, onion thrips, rot and other diseases. Brian Nault’s graduate student, Ashley Leach will share interactions that she identified during four years of her graduate research, which focused on onion thrips. Is there a relationship between thrips and rot in NY? Do high rates of applied nitrogen result in more rot? What is the optimal rate of nitrogen for today’s onion crop? Is spraying by threshold sufficient to control IYSV? What difference does variety make? What are the implications for improved management? Hoepting will also highlight results from her 2017 on-farm onion herbicide trials including Prowl EC vs. H2O, improving pre-emergent control of yellow nutsedge, marsh yellowcress and ragweed, and integration of Goaltender, and pipeline herbicides, Stinger, Reflex and a.i. bicyclopyrone into onion herbicide program for improved weed control and crop safety. Also, check out whether Surchlor reduced bacterial bulb decay in multiple on-farm demos in Steve Beer’s update on his bacterial rot research in session III.
Feature Presentation – Onion Breeding in the 21st Century with Dr. Michael J. Havey (Session III)
What makes onion breeding unique? What is the state of the onion breeding industry? What is on the horizon for new varieties bred for resistance to onion thrips and diseases, improved stress tolerance, health benefits, storability and heat tolerance? Do genetics dispose onions to bacterial bulb decay? One of the best minds in onion breeding in the country, Dr. Havey will address these questions and speak of the complexities of onion breeding in a language for all to understand. Dr. Havey is a USDA Research Geneticist and Professor at the University of Wisconsin – Madison in Alliums (onions and garlic) and cucurbits, a position he has held since 1988. He has led and been a team member on numerous multi-institutional federal grants addressing key stakeholder-prioritized constraints or attributes (including onion thrips with Cornell’s Dr. Brian Nault). His lab has released key inbred onion lines and made significant contributions towards advancing onion breeding.
Wednesday, January 17, 2018 | 10:45 AM – 5:00 PM
Onion SLB Fungicide Resistance Workshop|10:15 AM – 12:00 PM
Onion Pest Management | 2:00 PM – 3:15 PM
Onion Feature Presentation – Future of Onion Breeding | 3:45 PM – 5:00 PM
The 2018 Empire State Producers Expo is January 16-18 at the SRC Arena in Syracuse, NY. This annual show combines the major fruit, flower and vegetable associations of New York State in order to provide a comprehensive trade show and educational conference for New York producers, as well as neighboring states and Eastern Canada. In years past over 100 presentations were given by Cornell Cooperative Extension personnel and highly regarded speakers from across the country. Panel discussions feature some of the top industry experts and growers in New York. Between educational sessions, attendees can visit the trade show featuring over 150 commercial vendors and non-profit exhibitors.
Educational sessions topics include commodity specific programs in berries, cabbage, snap beans, peas, beets, carrots, fruiting vegetables (tomatoes, peppers), cut flowers, tree fruit, sweet corn, tomato, onion, Cole crops, root crops, vine crops, and emerging markets (hops, malting barley, mushrooms, hemp, hard cider); and multidisciplinary programs in precision irrigation, weed management, soil health, biopesticides, beginning farmer operations, marketing, greenhouse production, climate and forecast models, GMOs, and wildlife management. DEC pesticide recertification credits and Certified Crop Advisor (CCA) credits will be offered during the appropriate educational sessions.
For more information about the Expo and to register, visit the NYS Vegetable Growers Association website at nysvga.org/expo.
—Cornell Cooperative Extension
Cornell Vegetable Program
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