Attendance High at Cornell's Corn and Bean Processors Field Day

SEPTEMBER 17, 1999

CONTACT: Linda McCandless, llm3@cornell.edu, 315-787-2417

by Dave Chicoine

Suggested caption: Fred Musser, Cornell graduate student in entomology, speaks about European corn beetles and Monarch butterflies at the processors' field day in August. CREDIT: Joan Thibeau/NYSA

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GENEVA, NY: Cornell University's 7th Annual Processing Sweet Corn and Snap Bean Field Day was held on August 17, 1999, at the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station's Vegetable Research Farm in Geneva, NY.

Guests came from the Northeast and Canada, and as far away as Alabama and Idaho. Twenty-nine guests representing the Ontario Growers' Marketing Board came by motor coach from Ontario. There were seven seed company representatives, five vegetable processing representatives, and one bean broker from Delaware. Also joining the field day were several local agri-business representatives and a few New York State growers, including Bill Harris, an active member of the Processing Sweet Corn Research Association. Seven Cornell Cooperative Extension agents attended from as far away as Wyoming County. Last but not least, 20 Cornell faculty and staff from the Ithaca and Geneva campuses attended to speak and support the field day activities, contributing to the day's success.

Steve Reiners, associate professor of horticultural sciences, acted as emcee. He welcomed the over 100 people present and introduced each speaker.

Thomas Björkman, associate professor of horticultural sciences, Geneva, started the snap bean discussions with a presentation about solving the leftover phosphorous problem using ammonium and sodium bicarbonate release agents. Björkman and Reiners had acquired funding from the USDA for a two-year study.

Their presentation was followed by Alan Taylor, professor of horticultural sciences, Geneva, who spoke on seed aging and the effect of cold storage, presenting emergence data on seed quality declination and yield declination. He addressed cold/stress tests and seed lab work on germination and the development of current economic information for the growers.

George Abawi, professor of plant pathology, Geneva, spoke on the management of Bean Root Rot and described his fungicide seed treatment trials along with information about the impact of sub-soiling, rotation, and composting with and without cover crops.

Robin Bellinder, professor of fruit and vegetable sciences, Ithaca, spoke on regulatory information for herbicides, including the EPA rejection of Reflex. "There will soon be a complete registration for snap beans," she said. "It will help increase the number of tools in the toolbox for the growers."

Finally, research support specialist Jim Ballerstein, Geneva, led a walking tour of the snap bean trials and described the sieve size, yield, and quality data for each variety of snap beans. There were some excellent conversations among Ballerstein and seed specialists as they went through each variety. Cans of processed snap beans were displayed on a table near the field trial for a closer inspection of the finished product.

Margaret Smith, associate professor of plant breeding, Ithaca, started off the sweet corn trial portion of the afternoon. Smith specializes in field corn but has been able to transfer useful information to sweet corn programs that deal specifically with pest problems and leaf blight. She spoke about the European Corn Borer (ECB) resistance program at her field trials in Aurora, N.Y. She also explained nitrogen stress tolerances and the genetic work to develop a better sweet corn for the Finger Lakes Region.

Mike Hoffman, associate professor of entomology, Ithaca, spoke about Stewart's Wilt and the use of parasitic wasps as a release inoculant for integrated pest management to control the corn flea beetle.

Fred Musser, graduate student in entomology, Geneva, continued on the subject of the ECB and the use of parasitic wasps as an IPM control on the egg masses of the corn beetle. He also discussed use of Tracer and Success as insecticides, their effects on milkweed, and, in turn, their effect on the Monarch butterfly.

Bellinder returned to provide information about pesticides and specific information from the EPA concerning sweet corn. She also talked about three new herbicides for sweet corn that will be available within the following year. She noted that Acton was good for Velvet Leaf and Aim may be used with 2-4-D for weed control.

Jim Ballerstein finished off the day with a tour of the processing sweet corn trials, describing each variety to the many interested people who stayed until close to 5 p.m. Cans of processed sweet corn were also on display near the field trials for a closer inspection of the finished product.

AGBUSINESS MEETING FOLLOWED TOUR

The group gathered at the Station's Pavilion to continue their conversations over dinner, which was followed by the annual agribusiness portion of the meeting. Most of the information conveyed concerned the effects of weather nationwide: Minnesota is 'too wet,' Idaho 'just right', Ontario and New York 'dry, but not as dry as Delaware, Maryland, and Pennsylvania.' Concern about consumer reaction in the U.S., Canada, and Europe to genetically modified corn and beans, and the industry-wide attitude of 'wait and see' were hot topics of conversation. Many in the industry are planning to deliver the commodities the consumers demand in each niche market, and to monitor crop practices and GMO's so they can be labeled as the various markets require.