David Owens, Extension Entomologist, owensd@udel.edu
Congratulations to Lamar Witmer for correctly identifying last week’s pest as paraquat drift. While this wasn’t severe in the field, it highlights the importance of following label and university guidance to reduce drift. This is especially important when applying more volatile herbicides, when near vegetable fields, and near the ever-increasing number of housing developments.
Additional comments from Alyssa Koehler: Foliar burn from chemicals can be easily confused with lesions from fungal pathogens. It is important to note the distribution of these spots within the field (are symptoms only along the field edge?) and on the plant (is the new growth affected?). Unless a very high percentage of foliage is destroyed, this type of injury should not be serious because new growth and physiological development of the plant are not affected.
