Favorable weather conditions and judicious control programs seem to have slowed disease progress in most cases. Downy mildew is also present on cucurbits and has been identified in a number of locations including Immokalee, Devil s Garden and Alva. Incidence is generally low although some spread has been noted in places. For those with internet access, Dr. Gerald Holmes of North Carolina State maintains a very informative Cucurbit Downy Mildew Forecast web page which projects both trajectory and threat outlooks several times per week. The site also features information on the disease.
Downy mildew is also widely present on cole crops across the area.
Incidence is high in some fields and crop damage low to moderate. Pinworms are being caught in traps in scattered locations across the area. There have been very few reports of pinworms or eggs being found on plants. Pinworms are traditionally a late season problem in our area. In the case of well-established populations insecticides like Spintor and AgriMek are the only recourse.