Recognizing Fruit Rots of Vine Crops
Elisabeth Hodgdon, Vegetable Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
Phytophthora (fi-tof-thor-a) is a serious, long-persistent, destructive disease that can easily be spread from farm to farm on infected fruit. This disease can last a decade in the soil and attacks (blights/melts) vine crops, solanaceous crops, and legumes. The disease is caused by an oomycete, which is a different kind of organism from a fungus. Most fungicides don't control oomycetes. Growers with phytophthora have to rely on specialized control chemistries and often must make substantial changes to their production plans and planting systems. You do NOT want this showing up on your farm, especially not because of some rotting fall vine crops brought in from elsewhere.
Recognizing Fruit Rots of Vine Crops (pdf; 498KB)


Upcoming Events
2025 Berry Twilight Meetings

July 2, 2025 : Berry Twilight Meeting at Dressel Farms
New Paltz, NY
Join Heather Kase, CCE ENYCHP, and Anna Wallis, Cornell IPM, for seasonal updates on berry pest man-agement and IPM.

July 16, 2025 : Berry Twilight Meeting at Samascott Orchards
Kinderhook, NY
Join Heather Kase, CCE ENYCHP, and Anna Wallis, Cornell IPM, for seasonal updates on berry pest man-agement and IPM.

August 6, 2025 : Berry Twilight Meeting at Fishkill Farms
Hopewell Junction, NY
Join Heather Kase, CCE ENYCHP, and Anna Wallis, Cornell IPM, for seasonal updates on berry pest man-agement and IPM.
Vegetable Field Meetings with Dr. Steve Reiners

July 14, 2025 : Herkimer County - Ivan Martin's Farm
Herkimer, NY
Topics: Tomato Fertility and Mitigating Physiological Disorders; Pest Scouting, ID, and IPM Field Walk.

July 15, 2025 : Washington County - Hand Melon Farm
Greenwich, NY
Topics: Tomato Fertility and Mitigating Physiological Disorders, Tomato and Sweet Corn IPM; FSMA Water Assessments and Postharvest Sanitation

July 16, 2025 : Ulster County - Wallkill View Farm
New Paultz, NY
Topics: Tomato Fertility and Mitigating Physiological Disorders; Veg Pest Update and Management; Cornell Tomato Breeding Program and Slicer Tomato Variety Trial Tour
Champlain Valley Orchard Field Afternoon

July 17, 2025 : Champlain Valley Orchard Field Afternoon
Chazy, NY
This July ENYCHP will be hosting an orchard field afternoon highlighting Mike's research trials at Chazy Orchards.