Disease Update - June 25, 2004: Blue mold continues to increase in the Ohio Valley. There are now 33 counties in KY with confirmed blue mold, plus 4 in southern Ohio (Adams, Brown, Highland, and Scioto). We are adding a source site in southern Ohio to represent the active blue mold in that region, which represents the northeastern extent of the Ohio Valley infections. We have the first report from the VA mountains. Blue mold was discovered Wednesday in Lee County in extreme southwest VA in a 2-acre field. Chuck Johnson states in his report that he expects more blue mold to be found in this region as growers get more opportunity to get into their fields to work. Weather here, as in the Ohio Valley, has been quite favorable recently for disease development.
Disease Update - June 23, 2004: We have the first reports from Ohio, Virginia, and the NC mountains. The Ohio reports are from Adams and Highland Counties. The Virginia report is from Pittsylvania County in southside VA. Madison County in the central NC mountains is the site for 2 new reports from that area.
The Weather... A stationary front lies from northern OK and AR eastward across TN and southern NC. Partly to mostly cloudy across the southern states today with a good chance of showers and thunderstorms most areas. Isolated to scattered activity for southern sections of KY and VA and northern NC. Sunny to partly cloudy and dry for the rest of the Ohio Valley, mid-Atlantic, and Northeast on Wednesday. The stationary front will dissipate tonight, and by Thursday the moist air will creep farther northward. Scattered afternoon showers and thunderstorms from the southern Ohio Valley and mid-Atlantic southward. A frontal system moving across the northern tier will bring a chance of showers and thunderstorms from the eastern Great Lakes and southern Canada through the Northeast.
The Forecast... On Wednesday... HIGH RISK for north-central TN. Strongly Moderate Risk for tobacco crops in the southern Appalachian Mountains. Moderate Risk for south-central and southeast KY, north-central NC, and southside VA. Low Risk otherwise. On Thursday... Strongly Moderate Risk for north-central TN, south-central and southeast KY. Moderate Risk for many other areas including southern IN, southern OH, northern KY, western WV, the southern Appalchian Mountains, north-central NC, and southside VA. Low Risk elsewhere.
The sources in Cuba and southern Texas are Low Threats to other regions the next two days.
TK
Areas at Strongly Moderate or HIGH Risk during the past week: Central and eastern KY, western WV, extreme southwest VA, north-central and eastern TN, southern Ohio, western NC, southwest and southside VA, north-central NC
Current Sources:
Previous Sources:
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.