FORECAST SUMMARY: Friday, May 24:
*** Disease Update - 22 May *** Two more reports of blue mold from NC. These come from Alamance and Rockingham counties, in north-central NC. Both of these outbreaks are several weeks old. The Rockingham outbreak occurred in a greenhouse. As with other recent reports from NC, few details are known.
*** Disease Update - 20 May *** Blue mold has been reported from Nash County, NC. This site, in the western edge of the coastal plain, is quite close to the first reported source near Bunn. It appears that this outbreak did not result from setting infected plants, but occurred once plants were in the field. Much of this infection involves larger plants (6-8 leaves present). Nearby tobacco which is younger and growing slower is showing a much lesser degree of infection. Sporulation this morning was light to moderate.
*** Dry, unfavorable weather is expected in most areas Friday through Sunday *** High pressure centered over the Southeast today will shift to the east. The low pressure area that is supposed to begin developing on Saturday in the northern Caribbean may affect southern FL late Saturday or Sunday. The most recent forecasts have the system getting slowly organized east of the FL peninsula late this weekend. It will then move north. Its future track remains uncertain, but it will have some impact on the Carolinas and mid-Atlantic states early next week. A cold front will approach the region from the west by Sunday, and may get close enough to generate some scattered afternoon showers in the western sections. Other than the western sections and southern FL, all other areas should remain dry with near normal temperatures. There is Low Risk to the U.S. tobacco regions Friday through Sunday.
TK
Serious Threats: None
HIGH RISK areas: None
Current Sources:
Previous Sources:
Pinar del Rio, Cuba
Santiago, Dominican Republic
Papantla, Veracruz, Mexico
Tepic, Nayarit, Mexico
Local Weather in North Carolina is available from the WRAL-TV5 Weather Center, which also has links to other weather sites.
***** NOTE: These forecasts/outlooks only apply to disease development from airborne transport of spores!!! We do not have the capability to ascertain blue mold development by other means, such as transplanting of infected seedlings, nor will we attempt to do so. Please consult the Extension Service personnel in your area if you have concerns about these matters! *****
This service is provided by the North Carolina State University departments of Plant Pathology and Marine, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences.