About WCU

Weekly Crop Update

The Weekly Crop Update is University of Delaware Cooperative Extension’s vegetable and agronomic crops newsletter.  The contributors to WCU are University of Delaware Cooperative Extension Specialists and Agents (and a few others).  The WCU keeps readers in our region informed on production topics, disease and insect outbreaks, the latest weed, insect and disease control options, pasture and forage management, and upcoming meetings and events.

History

The Weekly Crop Update was first published in 1990 as the “Weekly Vegetable and Fruit Crop Update” – a one-page newsletter that was edited by Ed Kee, the (now retired) Extension Vegetable Specialist, and mailed to subscribers.  Occasional agronomic crop articles were added in 1991 and in 1993 the newsletter became the “Weekly Crop Update.”  Tracy Wooten, Extension Associate, Vegetable Crops, and Ed Kee co-edited the WCU from 1993 to 1994.  Fax subscriptions were added in 1994.  Tracy became the sole editor in 1995 and continued in this role through 2004 when she became the Sussex Co. Horticulture Agent and Emmalea Ernest was hired to fill the position of Extension Associate, Vegetable Crops.  Emmalea is the current WCU editor.

Current Contributors

  • James Adkins – Associate Scientist – Irrigation Engineer, University of Delaware
  • Dr. Jerry Brust – Extension IPM Vegetable Specialist, University of Maryland
  • Dr. Emmalea Ernest – Scientist – Vegetable Crops, University of Delaware
  • Dr. Gordon Johnson – Extension Fruit & Vegetable Specialist, University of Delaware
  • Dr. Alyssa Koehler – Extension Specialist – Plant Pathology, University of Delaware
  • Dr. Jarrod Miller – Extension Agronomist, University of Delaware
  • Dr. Rose Ogutu – Horticulture Specialist, Delaware State University
  • Dr. David Owens – Extension Entomologist, University of Delaware
  • Dr. Amy Shober – Extension Specialist, Nutrient Management and Environmental Quality
  • Dr. Mark VanGessel – Extension Weed Specialist, University of Delaware

Past Contributors

  • Bill Cissel – Extension IPM Agent, University of Delaware
    Guess the Pest! is Bill’s brainchild, and one of his many innovative Extension education ideas.
  • Dr. Kate Everts – Extension Vegetable Pathologist, University of Maryland & University of Delaware
    Kate’s contributed numerous articles on vegetable disease management.
  • Carl German – Retired Extension Crops Marketing Specialist, University of Delaware
    Carl contributed articles on grain marketing to the Weekly Crop Update for many years and has now retired from the University of Delaware.
  • Dr. Nathan Kleczewski – Extension Specialist – Plant Pathology, University of Delaware
    Nathan’s contributed many great articles on crop disease management.
  • Bob Mulrooney – Retired Extension Plant Pathologist, University of Delaware
    Bob contributed many articles on disease management in vegetable, fruit and agronomic crops and has now retired from the University of Delaware.
  • Dr. Richard Taylor – Extension Agronomist, University of Delaware
    Richard shared many detailed articles on field crop and hay and pasture management with WCU readers and retired from UD in June 2016.
  • Joanne Whalen – Retired Extension IPM Specialist, University of Delaware
    Joanne kept WCU readers well informed of what insects to scout for and how to manage them. She retired from UD in January 2017.