Tomatoes

In 2011 Empire State farmers planted 3,000 acres of tomatoes for an estimated value of nearly $37 million (2011 Vegetable Summary). Most field production is devoted to determinate cultivars, with plastic mulch, drip irrigation and stake-and-weave trellis essential production elements for early and quality yields. Greenhouse (and high tunnel) production is on the rise in New York with structures of less than 1/10th to in-excess of 40 acres under protection. Indeterminate, greenhouse lines, as well as heirloom varieties are grown under protected culture. Tomatoes are a popular crop with New York fresh market vegetable farmers due to high demand and fair prices. The Cornell Vegetable Program conducts a number of research projects each year addressing improved tomato production. Check out the links below to learn more.

Relevant Event

2018 Empire State Producers EXPO

January 16 - January 18, 2018
Morning, Mid-day, and Afternoon Sessions
Syracuse, NY

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Most Recent Tomatoes Content

Leaf Mold in High Tunnel Tomatoes 2015

Amy Ivy, Vegetable Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture

Last Modified: December 2, 2015

Leaf mold is a fungus disease of tomatoes that has been increasing across New York State in recent years. It is favored by high humidity and is therefore seen in greenhouse and high tunnel production but rarely in field production.

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Spacing Tomatoes in High Tunnels

Amy Ivy, Vegetable Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture

Last Modified: December 2, 2015

Proper spacing is a common concern of high tunnel growers. More plants does not necessarily mean more yield. Determinate varieties are spaced and trained differently than indeterminates, and grafted plants need more room than non-grafted. A well-spaced planting allows room for the grower to move down the aisles for harvesting, training and scouting for pest and disease problems.

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Tomatoes for High Tunnels

Last Modified: December 2, 2015

One of the first choices when beginning high tunnel tomato production is the type: determinate or indeterminate. Differences in the growth habits, nutritional needs, disease resistance, and fruit attributes of determinate and indeterminate tomatoes will influence the types and varieties a grower will choose.

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Upcoming Events

Allium Leafminer Management Meeting

October 19, 2017
3:15pm- 5:00pm
Goshen, NY

This meeting if free with pre-registration! 1.5 DEC credits are available

Topics will include: Biology and Host Range of Allium Leafminer, Scouting and Monitoring for Allium Leafminer, Insecticide Efficacy Field Trial Preliminary Results

Contact Ethan at eg572@cornell.edu or 617-455-1893 for more information.

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Marketing Your Farm as a Great Place to Work

October 25, 2017
1:00-4:00pm
Essex, NY

Do you have a lot of staff turnover? Do you want to improve your communication skills with your employees? This workshop is for you.

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What is my job? Hiring, training and evaluating farm employees effectively

October 25, 2017
5:00-8:00pm
Essex, NY

How well do your employees understand their jobs? Everyone wants farm employees who know what to do without being told. Unfortunately, most people you hire or manage can't read minds. This workshop will help you develop effective tools for training and evaluating new employees or employees moving into new positions.

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Announcements

Welcome Jim Meyers: New Viticulture Specialist!

Jim has been working with wine grapes for 10 years, first as a Viticulture Ph.D. student at Cornell then as a Research Associate. Prior to coming to Cornell, Jim studied Chemistry and Biology (B.S. West Chester University of Pennsylvania), Computer Science (M.S. Brown University), and had a successful career as software technology entrepreneur. This background is reflected in his viticultural research which has focused on computational tools for mapping canopy and vineyard variability, quantifying relationships between variability and fruit chemistry, and optimizing efficiency of vineyard operations. As an Extension Associate, Jim will continue some of these research activities while also looking for new projects that provide targeted benefits to appellations in Eastern New York. Jim will kick off his new appointment by visiting growers at their vineyards to gather first hand knowledge of the sites and to discuss vineyard operations, goals, and challenges. Building a complete catalog of vineyards in a territory that runs 300 miles along the Route 9 corridor may take a little while, but Jim feels that the effort will lay a solid foundation for future program activities while also clearly differentiating the needs of each appellation.

White Rot Update

NOW AVAILABLE: White Rot Fact Sheet: Click Here

Earlier in June I sent a garlic sample to the diagnostic lab hoping that I was wrong. The sample was covered in small black sclerotia, the size of poppy seeds, and white fungal hyphae crept up the stem. The results, unfortunately, matched the field diagnosis: White Rot. Within a couple days additional calls came from up and down the Hudson Valley as well as one in Western NY with similar suspicions. These samples have also gone to the lab for verification, but it looks like the latest pest to move back into the state is this nasty fungus.

White Rot, Sclerotinia cepivorum, decimated the onion industry in New York in the 1930's before being eradicated through careful management. More recently, in 2003, it infected 10,000 acres of garlic in California, leading to the abandonment of some garlic fields and adoption of strict containment rules. White rot has been confirmed in Northeastern states over the last decade as well, with New York being one of the last to discover the disease.

The primary reason that White Rot is such a concern is because the sclerotia, or reproductive structures, can remain dormant in the soil for up to 40 years, attacking any allium crop planted into the soil under favorable conditions. This spring was ideal for infection due to the period of cool, moist weather we had. Optimal temperature for infection is 60-65 degrees F, but infection can occur anywhere from 50-75 degrees F.
Once garlic has white rot, it generally declines rapidly. Leaves will yellow and the plant will wilt, not unlike a severe fusarium infection. However, unlike with fusarium, white rot infected bulbs are covered in black sclerotia and white fungus. To add to the confusion, another disease CAN look similar. Botrytis also causes black sclerotia and white fungal growth. However, Botrytis sclerotia are quite large, often larger than a pencil eraser.

So, what do we do now? We're still working on long-term management strategies, but the most important steps to take now are vigilance when culling (look at the plants you are pulling for symptoms like you see in this article, and if they are present, call us to take a sample and have the disease verified) and, if you see anything suspicious, reduction of movement of inoculum. The main ways diseases get moved around are by dumping culls (compost, field edges, etc) and my moving soil on equipment. Throw away your culls, and wash equipment that may have come in contact with suspicious garlic or the soil it is growing in. Everything from cultivation equipment to harvest bins should be cleaned.

We will keep learning about this disease and will keep sending out information, particularly to help you make decisions about what to sell and buy. For now, remember that the west coast has learned to manage the disease, and we will too. -Crystal Stewart, ENYCHP

Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture - Cornell Cooperative Extension
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Tomatoes

Relevant Event

2018 Empire State Producers EXPO