Pumpkin and Fall Ornamentals to be On the Lookout For!
Chuck Bornt, CCE ENYCHP
At the beginning of January, I was asked by my colleague to give an update on new pumpkin and fall ornamentals that growers might want to take a look at. Now, we haven’t done a pumpkin variety trial since 2020 and I know that many of you probably already have your seed orders in, but in my experience, there is always room for a couple more! With a couple of quick emails to our seed industry representatives, my inbox was flooded with a slew of new fall ornamentals that either released this year or are due to release in 2025. To view the slide show of the variety update, click here.
One of the most exciting things for me to learn about is the number of new releases with Powdery Mildew resistance/tolerance. It was also nice to see that there are quite a few new all white varieties being release as well as some new munchkin types. The warty craze is still going strong with some new release in that category as well and of course lots of new Jack-O-Lantern types. Reviewing all of these new varieties got me thinking about the possibility of doing a variety trial this summer, so if any of you reading this is interested in hosting us on your farm for a variety trial, please let me know!
I would like to thank all the seed companies that sent me information on their new lines: Seedway, Outstanding Seed, Rupp Seed and Stokes Seed.
[Alt Text: A colorful variety of Munchkin pumpkins.]
Chlorpyrifos Remains Banned in New York State
Ethan Grundberg, CCE ENYCHP
In late December 2023, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit issued a ruling that reversed the decision previously made by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to revoke all tolerances of chlorpyrifos (Lorsban, Whirlwind, OLF) in food and feed crops. Some growers in New York have reached out to the team to inquire as to whether chlorpyrifos insecticides would, as a result, be available for use again in 2024. Chlorpyrifos-based insecticides will continue to be banned in the State of New York. Since the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation took action prior to the EPA decision to cancel all registrations of chlorpyrifos products in the state, the Eighth Circuit decision has no impact on the legality of using chlorpyrifos formulations in NY.
It is also important to note that the Eight Circuit decision only reverses the revocation of tolerances on the following 11 crops in states where a pre-existing chlorpyrifos ban was not already in place: alfalfa, apple, asparagus, cherry (tart), citrus, cotton, peach, soybean, strawberry, sugar beet, wheat (spring), and wheat (winter).
The full update from the EPA is available to read here, while the details of the NYS DEC cancellation of registrations for chlorpyrifos products can be found here.
Workshop announcement: Here Today, Gone Tomorrow: What the Birds and Bees Act Means for Neonicotinoid Use in New York State
Free virtual workshop to learn about the current use of neonicotinoids; the pests they are suitable for, potential impacts to beneficial organisms and optimal use of neonics. Current alternatives to neonics will also be discussed with emphasis on preventative management strategies and curative management. We will also dive into the challenges of finding alternatives to these products and will address where these alternatives may be lacking compared to the neonics.
DEC and ISA credits available based on agency approval.
Presenter: Dr. Kyle Wickings Associate Professor, Department of Entomology Cornell AgriTech
When: Wednesday, February 7, 2024; 7-8pm Details and registration — click here
or scan QR Code below:
